Back in the day there were only a handful of public truck auctions on the calendar worth their salt. Commercial Vehicle Auctions, better known as CVA, led the way as the country’s foremost independent truck auction, and both Fleet Auction Group (FLAG) and Malcolm Harrison provided stiff competition. And then there was Manheim; its truck sales at Colchester and Leeds were integral to that calendar.
It would be harsh to say both Colchester and Leeds fell by the wayside but they have certainly struggled to match its competitors. CVA, FLAG, and the FLAG-owned ProTruck Auctions, have dominated in recent times.
Well, Manheim is looking to reintroduce the Leeds site as a frontrunner. Last year it held a successful one-off sale with Volvo Trucks, and it’s pushing the online Manheim Bid or Buy Now auction hard.
This Thursday (6 March 2014) is a significant step in that direction with more than 120 trucks up before the gavel in a branded sale; names include Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicles, Royal Mail, Co-op and Brakes Group.
James Davis, director of CVs at Manheim, says the sale will mainly consist of direct de-fleeted stock. “This will be followed by a further selection of trucks grouped in a ‘direct fleet branded sale section’ from the UK’s leading contract hire, lease, owner-operator and local authority fleets.”
He says: “By grouping smaller volume entries together the impact is maximised, he explained. It engages the buyer and sustains the momentum of the sale.”
The branded sale concept will be rolled out to four other sites at Colchester, Gloucester, Glasgow and Washington.
