We start this auction news roundup with the latest from Black Widow Imaging.
The company announced two upgrades to its high-definition image capturing system on Wednesday. First, the platform now captures 17 images, up from seven.
Additionally, Black Widow also introduced automated background replacement software for automakers and dealers, through which the company can remove backgrounds in images and replace them with customizable backgrounds.
“These patent pending advancements allow our auction and dealers customers to deliver more, high-quality images of the vehicles they are trying to sell, faster to the market. Effectively allowing them to market their newly purchased inventory before the actual product arrives on their lot.” Black Widow founder and chief executive officer Jason Hauk said in a news release.
“The patent pending automated background replacement is the first in our industry,” he said.
Later in the release, Hauk emphasized the need for capturing high-quality images for both auctions and dealers.
“For over a decade, we knew the game was going to change. Auctions have needed to provide more transparency and accuracy of the vehicles to the dealer’s purchasing for the end consumer,” he said.
“It starts with capturing high quality images, but it is as much if not more about capturing loss revenue and savings that go straight to the bottom line by getting vehicles to the market faster,” Hauk said. “It’s time we give the employees at these dealers and auctions an automated tool that provides consistent results. Mobile devices are intended for viewing images of vehicles for sale, not capturing them.”
Credit Acceptance honors top auctions
In other news from the auction world, Credit Acceptance Corp. has named its National Auction of the Year award winners for 2021.
The honorees include:
— ADESA Knoxville, National High-Volume Market
— Dealers Auto Auction Group of Huntsville, National Small-Volume Market
— 166 Auto Auction, Midwest Regional High-Volume Market
— ADESA Knoxville, Southeast Regional High-Volume Market
— ADESA Phoenix, West Coast Regional High-Volume Market
— Manheim Baltimore/Washington, NE Regional High-Volume Market
— Manheim DFW, Southwest Regional High-Volume Market
Dealer Auto Auction Group shared the list of honorees in a news release.
“We truly appreciate the recognition by Credit Acceptance Corporation, we are very proud of the leadership and dedication of our employees that make up the team in Huntsville,” DAAG chief executive officer David Andrews said in the release.
ADESA said Tuesday it is launching a more comprehensive condition report designed to help dealers “buy with confidence.”
The enhanced reports feature an upgraded photo gallery that includes a dedicated damages section, easier-to-find tire condition information and vehicle options, the company said in a news release. The top of the CR page will feature the most commonly referenced information, like vehicle summary, bid details and images.
ADESA expects to finish the phased rollout of the condition reports later this year.
“Our new condition report displays key information in an easy to digest format, reducing the time it takes to make a decision on the vehicle while empowering dealers to buy with confidence,” said ADESA president John Hammer, who is also chief commercial officer of parent company KAR Global, in a news release.
“Buyers consistently ask for fast access to the information that matters most to them, including things like damages, tire condition and announcement information,” Hammer said. “So, we are thrilled to evolve our condition reports to a more digestible format that better meets their needs.”
Beyond the CR upgrades ADESA has also launched a new Purchases Page designed to streamline the checkout process and ADESA Assurance.
The expo hall floor at the National Automobile Dealers Association's annual convention is where a lot of new companies and products make their debuts.
The National Auto Auction Association will celebrate their own debut, of sorts, at NADA Show 2022 when it hosts a workshop at the dealer convention for the first time.
And that’s just part of the festivities for NAAA, which announced in December it would be is taking what has traditionally been its Spring Business Meeting and moving it to NADA Show 2022.
The meeting — which has been renamed Total Access — will be held in Las Vegas during March’s NADA convention and include sessions on electric vehicles, chip shortage, recruitment and more.
“Bringing our members to the NADA Show is going to be a great event. We'll have our own independent day before NADA Show gets kicked off. And we are looking forward to providing a lot of good educational content,” NAAA chief executive officer Tricia Heon told Auto Remarketing in December. “Topics such as electric vehicles and the chip shortage obviously will be top-of-mind, and we have industry experts continuing to monitor the situation and we'll be providing an update to the members on that.
“But also, (we’ll also be) providing other content to our members. Auction standards are always top-of-mind for our members, and continuing that conversation, and getting input from our customers as to what they'd like to see,” she said.
Total Access, which will be held at the Resorts World in Las Vegas, kicks off March 10 with a day that includes NAAA committee and chapter meetings, an “Industry Celebration Lunch” and an afternoon session on “Chips, (EV) Chargers, and Chasing Inventory: Making Sense of 2022 and Beyond” with industry consultant Glenn Mercer.
Day 2 (March 11) includes committee meetings, as well as a meet-and-greet with NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith.
The lineup that day also includes a session on “Hired: Solutions to Improve Your Recruitment Process.” The evening agenda features a Dealer Appreciation Concert with Kool and the Gang.
On March 12, NAAA will host its first-ever NADA Show workshop, titled “Simply the Best: Why Your Dealership Needs NAAA Auctions to Get to the Next Level.”
NAAA will once again have a booth in the NADA Show expo hall, where it will bring some of its member and host booth events. Heon said NAAA members have attended the show in the past but not “in the large numbers that we’ll be bringing this year.”
Working with fellow trade groups, like NADA and the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance, remains a key priority for NAAA.
“The automotive industry is one ecosystem. And if you asked any of those organizations, they would completely agree. Working together is paramount. We are stronger together,” Heon said. “So, whether it's advocating on Capitol Hill as an industry, or just sharing resources, listening to one another. One of the things that we did for the first time is have joint committee meetings at IARA.
“And I will continue to open our doors at our association to continue to listen to their members' concerns and how we as an industry can address them together,” she said. “So, I think being connected as an industry is more important than ever. Especially entering this rapidly changing landscape.”
We start this Auction News Roundup in South Carolina, where Angela Yarborough has returned to Rawls Auto Auction as executive sales and marketing manager.
She rejoins the company from America’s Auto Auction, where she was the assistant general manager at its Houston location.
Starting as a block clerk in 1989, Yarborough spent nearly three decades at Rawls, working in various departments and eventually becoming assistant general manager. She joined ADESA in 2017, where she worked in a national sales role in the Houston area and as a general manager.
“We are pleased to announce the return of Angela Yarborough to our team at Rawls Auto Auction,” Rawls Auto Auction general manager Julianne Rawls said in a news release. “Angela served in various positions at Rawls over the course of many years and played a pivotal role in our success.
“We are confident that Angela will contribute to our growth and believe that her return to the company as executive sales and marketing manager further solidifies our status as a recognized leader in the auto auction industry,” Rawls said.
Auction president and owner Jimmy Rawls added: “We’re excited to welcome Angela back to Rawls Auto Auction. Angela has further expanded her expertise and industry contacts in her recent positions. Her success at every level, including business development and customer relationship building, will be a great asset to our company.”
Yarborough said: “It feels good to be going home to where I started my career many moons ago. I am excited to be back working with the great team at Rawls Auto Auction, the first auto auction in the nation.”
TAC teams with ParkMyFleet
Elsewhere, TAC Auction — which specializes in the digital online equipment space, offering heavy trucks, trailers and farm equipment — has partnered with ParkMyFleet to utilize the various services the latter provides at its mobility hubs.
ParkMyFleet will offer marshaling, inspections, diagnostic and reconditioning services at its mobility sites.
“This lets TAC not only have the ability to reach new customers, but will allow to better serve the needs of our current customer base,” TAC remarketing director Mitch O’Neil said in a news release.
Added ParkMyFleet chief executive officer and founder Mike Landau: “We are thrilled to partner with TAC Auction. We are uniquely positioned to provide the exact services that will ensure each of the company’s vehicles is managed, improved and maintained to the highest standard.”
We're back! In our first episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast of 2022, Manheim president Grace Huang joins the show to look back at the big themes in the auction industry from 2021, while also outlining Manheim's goals for 2022.
We discuss digital wholesale, electrification of the vehicle fleet, industry consolidation and much more.
Huang's 2021 year-in-review letter can be found here.
To listen to the conversation, click on the link available below, or visit the Auto Remarketing Podcast page.
Download and subscribe to the Auto Remarketing Podcast on iTunes or on Google Play.
KAR Global announced leadership changes at eight ADESA locations on Thursday.
New general managers now are in place at operations throughout the U.S., including:
— Michele Arguijo at ADESA Austin
— Amy Coley at ADESA Washington, D.C.
— Sheldon Jones at ADESA Little Rock
— Derek Kline at ADESA PA
— Sean O’Connell at ADESA Colorado Springs
— Lisa O’Neil at ADESA Atlanta
— Rod Thompson at ADESA Tampa
— Alfie White at ADESA Birmingham
“All of the new GMs are proven leaders who demonstrate industry-knowledge and customer obsession,” ADESA chief operating officer Srisu Subrahmanyam said in a news release. “We’re excited to have these new leaders in place at our vehicle logistics centers as we continue to evolve our digital-first approach, supported by our vast physical infrastructure.”
With ADESA Austin for more than 13 years, the company highlighted Arguijo has held various management positions across fleet and dealer sales, overseeing both departments in 2017.
With more than 25 years of industry experience, Arguijo began her career at a local mechanic shop as a service writer and bookkeeper, and then joined DriveTime where she was promoted to recon shop manager.
ADESA mentioned Coley has worked in the automotive industry for more than 16 years. Prior to working as the assistant GM at ADESA Washington, D.C., Coley got her start working in repairs — managing everything from collision repairs to full express repair centers.
“She brings a strong customer service background and digital focus,” the company said.
KAR noted that Jones brings more than 12 years of management experience to ADESA Little Rock ranging from the auto to financial industries.
“He is no stranger to the KAR Global family, as he managed three salvage auctions for the company prior to their spin-off,” the company said.
KAR indicated Kline has been with ADESA PA for almost four years and most recently held the commercial accounts manager position.
Prior to joining ADESA, Kline held various positions in the automotive industry with companies such Enterprise Rent-A-Car “where he quickly rose through several management roles with increasing responsibilities,” according to KAR.
With more than 25 years of auction and remarketing experience, KAR said O’Connell offers a veteran presence to ADESA Colorado Springs. The company said he was the assistant GM at the AutoNation auction in Atlanta for the last four years where “he refined his retail knowledge of the business.”
Prior to that, O’Connell served as the AFC branch manager in Atlanta.
KAR highlighted O’Neil has held numerous positions throughout her 18 years with ADESA. Most recently, she served as the GM of ADESA Tampa and prior to that, the assistant GM of ADESA Atlanta.
“She is known for her powerful client relationships and strong leadership skills, both of which foster a great customer experience,” KAR said.
Thompson possesses 25 years of experience in the automotive industry as he arrives at ADESA Tampa. A veteran in the industry, the company said he has done everything from owning a motorsports dealership to leading ADESA Tulsa.
Prior to his current position, Thompson spent the past few years as an executive sales director for KAR Global.
Part of the ADESA family for more than 32 years, White started in the detail shop and over time grew his experience and responsibilities — from manager of the fleet lease and commercial department to assistant general manager and operations manager of ADESA Birmingham in 2012.
This week, NVI Institute Blairsville, NAPA Auto Parts and Universal Technical Institute all announced their latest efforts to help auctions, dealerships and other vehicle repair operations that are all in great need of trained technicians.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand remains strong for skilled technicians nationally, with the estimation there are approximately 110,000 total new openings each year for automotive, diesel, and collision repair technicians nationally through 2030, including net employment changes and net replacements.
In response, NVI Institute Blairsville is launching what it called “innovative, accelerated” programs in auto and diesel technology to get technicians on the job more quickly and to address critical shortages of skilled workers.
NVI Blairsville’s first six-month sessions for aspiring auto and diesel technicians begin Jan. 3.
By focusing on the essential skills sought by employers, NVI said it can cut students’ expenses and the time it takes to start work.
“A student in the program here at NVI is going to be put through the diesel or auto technology course in six months and be ready to hit the ground running,” said Adam Duplin, diesel program coordinator at the training location in southwest Pennsylvania. “In developing the school, we worked with teams of employers who told us exactly what they are looking for in a program.”
As mentioned, demand for auto and diesel technicians is high. At the same time, NVI pointed out that technician salaries now rival or surpass those of some graduates of four-year colleges and universities.
The goal for NVI is to help employers address shortages in skilled workers while helping students position themselves to take well-paying jobs in long-term careers with major automotive, truck, and heavy equipment suppliers and dealers.
“You can walk out of high school, graduate in June from high school, start here in July and be done by December and be working in January in the field,” NVI automotive program coordinator Jack Fetsko said in a news release. “Every repair or manufacturing facility right now is looking for technicians. You can make a really good living at it.”
NVI bought the now-remodeled and updated former WyoTech Blairsville campus. The company said it employs “proven, industry experienced instructors well acquainted with the hallmark industries that will be served by NVI graduates.”
NVI insisted that its instructors go well beyond a core education, also teaching “soft” skills that help people function well in a workplace, at home and in their communities.
“Our instructors are equipped to give students the necessary soft skills to deal with an employer or an angry customer, and how to prepare a resume, for example,” Duplin said.
NVI is actively seeking students who are in high school, considering a career change, not interested in a traditional college education, or completing military service.
NAPA Auto Parts & Universal Technical Institute form new strategic alliance
In other training news, Universal Technical Institute (UTI) and NAPA Auto Parts (NAPA) said they have joined forces to support the future of those seeking careers in the transportation and aftermarket auto repair industries.
NAPA has become the preferred UTI auto parts supplier, which includes its NAPA Autotech training program that will be available to faculty.
NAPA said through a news release that it will supply essential parts for hands-on labs, including brake kits, rotors, bulbs, bearing kits, wheel weights and more. The initial stage of the partnership will impact UTI, MMI and NTI-branded campuses and may be expanded to MIAT-branded campuses in the future.
With this partnership, UTI and NAPA aim to help meet this demand by providing access to the necessary supplies for on campus training and connections with NAPA customers.
“We are thrilled to bring in a partner like NAPA Auto Parts to provide our students, staff and alumni with greater access to quality auto parts through one of the country’s premier providers,” UTI chief executive officer Jerome Grant said in the news release.
“Like UTI, NAPA has a passion for educating and supporting individuals as they enter into a career path in the transportation industry,” Grant continued. “NAPA has worked closely with UTI for years, and we know they will be an active and engaged partner.”
NAPA president Kevin Herron added, “We admire UTI’s commitment to providing state-of-the-industry training to the next generation of skilled automotive technicians.
“We are proud to support the industry by providing training and supplying quality automotive parts to the talented UTI staff, students and graduates,” Herron went on to say.
With wholesale vehicles already difficult to find in general nowadays, ADESA wants to make sure its employees can locate the specific unit desired by its buying and selling clients.
To help with that part of the business, the KAR Global division announced on Tuesday the complete deployment of ADESA’s fully automated vehicle tracking solution powered by CoreKinect, a leader in scalable hardware design.
ADESA said through a news release that it believes this new service is the first of its kind to be fully deployed in the industry since it combines a state-of-the-art mobile app with a world class GPS-enabled IoT Device to help customers and employees locate vehicles faster at ADESA’s more than 70 North America locations.
“We are thrilled to be the first wholesale marketplace to fully roll out geo-locating devices to our entire network of North American vehicle logistics centers with the help of CoreKinect,” ADESA chief operating officer Srisu Subrahmanyam said in the news release.
“This pioneering technology allows us to provide sellers with accurate, real-time visibility into the vehicle location and security, while enabling buyers to quickly and easily preview, checkout and transport purchased vehicles,” Subrahmanyam continued.
Affixed to each vehicle upon arrival at ADESA, the company explained the IoT devices can be accessed through the vehicle locator functionality of the ADESA marketplace app. The app can share comprehensive vehicle information, pinpoint location services accurate to a single parking spot, and real-time visibility.
ADESA highlighted that enhanced safety and security measures include push alerts for movement in off-working hours in an effort to make ADESA a more secure place to do business.
The company also mentioned the device operates on LoRaWAN technology, which can significantly reduce power consumption and enable the IoT devices to last up to 10 years on a single battery.
Through CoreKinect’s partnership with Comcast’s MachineQ, the geo-locating device technology and end-to-end solution for inventory management was successfully deployed across ADESA at what the company said was “an industry-leading pace.”
Assar Badri is chief executive officer of CoreKinect.
“ADESA is increasingly looking to technology to improve their operations and optimize workflows,” Badri said. “They are clearly committed to a digital future, and we are delighted to partner with them to deliver on this goal.”
Steve Salata is vice president and general manager at MachineQ.
“The ability to deliver this solution to ADESA with our partner CoreKinect is indicative that a comprehensive LoRaWAN network implementation is possible, at scale,” Salata said. “We’re proud to play a part in helping ADESA innovate and digitally transform its enterprise.”
America’s Auto Auction has named a new assistant general manager for its Virginia Beach, Va., location, hiring Derek Simmerman to the position at America’s Auto Auction Virginia.
Simmerman has spent the last seven years in the independent auto auction community, where his background includes fleet/lease management, customer service and marketing. He came over to America’s Auto Auction from Greensboro Auto Auction in North Carolina.
“We are delighted to welcome Derek to America’s Auto Auction Virginia,” said Jerry Daisey, the auction’s general manager, in a news release.
“I’ve known him for a number of years and had the opportunity to work with him in South Carolina,” Daisey said. “I have always been impressed with his work ethic and his genuine regard for his customers. I knew he would be a perfect fit for the America’s Auto Auction team here in Virginia Beach.”
Simmerman added: “The auction industry has really grown on me, and I quickly grew to love what I do. This business is about relationships, about giving your word and standing behind it. There’s so much potential here at America’s Auto Auction Virginia, and I’m looking forward to devoting myself to its customers and contributing to its continued success.”
ADESA wants to help its clients, so on Tuesday the auction company announced the launch of its new Purchases Page for U.S. buyers.
KAR Global explained the new page is designed to streamline online self-checkout and expand post-sale capabilities, enabling customers to view and manage all their ADESA Simulcast and Simulcast+ purchases in one centralized place.
“With the ADESA Purchases Page, we’ve greatly upgraded the speed and simplicity of our post-sale experience so dealers can get retail-ready vehicles on their lots faster than ever,” said John Hammer, president of ADESA and chief commercial officer of KAR Global.
“Our new Purchases Page emulates the experience of leading consumer ecommerce platforms, where the entire purchase process from start to finish is centralized and streamlined,” Hammer continued in a news release. “Customers can go from purchase to delivery in just a few clicks, saving time and taking the stress out of sourcing fresh inventory.”
ADESA highlighted the Purchases Page boasts a simplified overview, enabling customers to manage all dealership purchases in one place with the ability to toggle between individual or multiple rooftops.
When checking out, customers can order transportation, add services like post-sale inspections and receive vehicle release forms instantly when they pay with ACH or a floorplan.
ADESA then mentioned buyers also have more convenient access to their post-sale documents with the ability to download all purchase history, details and reports directly from the page.
The company said dealers also can identify which purchases need their immediate attention and select a vehicle to instantly view the cost and fee details, title information, bill of sale and invoice.
“We asked our customers what they wanted in their checkout and post-sale experience, and the all-new ADESA purchasing experience embraces their feedback,” said Rick Griskie, president of digital marketplaces at KAR Global. “We’re incredibly proud of the close collaboration with our buyers — our teams are obsessed with raising the bar and building an ever-better customer experience across our digital marketplaces.
“With these new integrations and simplifications, we’re continuing to fulfill our commitment to make wholesale easy so our customers can be more successful,” Griskie added.
The ADESA Purchases Page is one of several recent new offerings rolled out by ADESA to enhance its digital marketplaces and vehicle logistics centers.
In September, ADESA launched streamlined OBD2 scans as part of its new inspection process. Earlier, the company announced an all-new inspections technology platform and enhanced vehicle undercarriage imaging.
Together with new features like ADESA’s proprietary “% to Retail” indicator, “these powerful innovations foster buyer confidence and cultivate a more vibrant marketplace that optimizes outcomes for both sellers and buyers,” according to the company.
To learn more about the ADESA Purchases Page, watch this online video or visit ADESA.com/Purchases.
