BRISBANE, Australia, Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, will sell more than 75 wheel loaders and 70 hydraulic excavators in two days in Australia at unreserved public auctions in Brisbane, QLD on September 18 and Geelong, VIC on September 20. In total, close to 1,350 pieces of equipment will be sold in the two auctions—with each piece being sold to the highest bidder, regardless of price—without minimum bids or reserve prices. One month later, Ritchie Bros. will conduct another unreserved auction in Bunbury (Perth) on October 23, 2012, which features a selection of late-model articulated dump trucks, wheel loaders and more. Bidders can participate in the auctions in-person, online in real time at www.rbauction.com or by proxy.

"All three of our upcoming Australia auctions feature a large selection of late-model equipment—from wheel loaders to hydraulic excavators, articulated dump trucks to prime movers and more," said Warwick Mackrell, Vice President, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. "In Brisbane and Geelong alone we will sell more than 20 unused 2012 wheel loaders, and another six a month later at our auction in Bunbury, near Perth. In just two days, at our auctions in Brisbane and Geelong, we will sell close to 1,350 pieces of equipment to buyers all around the world—in fact, our last Brisbane and Geelong auctions in June attracted bidders from 39 countries. The auctions will be open to the public and all equipment will be available for inspection—on site or online—we will almost certainly have something for every equipment user."

Brisbane, QLD
On Tuesday, September 18, Ritchie Bros. will sell close to 700 equipment items in an unreserved auction at its Brisbane auction site, including more than 45 wheel loaders, 40 hydraulic excavators, 25 articulated dump trucks, 10 prime movers and more. Specific highlights include four Caterpillar 777F rock trucks, an unused 2012 Cat 980K wheel loader, four Caterpillar 972H wheel loaders, three unused 2012 Volvo A40F 6x6 articulated dump trucks, a Caterpillar D10T crawler tractor and a 2012 Sandvik QJ341 0.75 mm x 1.2 m crawler jaw crusher.

Geelong, VIC
Two days later, on September 20, at its Geelong, VIC auction site, the Company will sell close to 650 equipment items, including more than 30 wheel loaders, 25 hydraulic excavators, 20 prime movers and more. Specific equipment highlights include two all terrain cranes (a Demag AC665 250-ton 12x8x4 and a Liebherr LTM1060-2 60-ton 8x6x8), four 2007 Western Star 4800FX 6x4 T/A prime movers, three Caterpillar 972H wheel loaders, two 2011 Volvo A40F 6x6 articulated dump trucks, a Caterpillar 825H soil compactor and a Hitachi ZX450H hydraulic excavator.

Bunbury (Perth), WA
On October 23, 2012, Ritchie Bros. will conduct a third unreserved auction in Australia in Bunbury (Perth). The auction already features close to 100 equipment items and trucks, including 15 Volvo A40E 6x6 articulated dump trucks, five unused 2011 Volvo A40F 6x6 articulated dump trucks, two unused 2012 Caterpillar 980K wheel loaders and a 2008 Caterpillar D10T crawler tractor.

For more information on all the auctions and equipment listed above—including detailed equipment information with up to 50 or more high-resolution photos of each item—visit www.rbauction.com. Equipment will continue to be added to all auctions right up to auction day. If you are interested in consigning equipment to:

• Brisbane, QLD auction on September 18, 2012 contact: +61.73382.4444
• Geelong, VIC auction on September 20, 2012 contact: + 61.35245.3333
• Bunbury (Perth), WA auction on October 23, 2012 contact: +61.89410.2533

General auction details:

• Every auction is open to the public; registration to bid is free; a refundable bid deposit may be required
• How to register and bid:
  • In person at the auction site
  • 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: 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.

For further information:
Ian Malinski, Corporate Communications Specialist
Phone: +1.778.331.5432 or email CorpComm@rbauction.com

Or

Finlay Massey, Regional Sales Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Geelong site phone: + 61.35245.3333 or email fmassey@rbauction.com

(RBA. RBA)

SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers