Vancouver-based Ritchie Bros. auctioneers conducted its final unreserved auctions of 2008 late December and has announced a preliminary gross auction proceeds estimate of $3.57 billion for the year. This represents a 12 percent increase over 2007 gross auction proceeds, making this the largest year in the company’s 50-year history. Ritchie Bros., www.rbauction.com, the world’s largest auctioneer of industrial equipment, plans to release its full audited financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis for 2008 on February 26, 2009. Ritchie Bros. conducted 193 unreserved industrial auctions in 13 countries throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia in 2008.
Ritchie Bros. set 12 regional gross auction proceeds records in 2008,
including:
- Orlando, Florida – site of the largest auction in Ritchie Bros. history, with $190 million in gross auction proceeds (February 19 – 23, 2008)
- Fort Worth, Texas – $57 million (March 5, 6 & 7)
- Las Vegas, Nevada – $54 million (March 13, 14 & 15)
- North East, Maryland – $42 million (April 2 & 3)
- Caorso, Italy – site of the largest Italian auction in company history (April 5)
- Brisbane, Australia – site of the largest Australian auction in company history, AU$55 million (US$52 million) – (June 24 & 25)
- Atlanta, Georgia – $60 million (June 26 & 27)
- Albuquerque, New Mexico – regional record (June 30)
- Melbourne, Australia – regional record (September 18)
- Moncofa, Spain – site of the largest Spanish auction in company history, (euro)30 million (US$38 million) – (November 19, 20 & 21)
- Toluca, Mexico – site of the largest Mexico auction in company history (December 2)
- Saint Aubin sur Gaillon, France – site of the largest French auction in company history (December 2 & 3)
