Media Advisory - Ritchie Bros. to officially open new Grande Prairie site
with large 2-day unreserved auction

International and local bidders expected to bid on more than 2,100 equipment items; Company to lease 5+/- acre property near former site

GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB, Nov. 20 /CNW/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE andTSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, will be celebrating the official Grand Opening of its brand new, permanent auction site in Grande Prairie (51 Range Road & Hwy 43) with a two-day, multi-million unreserved public equipment auction from November 24 - 25, 2009. A ribbon-cutting ceremony being held at 12:30 p.m. on Day 1 ( November 24th ) of the auction will mark the official opening of the Company's new Grande Prairie site.

The 60+/- acre Grande Prairie auction site is double the size of Ritchie Bros. former auction site located at 14606 100 Street. The new site, complete with a larger yard and facilities, including the second largest auction building operated by Ritchie Bros. in the world, will provide sellers with more space to showcase their equipment to a global audience of buyers. Plans to lease a 5+/- acre property used for equipment storage near the former auction site are currently under development.

Equipment being sold in the upcoming Grand Opening auction includes: 24 rock trucks including late model Cat 777D rock trucks, more than 60 crawler tractors, 45 hydraulic excavators, more than 120 pickup trucks, 40 winch tractors and 40 flatbed trucks, boom and bed trucks, in addition to other construction, mining, logging and agricultural items. Every item in the auction will be sold to the highest bidders on auction day, with no minimum bids or reserve prices.

    
    WHO:   Grande Prairie Reeve Everett McDonald;
           Grande Prairie Alderman Alex Gustafson;
           Ritchie Bros. CEO Peter Blake;
           Ritchie Bros. Senior Vice President Kevin Tink;
           Ritchie Bros. Divisional Manager Brian Glenn; and
           Ritchie Bros. Regional Manager Brian Podruzny

    WHAT:  Grand Opening auction and ribbon cutting ceremony for
           Ritchie Bros.' Grande Prairie auction site.

    WHEN:  Auction starts at 8:00 a.m. each day
           (Tuesday, November 24 - Wednesday, November 25, 2009)
           Ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held approximately at 12:30 p.m.
           on Tuesday, November 24th

    WHERE: Ritchie Bros. brand new permanent auction site:
           Range Road 51 & Hwy 43, Grande Prairie, AB
           Auction site phone: [phone]
    

DIRECTIONS TO SALE SITE: From Grande Prairie Airport, proceed east on Hwy 43 for approximately 2 miles. Turn left at 108 St and follow the bypass to 100 St. Turn left and follow Hwy 43 (100 St) for approximately 2 miles. Turn left to the auction site and follow the signs for parking.

About Ritchie Bros.

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE andTSX: 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 39 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.

For further information: For more auction/grand opening information contact: Kim Schulz, Manager, Corporate Communications, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Phone: [phone] or email [email protected]; Or Brian Podruzny, Regional Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Grande Prairie auction site tel: [phone]; For more information about the lease opportunity, contact: Mike Ford, Ritchie Bros. Properties Dept., 1-800-663-8457