Ritchie Bros. Conducts First Auction At New Donington Park, UK Auction Site

The world's largest industrial auctioneer attracts bidders from 50 countries to the April 17th unreserved public auction

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, conducted its first multi-million pound sterling auction at its new regional auction site in Donington Park, UK on Tuesday April 17, 2012. The unreserved public plant equipment auction, which took place next to the Donington Park racing circuit, attracted hundreds of people throughout the day. In total, the Company registered more than 630 online and on-site bidders from 50 countries to bid on more than 675 heavy plant equipment items and trucks featured in the unreserved auction—each item was sold to the highest bidder, without minimum bids or reserve prices.

"Our first auction in Donington Park was an exciting event," said Guylain Turgeon, Managing Director EMEA, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. "It demonstrated the UK market's need for a high-end auction service that turns buying and selling plant equipment into an easy and efficient process. The auction site location, right in the heart of the country and just minutes away from East Midlands Airport and main highways, makes it highly accessible for local and international customers and certainly contributed to the large crowds on auction day. This first sale has been a big step forward for Ritchie Bros. and we're eager to keep moving."

Registered bidders participated in the unreserved public auction from as far away as Australia, the Middle East, North America and from all over Europe—56 percent of the equipment was purchased by buyers from outside of the UK.

The auction featured a selection of more than 675 heavy plant equipment items, trucks and attachments used in construction, transportation, mining and other industries. A highlight on auction day was when two unused Volvo L90F wheel loaders sold to an online bidder from Australia for GBP 120,000 each.

The Ritchie Bros. auction calendar currently features over 90 unreserved public auctions around the world. Visit Ritchie.Bros website for a complete list of upcoming auctions. Anyone interested in selling equipment, trucks or tractors in an upcoming auction should contact the UK office.