Ritchie Bros. National Unreserved End of Financial Year Auction on June 22-23 resulted in over $55 million in equipment and truck sales, a new Australian record for an industrial auction.
Over 2150 assets were inspected and sold to online buyers across Australia and around the world.
“The auction was an outstanding success. We have set several new records for GTV, registered bidders and buyers. Our new sales record of over $55 million is exclusive of buyer’s premium and GST and surpasses a longstanding record from 2008. Registered bidders and buyers also hit levels previously unseen,” said Finlay Massey, sales director at Ritchie Bros.
More than 4097 online bidders from 36 countries registered to bid in the June 22-23 National End of Financial Year auction. Approximately 95 per cent of the equipment in the auction was sold to Australian buyers, with international buyers from the US, Canada, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and more purchasing the remaining 5 per cent.
“In anticipation of this event, the industry holds off on purchasing and selling. Auction results are watched by the market and by valuers to determine pricing. Because the auction is 100 per cent unreserved, the market is always paying the true value of any given asset and not an artificial reserve set by book value,” Massey added.
“What this auction result represents to the industry is that there are no signs of slowing down yet.”
Ritchie Bros. says a booming market for heavy machinery is pushing up the prices of second-hand trucks and equipment, sometimes above the cost of new assets, as companies pay top dollar to secure assets at auction.
“Our transport assets sold exceptionally well. A 2018 Kenworth T900 Legend sold for $370,000 while a 2019 Drake 6 Rows of 8 went for $760,000. Pricing for secondhand machinery has continued to climb and, in some cases, surpass the price of new assets,” explained Massey.
“We continue to conduct a high volume of transport fleet sales for operators exiting the industry and taking advantage of the high prices. Large consignments from Thurwood Refrigerated Transport, Linde Transport, and Big Hill Heavy Haulage drove the sale to Ritchie Bros. records.
“Ritchie Bros. has secured its unparalleled reputation over the past 60 years as the preferred sales channel for owners of large fleets. We are trusted worldwide because we make buying and selling easy, efficient, fair and transparent.
“With our multiple onsite and online selling platforms and commitment to first-class customer service, we’ve grown our registered bidders from an average of 2500 per auction to over 4000 in this record-breaking sale. Our market share against competitors has also grown courtesy of our significant investment in digital platforms and marketing expertise in both B2B and B2C markets.”