Carlson Vehicle Transfer, part of Groupe Cat, has bought some of the remaining assets of Quantum Automotive out of administration.

Quantum appointed administrators Simon Plant and Daniel Plant of SFP on 31 January just days before the assets of sister-firm Sensible Transport were acquired by Autologic after it fell into administration with debts of almost £1m.

Stuart Warren, MD of Carlson, tells MT: "We bought a few remaining assets and we are looking to take on a contract with one of their remaining clients."

MT understands that the remaining assets have been used to pay back creditors.

The difficulties were blamed on issues with Sensible Transport resulting in the loss of a major contract with Toyota.

Toyata had appointed a two-year contract to Quantum for 50,000 vehicle deliveries in November 2011. The contract was reverted back to Autologic on as Sensible entered administration on 26 January – with Autologic buying Sensible’s assets out of administration on 1 February (MT 6 February). Autologic ruled themselves out of acquiring Quantum's assets after the sensible deal because it was smaller in scale than Sensible.

Simon Plant adds: "While certain parts of the automotive sector are holding up surprisingly well – especially niche component manufacturers – there is increasing competition within automotive services and distribution.

"Quantum is an established brand that has simply run out of cash."

Quantum was headquartered in Almondsbury, Bristol, and had a site on the Ashmore Trading Estate in Runcorn, Cheshire.

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