While Ritchie Bros. was reaching records for total number of bidders and sellers at its annual February Orlando auction last week, company management provided a few trade press members some behind-the-scenes view of how they make it function and future enhancements.
First, some stats. The total bidders surpassed a record 10,400, including a record 5,950 registered online bidders. More than 1,000 sellers, another record, brought in more than 10,000 pieces of equipment that raked in greater than $188 million. This was nine percent more than the auction in 2016.
Thirty-eight percent of these sales went to online buyers, with 79 percent of the equipment was purchased by buyers in the United States.
Equipment at the auction included 610 excavators, 425 compactors, 300 loaders, 300 skid steers, 175 dozers, 140 loader backhoes, 110 cranes, 440 aerial work platforms, 210 dump trucks and 490 truck tractors.
As part of the trade press tour, we were driven across the 232-acre property following the route equipment makes as it is brought in, through the check-in area and on to the body shop where repairs and paint work is completed by a third party. The company says it is one of the largest of its kind in the state.
