It all started from one depot in Norwich back in 1982 – a bespoke exhaust specialist offering delivery to garages and fitting stations in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridge with its 2 Renault-Traffics and a mini-van. Many will know the company as Exhausts Unlimited. At that time, daily deliveries were a revelation to the trade, who had been used to weekly deliveries or twice a week at best. Now, nearly 30 years on, EU and Linco have 20 depots, over 200 staff and a huge fleet of 150 vehicles covering an area from North Lincolnshire to the Thames, offering hourly delivery to many areas. Exhausts Unlimited were an innovator in the trade, being one of the first automotive parts distributors to utilise computers for stock management. EU introduced the ‘EGO’ computer system in late 1982. This proved to be an inspired decision, a great advancement on hand-written invoices and the cardex stock system. As the exhaust market changed in the late 80s, an opportunity presented itself to purchase a general parts distributor in Colchester. In 2001 EU purchased Linco Plc, the addition of six branches in Lincolnshire further cemented the company’s position as one of the leading independent motor factors in the UK. Those branches, in Boston, Spalding, Lincoln, Horncastle, Grantham and Melton Mowbray are branded EU Linco.
