BRITISH Car Auctions has increased its European network through a new partnership with a Portuguese auction company. Autoleiloes will act as a BCA licensee, and use BCA branding on its purpose-built premises near Lisbon.

BCA worked closely with Autoleiloes - one of Portugal's newest vehicle auction companies, formed under two years ago - in setting up its auction systems and procedures. Tom Gibson, chairman and chief executive of BCA, said: 'We are delighted to announce this new partnership with Autoleiloes in Portugal which further strengthens BCA's presence in mainland Europe.'

He confirmed that this was BCA's second licensee agreement, following a similar arrangement in Norway. The company owns auction centres in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Denmark, and has also held a sale on behalf of Ford in Sweden, although it has not yet established a permanent physical presence there.