The new site is just minutes from M6 J10 and covers 8.5 acres, with features including a heated dual lane auction hall, a customer lounge area, meeting facilities, high quality cafeteria and WI-Fi throughout. 

SMA says its goal was to create a comfortable space where people can buy, sell and work with ease. 

'In a five-star hotel, you expect to find attentive, knowledgeable and helpful staff; this is the type of experience we want our customers to have. From the moment they arrive to the time they leave, in person, on the phone or through the internet, we want customers to know that they are special and that their needs have been attended to. We think that this is a real differentiator. Training will feature strongly in the months ahead, with experienced SMA team members supporting the new team as the operation builds capacity,' notes group managing director Bob Anderson.

There is also a Technical Services Centre at the site. This fully equipped operation is staffed with trained technicians ready to undertake body and mechanical work with a state-of-the-art spray booth and all the technology required to ensure high quality refurbishment can be completed pre or post sale, for vendors or buyers. The centre can also accommodate vehicle de-fleet, PDI and in-life repairs.

The first auction is planned for Wednesday 20 April 2011 and activity will be steadily "ramped up" to ensure that the service experience is delivered effectively.

Anderson concludes 'We have planned the launch of this new Auction Centre very carefully, combining our many years of experience in vehicle remarketing, with research across the local dealer and vendor communities, finally overlaying this with forward thinking to future proof the development as far as we can. I am confident a new audience of customers will soon find out that the SMA Remarking experience is a very positive and very different one that they value!'