Manheim reports more than £6m in HGV sales in 2019

Manheim is celebrating a record-breaking £6 million in HGV sales in 2019, following a programme of investment in its dedicated HGV Hubs.

They are Gloucester, Colchester, Washington and Shotts, as well as a brand-new HGV and plant centre facility at Bruntingthorpe.

In excess of 100 different vendors worked with the commercial vehicle auction house, while stock has made its way to more than 250 individual buyers.

The Bruntingthorpe HGV & Plant Centre was unveiled in May 2019, attracting over 200 interested buyers; a third of whom joined the event online.

With vehicles on offer from large finance companies through to individual businesses, the sale achieved an 80% first time conversion at an average of 104% reserve.

The Bruntingthorpe site also benefited later in the year from the roll-out of a fully integrated AIMS auction management system, providing customers with easier access to stock and more sophisticated reporting for vendors.

The Manheim HGV team found the virtual auction programme, working simultaneously with the physical events, also delivered strong results.

For one vendor, they were able to achieve 200% of reserves and save £5,000 in movement costs on the back of a virtual sale during which their entire listing sold on the first time of asking.

Simulcast and online sales have performed particularly well in 2019, with the trend towards virtual trade in the HGV and plant sector showing no signs of slowing down. With buyers able to log-on from their depot, warehouse, agricultural land, construction site, and more, there is no interruption to business when it comes to purchasing stock. More than half of all HGVs sold in 2019 went to online buyers.

Chris Mynott, national HGV and plant manager and Manheim, said: “The strategic decisions we took at the start of 2019 to invest in our HGV and plant operations have paid real dividends.

“The response from vendors and buyers has been exceptionally positive and we are continuing to grow our offering and market share by listening to customers and delivering on our promises.

“The year just gone has provided us with a fantastic platform on which to build, but we are not resting on our laurels. In 2020, we will work with customers to maximise their sale returns, minimise movement costs and provide a truly flexible service.

“We are investing in our de-fleet and storage facilities, providing customers with a truly scalable operation.”

Manheim Bruntingthorpe provides HGV & Plant vendors with access to a 600-acre storage and sale centre, while the four virtual de-fleet hubs at Gloucester, Colchester, Washington and Shotts offer nationwide auction coverage.