Copart Announces Land Expansion and Activation across Five States in Response to Hurricane Matthew

Immediate addition of new acreage provided Copart capacity needed in response to Hurricane Matthew

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Oct 27, 2016, 02:47 ET

DALLAS, Oct. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPRT), a global online vehicle auction company, announces the activation of reserve land in Georgia and Virginia, in addition to the expansion of existing locations in the Carolinas and Florida. The land expansions and activations came as an immediate response to Hurricane Matthew, allowing Copart's Catastrophe Response Team to provide even greater service in response to weather-related damage.

"We have a long history of preparing for and responding to catastrophes. This year, our reinvestment strategy has led us to expand in areas that frequently incur damage from natural disasters. That focus allowed us to immediately activate locations in Georgia and Virginia when Matthew hit the east coast," said Will Franklin, Executive Vice President of Copart. "We are also fortunate to have been able to add land in the Carolinas and Florida as an immediate response to Matthew."

In addition to new land added in response to Hurricane Matthew, Copart has already announced expansions of existing locations in Florida and North Carolina, along with a new location in Georgia this year. The land has provided Copart the capacity needed to meet immediate demand brought on by extreme weather.

In addition to adding acreage to their operations, Copart continues to achieve operational excellence during times of need with their Catastrophe Response Team (CAT Team), a group of elite employees who are ready and willing to respond to weather-related catastrophes at a moment's notice. The CAT Team includes mobile command centers that are equipped with generators and satellite technology as well as the Copart Catastrophe Response Fleet comprised of haulers that each carry four cars. These industry-leading resources allow Copart to quickly mobilize and overcome challenges presented by catastrophes in order to help communities recover and return to normal more quickly.

"Not only do we strive to provide an unmatched experience, but we are always looking to contribute to the safety and quality of life of our local communities," said Sean Eldridge, Copart's Chief Operating Officer. "In preparation for Hurricane Matthew, our team was put on alert, and our dedicated CAT Team did what they do best – responded and assisted while operating at the highest level."

Last year, the CAT Team responded to flooding in Columbia, South Carolina, and most recently, the CAT Team responded to record-breaking flooding in the Baton Rouge area.

In addition to helping communities during catastrophes, Copart supports numerous local, regional and national charities. To learn more about Copart in your community and nationwide, please visit TeamCopart.com.

Copart operates in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, India, Sultanate of Oman, Spain, Canada, Brazil, Germany, and the Republic of Ireland. In 2015, Copart was ranked number one on Deloitte's "The Exceptional 100" list which reviews publically traded companies.

About Copart

Copart, founded in 1982, provides vehicle sellers with a full range of remarketing services to process and sell salvage and clean title vehicles to dealers, dismantlers, rebuilders, exporters and, in some states, to end users. Copart remarkets the vehicles through Internet sales using its VB3 technology. Copart sells vehicles on behalf of insurance companies, banks, finance companies, fleet operators, dealers, car dealerships and others as well as vehicles sourced from the general public. The company currently operates in the United States (www.copart.com), Canada (www.copart.ca), the United Kingdom (www.copart.co.uk), Brazil (www.copart.com.br), Germany (www.copart.de), the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and the Sultanate of Oman (www.copartmea.com), Spain (www.copart.es), the Republic of Ireland (www.copart.ie), and India (www.copart.in). Copart links sellers to more than 750,000 Members in more than 150 countries worldwide through its multi-channel platform. In 2015, Copart was ranked at the top of Deloitte's "The Exceptional 100" list of companies, which reviewed U.S. publicly traded companies based upon a multidimensional approach to measuring financial performance. For more information, or to become a Member, visit www.copart.com.