Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers sold more than $48 million of heavy equipment and trucks during an unreserved public auction at the Company’s permanent auction site in Houston, Texas, on Aug. 27 and 28, 2014.

More than 3,900 registered bidders competed for 3,900-plus heavy equipment items and trucks, including 150 hydraulic excavators, 130 truck tractors, 50 bulldozers, a large selection of oilfield completion, tooling and transportation equipment, cranes and more. Every item was sold to the highest bidder, regardless of price — without minimum bids or reserve prices. Bids were made in the auction on site, online in real time at www.rbauction.com and by proxy.

“Everything went really smoothly and prices were strong across the board,” said Alan McVicker, regional sales manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. “We had huge crowds on site with bidders from more than 60 countries participating throughout the two days.”

More than 3,900 people from 60 countries, including all 50 U.S. states, registered to bid in person or online in the auction. Bidders from outside Texas purchased close to $25 million or 52 percent of total gross auction proceeds. More than 2,350 of the bidders taking part in the auction registered to bid online and purchased more than $20 million of equipment online.

One of the sellers of equipment at the auction was Kirkland Crane & Rigging Inc., based in Huntsville, Texas. Due to the sudden passing of the owner, his wife, daughter and two sons chose Ritchie Bros. to dispose of his fleet of more than 330 items. They sold all-terrain cranes, hydraulic truck cranes, rough terrain cranes and a large selection of crane accessories.

“This was my father’s life and his business for over 36 years and it was his passion,” said daughter Shanna Lammers, manager of Kirkland Crane. “We were a family company and so this has been hard on all of us. But Ritchie Bros. has shown sensitivity and they took care of everything, from start to finish. It would have been a monstrous undertaking to sell everything ourselves so this option really worked best. Our cranes went to buyers from as far away as Panama, Mexico and New Delhi and they sold well, with strong pricing. It was pretty exciting to watch the auction even though it was emotional too.”

For more information, please visit www.rbauction.com.

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