Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers sold close to $54 million of heavy equipment items during a two-day unreserved public auction at the Company’s site in Edmonton, Alberta on Wednesday & Thursday, September 5 & 6, 2012.

Almost 5,000 registered bidders competed for 4,600 heavy equipment items and trucks, including a selection of more than 120 T/A truck tractors, more than 75 hydraulic excavators, a selection of late model rough terrain cranes and more.

Every item was sold to the highest bidder, regardless of price—without minimum bids or reserve prices.

“This is our fourth auction in Edmonton this year and bidders continue to register in the thousands, prices remain strong and we continue to cultivate a competitive bidding environment for both our buyers and sellers,” said Jim Rotlisberger, Regional Sales Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. “We had strong prices across all equipment categories. With two more Edmonton auctions remaining in 2012, heavy equipment owners will have plenty of opportunity to buy and sell equipment at strong, competitive market values.”

Almost 5,000 people from 37 countries, including all Canadian provinces and two territories registered to bid in person or online in the auction. Bidders from outside Alberta purchased more than $16 million or 30 percent of total gross auction proceeds. More than 2,500 of the bidders taking part in the auction registered to bid online and purchased more than $18 million) of equipment available online.

The auction featured equipment from more than 760 sellers who operate mainly in the southern Alberta region.