Ritchie Bros. to co-host Lift and Access Showcase & Symposium in conjunction with unreserved public auction in Orlando, Florida next week

Event to host lifting and general heavy equipment industry leaders from around the world to discuss current issues in the industry, including Tier IV Challenges; 60 indoor/outdoor exhibitors setting up on Monday

ORLANDO, FL, Oct. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world's largest auctioneer of heavy equipment and trucks, will co-host the 2012 Lift and Access Showcase & Symposium at the Company's 200-acre auction site in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday & Thursday, October 24 & 25, 2012. On Day Two of the Lift and Access event (October 25), the Ritchie Bros. Orlando auction site will also be host to bidders from around the world, as the Company conducts a one-day unreserved public auction, which currently features more than 900 heavy equipment items, including a selection of cranes, lifting and access equipment. Each item will be sold to the highest bidder on auction day, regardless of price—without minimum bids or reserve prices. A day prior to the auction (October 24), a panel of industry experts will come together on site to discuss Tier 4 engine challenges, including discussions on what equipment owners can expect from the upcoming equipment emissions standards changes.

Panelists at the 4:15pm discussion on Oct. 24 include:

• Andy Agoos, Principal, Agoos Consulting
• Brad Allen, PE, Vice President, Product Management & Engineering, Genie
• Chris Giorgianni, Vice President of Product, JCB
• Curt Hinkelman, Senior Vice President, Sales, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
• Frank Manfredi, President, Manfredi & Associates, Inc.
• Joe Mastanduno, Account Manager, Rental Marketing, John Deere

"We're looking forward to hosting this massive industry event—there will be something here for any member of the heavy equipment industry, not only the lifting equipment industry" said Mr. Hinkelman. "It's a fantastic opportunity for manufacturers, contractors, rental houses and trade personnel to come together, learn from each other and open up a dialogue with other industry leaders in their field. As many of us know, the potential effect Tier 4 engines will have on the used-equipment market in coming years is a hot topic in our industry. The event will give us an opportunity to tackle this and other topics with key industry leaders. In addition, event attendees will have the chance to see the global equipment market in action, as we will conduct our unreserved public auction on the second day of the event."

General admission to both the showcase on October 25th and the unreserved industrial equipment auction featuring cranes, lift and access equipment being held the same day will be free and open to the public.

Tier IV Challenges: an update on where we are and what to expect

Public and private fleet owners could face a learning curve as off-road machinery adopts the latest round of federal clean-diesel regulations. New technologies such as selective catalytic reduction could present added maintenance costs, parts and procedures, impacting the way buyers will buy, manage and sell their equipment.

Are fleets prepared for these new engines? How will the new regulations impact residual values? Will manufacturers find ways to make these machines easier to service? A panel of experts in the rental, construction, manufacturing and auction spaces will offer guidance through the issues and answer questions.

Showcase and Symposium: What to look forward to

Showcase attendees can peruse the 60 outdoor/indoor exhibits and take the controls of the machines, ask questions of product engineers, and learn about the key components directly from industry suppliers. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about specific equipment classes and their features and benefits; operate machine through paved and rough-terrain demonstration areas; take part in education sessions on the most relevant topics for managing equipment fleets; discuss component technologies and aftermarket offerings with a wide range of exhibitors; network with colleagues from across the country; and more.

Auction Highlights and Details: Orlando, FL (October 25, 2012)

Attend the showcase and participate in the Ritchie Bros' unreserved public auction to bid on more than 900 heavy equipment items, including:

• A 2002 Manitowoc 777 175-Ton self-erecting crawler crane
• An American HC210 210-Ton self-erecting crawler crane
• A selection of more than 30 scissor lifts and boom lifts
• Heavy construction equipment, including more than crawler tractors, hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, and much more!

The auction is open to the public; registration to bid is free; a refundable bid deposit may be required. Auction begins at 8:00 am Eastern Time on Thursday, October 25, 2012.

• Auction location: Ritchie Bros.' Orlando, Florida 200±-acre auction site at 700 Ritchie Road, Davenport, FL 33897 (exit 55 off of I-4)
• Site phone: +1.863.420.9919
• How to register and bid:
• In person at the auction site. Register days in advance or on auction day itself.
• Online at rbauction.com - register in advance and bid online in real time on auction day; a refundable bid deposit may be required; first-time online bidders should register several days in advance of the auction
• By proxy - phone the auction site to place a proxy bid

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. Ritchie Bros. offers services that enable the world's builders to easily and confidently exchange equipment. The Company conducts hundreds of unreserved public auctions each year, selling a broad range of used and unused equipment, trucks and other assets utilized in the construction, transportation, agricultural, material handling, mining, forestry, petroleum and marine industries. Ritchie Bros. has over 110 locations in more than 25 countries, including 44 auction sites worldwide. The Company maintains a web site at www.rbauction.com and sponsors an equipment wiki at www.RitchieWiki.com.

ATTENTION MEDIA:

Ritchie Bros. will be hosting a Media Breakfast on Thursday, October 25, 2012 from 8-9:30am at the Company's Orlando auction site (700 Ritchie Rd., Davenport, FL 33897). Members of the media will have the opportunity to tour the auction site during the auction, as well as meet and interview Ritchie Bros. officials after a brief presentation about the state of the equipment industry from a global perspective.

If interested in attending, please email [email protected] with the subject line: "Orlando Media Breakfast"

Photos and other media resources are available at http://www.rbauction.com/media. Members of the public and the media can follow Ritchie Bros. on Twitter @RitchieBros.

SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers