A HUGE increase in sales of ex-rental vehicles has prompted Greenhous Remarketing Services to move to a purpose-built new site. The company estimates it will sell 16,000 end-of-term rental vehicles this year, compared to 7,500 last year, 4,000 in 1997 and 2,500 in 1996. The majority of vehicles sold (85%) are Vauxhalls, although Greenhous also deals with Fords, Nissans and Toyotas.

Initially formed to offer a buyback service to rental companies supplied by Vauxhall dealerships within the Greenhous Group, the company now has a contract with Vauxhall to remarket end of term rental vehicles on its behalf. Sales and marketing director, Mike Pilkington, said: 'We are truly delighted at how the business is developing. We have doubled the volume of vehicles handled year on year and are attracting new buyers at the rate of one every two hours. Rental companies tend to shy away from taking vehicles on at their own risk but we have taken that risk in what is a very volatile market.'

Nine months ago, when the remarketing side became a separate limited company within the Greenhous Group, there were just six staff, but now there are 27 and the new site in Shrewsbury has space for 80 people. Pilkington added: 'We would not have made the investment if we did not believe there were opportunities in the market place for us. We will be recruiting more staff and are looking to strengthen our team.'