Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, sold more than AU$61 million of heavy equipment and trucks at two Australian unreserved public auctions this week in Brisbane, QLD (June 26) and Geelong, VIC (June 28). In total, more than 1,800 heavy equipment items and trucks were sold in the two auctions, including hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, crawler tractors, articulated dump trucks, prime movers and more — every item in both auctions was sold to the highest bidder on auction day, with no minimum bids or reserve prices. Bids were made in the auctions on site, online in real time at www.rbauction.com or by proxy. "This week we witnessed a great sense of confidence in the Australian equipment market with two hugely successful auctions in Brisbane and Geelong," said Warwick Mackrell, Vice President, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. "Both auctions featured a wealth of late-model equipment—including a great selection of unused heavy equipment — from hundreds of owners across the country who understand the value of our unreserved auction process. Combined, these two auctions attracted more than 2,600 bidder registrations from 39 countries around the world — a true global marketplace." The Ritchie Bros. auction in Brisbane on Tuesday, June 26 attracted more than 1,150 on-site and online bidders from 38 countries. Bidders from outside the state of Queensland purchased close to AU$20 million or 53 percent of equipment (based on total gross auction proceeds) in the auction from as far away as Fiji, Japan and the United States of America. Two days later, the Company conducted another unreserved public auction in Geelong on June 28 and attracted more than 1,450 on-site and online bidders from more than 28 countries. Bidders from outside the state of Victoria purchased more than AU$10 million or 43 percent of equipment in the auction from as far away as New Zealand, Singapore and Ireland. Specific equipment sale highlights in the two auctions included: * two Caterpillar 637E Series I motor scrapers sold for AU$295,000 each to a buyer from Somerton, VI * two Volvo A25F 6x6 articulated dump trucks sold for AU$310,000 each to a buyer from Japan * a 2012 Cannon Tri/A B-Double combination stock trailer sold for AU$165,000 to a buyer from Swan Hill, VI * a 2006 Hitachi ZX870LCH-3 hydraulic excavator sold for AU$460,000 to a buyer from Camelia, NSW * a 2008 Caterpillar D8T crawler tractor sold for AU$455,000 to a buyer from Cambrian Hill, VI * a 2007 Caterpillar D9T crawler tractor sold for AU$640,000 to a buyer from Brighton, SA * a 2003 Striker 1110-HDT crawler impact crusher sold for $250,000 to a buyer from Baranduda, VI * a 2008 Kenworth T908 6x4 prime mover sold for AU$185,000 to a buyer from Winnellie, NT Consignments for the next Brisbane and Geelong auctions in September 2012 are now being accepted—to sell your equipment and/or trucks, please contact: +61.7.3382.4444 (for Brisbane) or +61.3.5245.3333 (for Geelong). The Ritchie Bros. auction calendar currently features more than 50 unreserved public auctions around the world. Visit www.rbauction.com for a complete list of upcoming auctions. 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 at http://www.rbauction.com/media. Members of the public and the media can follow Ritchie Bros. on Twitter @RitchieBros. SOURCE: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers CONTACT: For more information or photos contact: Kim Schulz, Manager, Corporate Communications, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Phone: +1.604.788.5379 (Canada) or email kschulz@rbauction.com; Or Warwick Mackrell, Vice President, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Brisbane auction site phone: +61.7.3382.4444