As Manheim marks its 80th anniversary, we take a look at the company’ s journey to build, transform and redefine the automotive remarketing industry.
When Manheim established a two-lane auction site in the small town of Manheim, Pennsylvania, in 1945, it was a revolutionary concept, representing the first-ever wholesale automotive auction operation.
Over the next 20 years, Manheim grew to become one of the largest auto auctions in the United States, with locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia. In 1968, the Cox family took notice, purchasing the company for $ 6 million. While some thought the purchase was an odd fit for a growing media business, Cox understood Manheim’ s immense potential.
Today, Manheim is way more than just an automotive auction house; it is the industry’ s leading provider of remarketing and inventory solutions built around helping clients grow their business.
GROWTH THROUGH THE DECADES During the 1980s and 1990s, the used car business took off with the arrival of well-made automobiles from Japan and Germany. The life of a car was extended from 50,000 miles to more than 100,000. During this time, Manheim acquired additional auctions throughout the United States and Canada.
As Manheim continued to expand its geographic reach, it also added to its service portfolio, offering a range of reconditioning, recovery and auto transport solutions. And at the turn of the century, Manheim began laying the foundation for its digital future, which would propel the company’ s growth and ultimately cement its stature as an industry leader. The company’ s visionary approach to serving the evolving needs of its clients, along with bold investments in technology, have led to a series of industry firsts and unmatched solutions for buying and selling used vehicles online and at live auctions.
Cox Automotive’ s President of Mobility Solutions Joe George started his Cox career with Manheim nearly 35 years ago.“ Manheim is a great American business success story,” Joe said.“ Think about how millions of used cars are redistributed every day across America, and the energy it takes, both from our clients and from our team members. It’ s a magical thing that happens 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
MANHEIM’ S MARKETPLACE Today’ s Manheim marketplace is as vast as it is innovative. Through its physical and digital sales network, Manheim offers solutions for everything from decisioning, buying and selling, to floor planning, logistics, assurance, reconditioning, EV battery services and more.
8 SPRING 2025