Mr. Jake Lawson reports

RITCHIE BROS. CRANE SALES READY TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS; 2013 MANITOWOC 16000 440-TON HEADLINES CRANE INVENTORY IN HOUSTON, TX AND OTHER AUCTIONS

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Inc.'s upcoming Houston, Tex., auction from June 21 to June 22 will feature a crane that is sure to raise a high level of interest. A 2013 Manitowoc 16000 440-ton self-erecting crawler crane will sell unreserved to the highest bidder during the auction. It is among a surging selection of quality cranes selling at Houston and other upcoming Ritchie Bros. auctions in June, including Columbus, Ohio (June 15), and Polotitlan, Mexico (June 9).

"It's been a long time since we've seen a selection of cranes like this," said Jake Lawson, senior vice-president of Ritchie Bros. "We have close to 200 cranes listed in upcoming auctions, including the massive Manitowoc 16000 -- cranes of this size and value don't come to auction often. With great selections of cranes available in Houston, Columbus and Polotitlan, this is the perfect opportunity for people to get the cranes they need for upcoming work projects."

While Ritchie Bros. sells thousands of lifting equipment items each year, including 1,400 plus rough terrain cranes, 450 plus hydraulic truck cranes, 425 plus all-terrain cranes and 280 plus crawler cranes in the past two years alone, cranes like the Manitowoc 16000 are rare. For perspective, a 2006 Manitowoc 16000 model sold at the company's June, 2010, auction in Denver for $2.5-million (U.S.), and that is among the top 10 most expensive cranes ever sold in Ritchie Bros. history. The current king of cranes is a 2001 Liebherr LR1800 800 metric crawler crane, which sold for $3.7-million at Ritchie Bros.' Sacramento auction site in 2006.

Almost as rare as the Manitowoc 16000 is seeing unused cranes in an auction. However, Ritchie Bros. will be selling two unused Grove RT540E 40-ton rough terrain cranes in the June Houston auction. In total, Houston will sell 50 plus cranes, along with construction, aerial and transportation equipment in its auction. Polotitlan has 19 cranes, and Columbus has 10, with new inventory added right up until auction day.

Crane highlights in upcoming auctions:

• A 2013 Manitowoc 16000 440-ton self-erecting crawler crane (Houston -- June 21 to June 22);
• A 2014 Terex RT780 80-ton rough terrain crane (Houston -- June 21 to June 22);
• A 2012 Manitowoc 777 Series 2 200-ton self-erecting crawler crane (Houston -- June 21 to June 22);
• A 1999 Manitowoc 777 200-ton crawler crane (Houston -- June 21 to June 22);
• A 2000 Manitowoc 888 230-ton crawler crane (Polotitlan -- June 9);
• A 2013 Terex RT780 80-ton four-by-four-by-four terrain crane (Polotitlan -- June 9);
• Two Grove TMS900E 90-ton and two Grove TMS700E 60-ton hydraulic truck cranes (Columbus -- June 15);
• Two unused Grove RT540E 35-ton four-by-four-by-four rough terrain cranes and an unused RT540E-2 30-ton (Moerdijk, Netherlands -- June 29).

To search the current inventory of cranes and other lifting equipment or to register for an upcoming auction, please visit the company's website.

About Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Inc.

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets.