ATLANTA – Manheim’s flagship operating location, Manheim Pennsylvania in Manheim, Pa., will open a state-of-the-art, 21,000-square-foot technical operations center for Volkswagen/Audi on Apr. 30.

The facility, which handles VW/Audi vehicles exclusively, was upgraded to meet higher standards of quality, efficiency, and productivity.

“It is our goal to increase the wholesale value of every Audi and Volkswagen vehicle that passes through Manheim Pennsylvania,” said Paul Hickman, VW/Audi auction technical operations manager. “We’ve enjoyed an incredibly strong partnership with Manheim for 18 years, and this new technical operations center will allow us to increase production and ramp up our reconditioning and enhancement programs to the next level.”

Manheim Pennsylvania invested $1.5 million in enhancing the facility, which is the largest auction-based technical operations center in North America for VW/Audi. The expansion tripled the size of the former facility that has been located at Manheim Pennsylvania since 1992.

VW/Audi has been a remarketing partner with the auction since 1987 and has worked with Manheim on a variety of vehicle enhancement activities ranging from PDR (paintless dent repair), alloy wheel repair, body repairs, and oil changes to closing recalls, completing product updates, and completing PreQualification for Volkswagen’s and Audi’s CPO programs (PreQ and XU Retail Ready).

“Manheim Pennsylvania is extremely proud to host VW/Audi’s largest technical operations center in North America,” said Keith Williams, general manager, Manheim Pennsylvania. “The investment we’ve made in this facility is a testament to the strength of the partnership between Manheim and VW/Audi. The high-quality work performed in this center will provide a solid return on investment for VW/Audi and will result in delivering the types of vehicles dealers are seeking for their lots.”

While VW/Audi’s old 8,100-square-foot facility at Manheim Pennsylvania featured five service bays and had a 100-vehicle-per-week capacity, the new location houses 24 bays and 15 mechanical lifts and has a 300-to 400-vehicle per week capacity. In 2007, more than 8,000 VW/Audi vehicles passed through Manheim Pennsylvania, with 73 percent of the vehicles going through a VW/Audi certification or other enhancement programs.

The facility will employ both Manheim and VW/Audi technicians, who will perform everything from minor mechanical and cosmetic repairs to major component repairs in an effort to enhance the value of vehicles and make them frontline-ready.

As part of Manheim’s companywide “green” initiatives, the facility will utilize hot- water part-washers rather than solvent and will have the capacity to recycle oil filters with specially installed filter crushers.