Auction giant Manheim said Wednesday it is bringing back more than 300 of the 9,000 workers it furloughed earlier this month in the U.S.
The move comes as the Cox Automotive company has seen an uptick in reconditioning requests, as well as other early signs of economic recovery, such as increasing sales and eased restrictions in all 50 states, Manheim President Grace Huang said in an emailed business update.
The 9,000 Manheim employees were among 12,500 Cox Automotive personnel furloughed earlier this month after the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of physical auctions and wholesale activity dropped significantly. Manheim has been running digital-only auctions since mid-March, and clients had been barred from visiting physical auction sites.
Huang said Wednesday the company has begun to allow clients to preview inventory on a limited basis at two-thirds of its auction locations. The company continues to waive fees related to digital buying and selling.