Manheim posts growth in auction and industrial sales in first half

Auction house Manheim has reported strong growth in both vehicle and industrial equipment sales during the first half of 2025, including a record month in June and a sharp rise in electric vehicle sales at public auction.

Automotive auction volumes grew around 4% compared to the same period last year, with both June and year-to-date figures at a five-year high. Average vehicle selling prices also increased, while selling times improved by between one and four days across passenger cars, SUVs and light commercials.

Dealer-consigned vehicles to public auction jumped by 32%, with average selling times sitting at around seven days, reinforcing Manheim’s position as the market leader in this space. Sales on behalf of financiers rose 28%, while OEM sales were up 17%.

Sales at Manheim’s Brisbane site surged 21% in H1, with Perth and Melbourne also seeing increases of 10% and 5% respectively.

Electric vehicles were a major highlight, with Manheim recording a 265% rise in public EV auction sales and an 8% share of EVs at franchise dealer-only auctions.

The company capped off the first half of the year by offering a record 500+ vehicles at a single Melbourne weekly auction in July and has opened viewing for its third standalone EV auction.

Manheim also broadened its offering with a high-profile offsite sale in June, running the Tough Automotive Prestige Auction on behalf of a luxury vehicle seller via its digital and in-person platforms.

In July, Manheim celebrated the graduation of its first Auction Academy cohort, increasing its auctioneer team to nearly 50.

Looking ahead to the second half of the year, the company expects continued volume growth from new vendor signings and anticipates a market-led uplift in late-model ex-lease and government vehicles.

Manheim Salvage reported volume and gross sales growth in Australia and New Zealand, outperforming targets and largely driven by insurance-sourced damaged vehicles.

Meanwhile, Manheim Industrial posted a 12% lift in gross sales in H1, with June setting an all-time monthly record. This growth was supported by more than 50 event auctions, including EOFY campaigns and a surge in truck and trailer sales. The division is set for further growth thanks to recent hires and expanding advisory and valuation services, including the upcoming sale of the Don Watson Group fleet.

Manheim auction insights – H1 2025:
– Average vehicle prices up 0.5% YoY, 35.1% higher than December 2019 baseline
– Selling days down YoY: passenger cars (-3), SUVs (-4), utes (-1)
– Price growth since Dec 2019: passenger cars +55.1%, SUVs +21.2%, utes +25.2%
– Top-selling vehicles YTD: Toyota HiLux (+30.1%), Toyota Corolla (+24.3%), Ford Ranger (+20.1%), Mitsubishi Triton (+11.8%), Isuzu D-Max (-3.9%)