Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers celebrated the Grand Opening of its new permanent auction site in Houston with a record-breaking unreserved public auction March 25 to 27. To celebrate the Houston Grand Opening, one of 38 Ritchie Bros. auction sites worldwide, the company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 25.

More than 4,400 on-site and online bidders from 49 countries, including 48 states, visited the facility, located at 15500 Eastex Highway in Humble, Texas. Buyers from outside Texas purchased $34 million of equipment (52 percent of the total), including $17 million purchased by customers from outside the U.S. (25 percent).

“Our Grand Opening auction was a tremendous success: we welcomed a record number of bidders from around the world to Houston, including more than 1,000 first-time customers, and delivered record results for our consignors,” said Alan McVicker, Ritchie Bros. regional manager. “The size and location of our new site makes it perfect for our local and international customers. We’ve got exceptional highway visibility, a yard that’s large enough to display a wide range of equipment and close proximity to one of the world’s largest ports. Last week’s record crowds show there are lots of people working around the world; they come to our auctions because we have the equipment they need and we sell it all in a fair, transparent manner. Our ability to consistently attract large, diverse bidding audiences gives equipment owners the confidence to sell their surplus assets through us.”

Several months ago, the auction site was filled with trucks and supplies being used by crews restoring power in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

The auction included more than 4,000 items in total, the most equipment ever sold at a Ritchie Bros. auction in Houston, where the company has been conducting auctions for 25 years.

For more information, visit www.rbauction.com or www.RitchieWiki.com.

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