In total, close to 1700 heavy equipment items and trucks were sold in the two auctions, including 92 wheel loaders, 86 hydraulic excavators, 21 crawler tractors, 36 articulated dump trucks, 52 prime movers, according to Ritchie Bros Auctioneers vice president Warwick Mackrell.
"The success of our Australian auctions this week is once again a tribute to the confidence bidders have in our selling process – whether they are participating at the auction or online," he said.
"In the last week of June 2012 we sold more than 1800 equipment items for $61 million.
“Now, less than three months later, we sold close to 1700 equipment items for $64 million.
“Our mission as a company is to continue to provide the world's builders an easy, efficient and confidence-inspiring way to buy and sell equipment.
“We look forward to doing this all over again one more time this year at the end of November and encourage everyone to contact us if they are looking to sell their equipment."
The Ritchie Bros auction in Brisbane on September 18 attracted more than 1200 onsite and online bidders from 36 countries and generated more than $42 million in gross auction proceeds.
Bidders from outside the state of Queensland purchased close to 50% of the equipment in the auction (based on total gross auction proceeds) from as far away as Hong Kong, Canada and the UK.
Equipment was sold in the Brisbane auction for more than 130 owners, including dump trucks and trailers for Gravel City, a Caboolture, Queensland-based bulk haulage contractor in business for more than 30 years.
Two days later, Ritchie Bros conducted another unreserved public auction in Geelong and sold more than $22 million worth of equipment and trucks.
The one-day auction attracted more than 1200 onsite and online bidders from 33 countries.
Bidders from outside the state of Victoria purchased more than 47% of the equipment in the auction from as far away as New Zealand, Singapore and Indonesia.
Specific equipment sale highlights in the two auctions included a 2010 Caterpillar 988H wheel loader sold for $540,000 and a 2010 Caterpillar 345DL hydraulic excavator that sold for $440,000.
