Manheim Auctions' Technical Center, located in Nashville, TN, continues its effort to provide the best formal training for wholesale industry professionals by adding new classes to its program for 2003.

The first new class, Paint and Body Shop Overview, is offered to Manheim Auctions managers and technicians who can benefit from exposure to the latest procedures and products in the paint and body field. The class covers the latest tools on the market, and helps employees improve their shop's bottom line by teaching them to maximize materials and operate a cost-effective paint and body shop. The overview classes, each admitting six enrollees, will be January 23-24 and April 14-15.

In order to address a technician shortage in the paint and body industry as well as in the auctions, the Technical Center is also offering a Paint Shop Apprentice class. Over the course of a week, trainees are taught the most current paint shop products, equipment, and procedures. The course includes hands-on training in the day-to-day operations of high-production auction paint shops, paving the way for an apprentice to begin his or her career as a highly qualified auction painter and to quickly become a valuable and productive member of his auction’s paint and body shop. Schedules for the Apprentice class will be determined at a later date.

Reconditioning for Management classes are being offered throughout the year, with each class admitting 10 enrollees. The three-day class provides an overview of the reconditioning process, including sections on transportation, check-in, condition report writing, mechanic shop, detail, paint and body, value added services, and financials. The schedule for the 2003 Reconditioning for Management classes is as follows:

• January 13 – 15

• February 17 – 19

• March 17 – 19

• April 28 – 30

• May 19 – 21

• June 23 – 25

• July 21 – 23

• August 18 – 20

• September 22 – 24

• October 20 – 22

• November 17 – 19

• December 15 – 17

  The classes are offered to Manheim Auctions employees on a first-come, first-served basis. For additional information regarding these and other classes being offered by the Manheim Technical Center, call (615) 846-4617.