Auto auction company merges Tenn. facilities

Friday, July 1, 2011, Vol. 35, No. 26

NASHVILLE (AP) — An automotive auction company is consolidating two facilities in Middle Tennessee resulting in employee layoffs.

The Manheim Tennessee facility in Davidson County has been closed and consolidated with a facility in Mount Juliet, about 20 miles away in Wilson County. Company officials told The Tennessean the move resulted in 124 layoffs in Davidson County, but they are adding 37 jobs to the Wilson County site.

Sam Chaple, general manager at the facility in Mount Juliet, said the move is in response to more dealers buying cars online rather than at auctions and fewer fleet sales.

Both Tennessee facilities handled about 130,000 transactions two years ago, but that number is expected to drop to about 85,000 this year.

Roughly 435 people work at the Mount Juliet location.