Copart History Overview

Video Transcript

Copart was founded in 1982 by Willis J. Johnson, a true American success story.

Johnson grew up learning about business from his entrepreneur father who dabbled in everything from dairy farming to building houses. Johnson inherited that entrepreneurial spirt and started Copart with just one location in Vallejo, California, turning his passion and strong work ethic into a multibillion dollar company.

Still being traded on the NASDAQ today, Johnson took Copart public in 1994. The growth Copart would see from that point forward would be unmatched and, by 2002, we had established our first 100 locations in the United States. In 2003, Copart expanded internationally to Canada and then again in 2007 to the United Kingdom. Today, 35 years later, Copart continues to grow. We have nearly 200 locations in 11 countries and a strong balance sheet with a nearly $7,000,000 market cap.

Copart also has over 750,000 members, lists 125,000 vehicles daily on our website and employs more than 4,000 people worldwide, but Copart is more than just the global leader in the auto auction industry. We are a community partner. Our philanthropic efforts are as diverse as each of our locations. From raising money and generating awareness for local charities, food banks and shelters, to companywide participation in drives such as Toys for Tots, Copart gives back to its communities and supports causes that are making a difference in people’s lives.

In an effort in making our communities a safer place to live, Copart provides local law enforcement, fire departments and similar government agencies a safe training environment for drills and simulations. Copart locations are also used by agencies as a controlled environment for training canines to track narcotics and explosive devices.

Copart further supports communities by being one of the first on the scene when disaster strikes, employing an elite team of dedicated catastrophe relief experts which enables us to respond quickly and efficiently when needed most. Our teams work closely with insurance partners to pick up and process vehicles, assisting local individuals and getting their claims processed sooner, and playing an important role in the cleanup process for communities devastated by natural disaster.

Copart also strongly believes in practicing good corporate citizenship and social responsibility. Our company is committed to maintaining exceptionally clean and organized facilities and follows strict guidelines for the disposal of fluids and other waste. In just one year, Copart recycled over 32 tons of material, reduced greenhouse gasses by 103 metric tons and saved nearly 4,000 gallons of oil. We also own more than 7,000 acres of land, taking pride and ensuring the land we own is well taken care of.

Most recently, Copart was awarded a platinum MarCom for its corporate social responsibility and also picked up a bronze Stevie for Veteran-Owned Business of the Year. In 2015, Copart also topped the Exceptional 100 Top Companies list conducted by the accounting firm, Deloitte.

No matter how far Copart extends, the communities in which we conduct business will be, and continue to be, treated like home.