More than 75 cranes to be sold at next Ritchie Bros. unreserved public auction in Houston

Other highlights include 550 FEMA camper trailers and late model construction equipment

HOUSTON, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, will sell more than 75 cranes during the next multi-million dollar unreserved public auction at its auction site in Houston, TX (August 26 - 27, 2010). Since 1998, Ritchie Bros. has sold more than 1,700 cranes at its Houston auctions - more cranes than any other Ritchie Bros auction site in the world. The Company will sell more than 2,000 other heavy equipment items and trucks with no minimum bids or reserve prices at the upcoming Houston auction, including 550 camper trailers. More information, including full equipment photos and details, is available at www.rbauction.com.

Ritchie Bros. recently set a company record by selling 918 cranes between January and June of 2010 - more than any other January to June period in the Company's 52-year history. The cranes were purchased by buyers from 44 countries at various Ritchie Bros. unreserved auctions around the world.

"Houston is a hotbed for crane sales because the petrochemical plants in the Gulf area need cranes to operate," said Alan McVicker, Ritchie Bros. Regional Manager. "With the Port of Houston within 26 miles of the Houston auction site, it's very affordable and easy for buyers to purchase and ship cranes and equipment from Houston to anywhere in the world."

Maxim Cranes Works LC, a U.S. nationwide crane dealer, has consigned more than 35 cranes in the Houston auction. Cranes being sold by other consignors include:

    -   A 2008 Terex RT1120 120-ton rough terrain crane
    -   A 2008 Tadano GR800XL 80-ton rough terrain crane
    -   A 2008 Tadano GR600XL1 60-ton rough terrain crane
    -   A 2006 Link-Belt 138H 80-ton crawler crane
    -   A 2001 Manitowoc 111 Series B 80-ton crawler crane

Equipment auction highlights include over 50 hydraulic excavators, crawler tractors, motor graders, wheel loaders, trenchers, articulated dump trucks, several late model Peterbilt and Mack triple-axle dump trucks and other transportation equipment. The auction also features nearly 40 items of late model heavy construction equipment - to be sold on Day One of the auction - from Setco Grading LLC, a Newnan, Georgia-based contractor.

More than 550 FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) camper trailers will also be sold in the August 26 - 27 Houston auction. Since June 2010, Ritchie Bros. has sold more than 1,000 late model FEMA camper trailers at its auctions in Texas. The trailers provided temporary shelter to victims of Hurricane Katrina. FEMA sold these trailers to a third party, who then consigned them to Ritchie Bros. to be sold by unreserved public auction.

"The first batch of camper trailers we sold at our June auction in Houston attracted a lot of interest and media attention. Our auction theater was packed with bidders - many of them new faces," said Mr. McVicker. "All the camper trailers for our upcoming Houston auction are already in the yard and every day people are coming to the auction site to check them out."

Equipment consignments are still being accepted; owners interested in selling their equipment in the auction can contact the Houston auction site at +1.713.455.5200 to discuss their options.

    Auction details:
    ----------------
    -   Location: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers' permanent Houston auction site,
        15500 Eastex Freeway, Humble, TX, 77396
    -   Auction site phone: +1.713.455.5200
    -   Time and date: Thursday, August 26 to Friday, August 27, 2010
        starting at 8:00 a.m. each day
    -   The auction is open to the public and registration to bid is free.
        First-time registered bidders are required to place a US$1,000
        refundable deposit when they register.
    -   Customers can inspect, test, and compare items in the auction yard
        during regular business hours.
    -   Interested buyers can bid in person at the Houston auction site,
        online in real time at www.rbauction.com or by proxy by contacting
        the Houston auction site at +1.713.455.5200.

About Ritchie Bros.

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is the world's largest industrial auctioneer, selling more equipment to on-site and online bidders than any other company in the world. The Company has over 110 locations in more than 25 countries, including 42 auction sites worldwide. Ritchie Bros. sells, through unreserved public auctions, a broad range of used and unused industrial assets, including equipment, trucks and other assets utilized in the construction, transportation, agricultural, material handling, mining, forestry, petroleum and marine industries. The Company maintains a web site at www.rbauction.com and sponsors an equipment wiki at www.RitchieWiki.com.

ATTENTION MEDIA: Photos and other media resources are available for use at http://www.rbauction.com/media.

Members of the public and the media can follow Ritchie Bros. on Twitter @RitchieBros

SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers