Five 1998 Caterpillar 583R pipelayers sold for a combined $1.55 million.

As the dust settled after two action-packed days at Ritchie Bros.' Fort Worth auction site (March 15 to 16), the sales figures and turnout revealed the company's largest-ever Texas auction.

More than 5,675 people registered to bid in person and online, purchasing more than 6,250 equipment items and trucks for more than $75 million.

Approximately 45 percent (more than $33 million) of the equipment in the auction was sold to online bidders. U.S. buyers purchased more than $69 million of equipment (92 percent), including more than $33 million sold to Texas buyers (45 percent). International buyers purchased eight percent.

“We've started strong in Texas with a great Houston auction in February and now a record-breaker here in Fort Worth,” said Dolan Aucoin, sales director, Ritchie Bros. “We had a packed house in Fort Worth this week, with very active bidding and solid pricing on the record-setting selection of equipment and trucks available. As a result, we set a new Texas record for gross auction proceeds, and were up 32 percent over the same auction last year. I'd like to offer a huge thank you to all the sellers and buyers who took part in this historic auction.”

Ritchie Bros. sold equipment for a site record: more than 690 sellers, including more than 100 hydraulic excavators; more than 600 vocational trucks; more than 670 trailers; and a large selection of oil and gas equipment.

Specific sales highlights:

• four 2011 Grove RT890E 90 ton 4x4x4 rough terrain cranes sold for a combined $1.18 million

• five 1998 Caterpillar 583R pipelayers sold for a combined $1.55 million

• a 2008 American Augers DD440 portable directional drill sold for $700,000

• a 2012 Caterpillar 623H elevating motor scraper sold for $390,000

• a 2010 Caterpillar D8T dozer sold for $310,000.

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