FREDERICK, Md. -

In a year of “encouraging” signs for the auction business, the amount of volume flowing into National Auto Auction Association member facilities climbed more than 6 percent in 2012, and sales for these auctions nearly reached 8 million units.

That’s according to NAAA’s 16th annual survey of its members, conducted for the association by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP of Arlington, Va.  The survey — which did not include upstream sales — indicated that NAAA members moved about 7.9 million units last year, generating $72.7 billion in sales.

There were 14.6 million units that entered these auctions in 2012, which marked a 6.4-percent gain.  The conversion percentage fell 1.7 percent.

“Given the strain on the auto industry that began in 2008, the 2012 results were very encouraging,” said NAAA chief executive officer Frank Hackett. “I believe the slight volume increase in 2012 is a sign the industry will see increases in the volume of cars entering and being sold at auction in the years to come.

“The survey results show the strength and depth of a mature industry that despite various challenges has demonstrated its resiliency,” Hackett continued. “I’m confident we’ll continue to be a vital and growing part of our nation’s economy in the decades to come.”

Dealer consignment vehicles represented the greatest share of auction sales (58.4 percent), followed finance and fleet (fleet/lease/repo) with a 34.5-percent share. NAAA said 6.6 percent were manufacturer (factory) cars and 0.5 percent came from other sources.

According to NAAA, there was a “74-percent response rate representing 232 NAAA North American member auctions. The reported total vehicles entered and sold and the related gross values are projected to estimate the totals for all 314 NAAA member auctions.”

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