Ritchie Bros. returns to Ottawa for unreserved public equipment auction

Global auctioneer attracts 1,100+ bidders at last year's Ottawa auction

OTTAWA, Sept. 29 /CNW/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE andTSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, will conduct a public unreserved auction in Ottawa (Kemptville), ON on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 starting at 9:00 a.m. Close to 300 agricultural and construction equipment items and trucks will be sold to the highest bidders-regardless of price-with no minimum bids or reserve prices. More information, including equipment photos and auction details, is available at www.rbauction.com.

This will be the first unreserved public auction Ritchie Bros. has held in Ottawa this year, and the second since 1971. In October 2009, Ritchie Bros. conducted an unreserved auction in Ottawa that attracted more than 1,100 registered onsite and online bidders from across Canada, the US and as far away as Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Nigeria, Italy and the United Kingdom.

"The turnout of bidders at our Ottawa auction last year was phenomenal," said Brian Dykstra, Regional Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. "Our customers in the region have been extremely receptive towards us and many even asked after last year's auction when we planned to come back. Ottawa is the second largest equipment market in Ontario outside Toronto so there's definitely the possibility to conduct more auctions in the future so customers can access our services on a more regular basis."

More than 25 MFWD tractors will be sold in the October 5th Ottawa auction, including five 2009 John Deere 6430 Premium MFWD tractors with low meter hours. The auction also features a large selection of transportation and industrial equipment items: motor graders, wheel loaders, loader backhoes, crawler tractors and step deck, van, bottom dump and end dump trailers. Interested buyers can inspect, test and compare items for themselves by visiting the Ottawa auction site located at 4054 County Rd. 43 in Kemptville.

"We've got a really great mix of good quality industrial, agricultural and transportation items in the auction that will appeal to a diverse base of equipment buyers," added Mr. Dykstra. "We're still taking consignments and will continue to add equipment to the auction right through to auction day."

Owners interested in selling their equipment in the October 5, 2010 auction can contact the Ottawa auction site toll-free at +1.800.357.0659 to discuss their options.

Ritchie Bros. will also conduct an unreserved public auction in Picton, ON on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 starting at 8:00 a.m. Equipment being sold includes 10+ MFWD agricultural tractors, trucks, trailers and many other items.

    
    Auction details:
    ----------------

    -   Location: 4054 County Rd 43, Kemptville, ON, K0G 1J0
    -   Auction site tel: [phone] (toll-free)
    -   Time and date: Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
    -   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 - first-time bidders from Canada and
           the U.S must place a refundable $1,000 bid deposit when they
           register on-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 bidders should register several days in
           advance of the auction
        -  By proxy - phone the auction site to place a proxy bid
    -   Interested buyers can come to the auction site to inspect, test and
        compare items
    -   More information, including equipment details and photos, is
        available at www.rbauction.com
    

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 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

For further information: Kim Schulz, Manager, Corporate Communications, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Phone: [phone] or email [email protected]; Or Brian Dykstra, Regional Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Toronto auction site tel: [phone]