Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated, the world’s largest auctioneer of industrial equipment, sold approximately $3.9 billion of equipment at 328 unreserved auctions around the world in 2012. This represents a 5% increase in gross auction proceeds over 2011 and the highest gross auction proceeds in Company history. The Company achieved gross auction proceeds of $1 billion in the fourth quarter alone. Ritchie Bros. (www.rbauction.com) attracted record online bidder registrations and sold approximately $1.3 billion of equipment, trucks and other assets to online bidders in 2012, an 18% increase over 2011 and the highest amount ever sold online by the Company in one year.

Peter Blake, Ritchie Bros. CEO, commented: “Against the backdrop of market turbulence through the year, we are pleased with our 2012 results as we emerged well positioned to continue the growth of our core unreserved auction business and we are ready to begin a new path that will introduce a new customer base to our brand. In 2012, we saw the intense competition for quality low hour used equipment recently transition to a less competitive and more familiar environment for our business to grow over the long term. These changes in the evolving equipment market contributed to our performance in the year where we saw significant gains in our online presence and bidder portal, with over 5 million unique visitors to our 21 language website and $1.3 billion in annual online equipment sales. Our auctions in Canada recorded over $1 billion in gross auction proceeds for the year, an amazing feat from our network of 10 permanent auction sites within Canada.”

“We are realizing benefits, from prior investments in capital and strategic initiatives, ranging from our continuing improvements in operating leverage to the expansion of our global auction site network with our new Donington Park, UK yard and the opening of replacement sites in Chehalis, WA (replacing Olympia, WA) and Raleigh-Durham, NC (replacing Statesville, NC).” added Mr. Blake. “2013 is shaping up to be a great year of milestones, with the impending launch of our new online, non-auction marketplace as a result of our AssetNation acquisition. We also will be conducting our first unreserved auction in Beijing, China, as well as our upcoming six-day auction in Orlando, Florida and Grand Opening auction in Geelong, Australia – all demonstrating the breadth in our mission statement to deliver compelling business solutions that enable the world’s builders to easily and confidently exchange equipment.”

Read the full press release including global auction details.