CARY, N.C. -

Manheim has invested $4.8 million in a new body shop and reconditioning center at its Manheim Orlando location. Manheim division vice president Alan Lang said the vision for the facility is to meet the growing needs of today’s dealerships and tomorrow’s mobility and fleet providers.

In other auction news, Insurance Auto Auctions opened its fourth location in South Carolina. The company said it opened the new location — IAA Lexington — to accommodate newly expanded customer volume needs.

And a third piece of auction news is that Columbus Fair Auto Auction will host an event with the Ohio School for the Deaf for about 50 of its students and their family members at The Ohio State University’s spring football game on Saturday. CFAA is holding the event for the fourth consecutive year.

Regarding the Manheim news, in announcing the investment in the new state-of-the-art, 80,000-square-foot body shop and reconditioning center, Manheim said demand for used cars is “in high gear and no plans to slow down.”

“This investment represents Manheim’s continuing commitment to help clients and manufacturers navigate this complex and exciting segment of the automotive industry,” Lang said in a news release.

The new building, which replaces the former 22,000-square-foot reconditioning center, totals 80,000 square feet. The center features LED lighting and includes two 140-foot-long paint booths to accommodate up to seven vehicles at a time. Manheim said its team of technicians can perform minor and major component repairs at the new reconditioning center. The facility can service 160 cars per day, which the company says is more than triple its previous capacity. 

Manheim said its reconditioning offerings — including a comprehensive inspection, mechanical and body reconditioning, paint, detail, merchandising and imaging —provide everything needed to prepare vehicles for retail or wholesale sales.

On any Tuesday at Manheim’s operating facility in Ocoee, Fla., about 5,500-7,000 vehicles are offered for sale in under four hours in a 25-lane auction. The other days of the week, Manheim said, thousands more cars are inspected and reconditioned for sale.

Manheim said its newest reconditioning center is an extension of Manheim Orlando, a 268-acre wholesale auction operating location with 436 full- and part-time employees.

The Manheim Orlando leadership team hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new reconditioning center on Tuesday, with employees, clients, local business leaders and elected officials in attendance. A behind-the-scenes tour showed attendees all that’s involved in getting a used vehicle ready to re-enter the marketplace. Manheim leadership also spoke about trends in the auto industry and other Manheim investments and initiatives.

Regarding the IAA Lexington, S.C., news, the company said the new location increases the company’s footprint in South Carolina by 35 acres. 

IAA describes IAA Lexington as offering “an innovative and modern experience” that features a multi-channel auction model and a run and drive lane. A newly renovated lobby and conference room are also part of what it calls a “welcoming environment” with meeting and training space for customers and employees. 

In addition to the new Lexington branch, IAA has made significant land investments across the country this year with five facility expansions. Those include Alabama, Arkansas, Minneapolis, New York and Texas.

For the news regarding Columbus Fair Auto Auction’s Ohio School for the Deaf event, CFAA said the event is part of its CFAA Cares program, which the company says provides community service, employee engagement and environmental stewardship.

At the event, staff members volunteer to host a tailgate lunch for the students, and Jet’s Pizza donated the food. The event includes games, activities and prizes. Students also receive tickets to the Ohio State University’s spring football game

“This occasion is one of our favorites to organize and volunteer at every year,” said CFAA president Greg Levi. “We strive to support the Ohio School for the Deaf and fulfill the philanthropic spirit that Alexis Jacobs has instilled in Columbus Fair.”