MANHEIM Auctions has moved into the Scottish market through a joint venture with the Scottish Motor Auction Group. The 50/50 partnership involves joint ownership of a new £2 million purpose-built vehicle auction centre at Blochairn, east of Glasgow city centre, which opens on August 7. It is planned to sell up to 25,000 vehicles a year. The group denied that the move marks the possible future acquisition of the company by Manheim.

It currently sells 50,000 vehicles a year through sites in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Kinross in Scotland and Newcastle in England.