Ritchie Bros. to conduct grand re-opening auction in Saskatoon, SK on April 18

Site record will be broken for most items ever to be sold-more than 1,750 equipment items, including more than 65 combines and 50 ag tractors will be sold

SASKATOON, April 5, 2012 /CNW/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world's largest auctioneer of farm, construction and other heavy equipment, will conduct a grand re-opening auction at its Saskatoon, SK site on Wednesday, April 18, 2012. This unreserved public auction will feature more than 1,750 equipment items, including more than 65 combines, 50 agricultural tractors, 55 headers, as well as 40 sprayersâ€"with every item selling to the highest bidder, regardless of priceâ€"without minimum bids or reserve prices. Bids can be made in the auction on-site, online in real time at www.rbauction.com or by proxy.

"Our April 18 grand re-opening auction in Saskatoon already features more equipment than we have ever sold at this site beforeâ€"and we will be continuing to add more equipment right up to the day of the sale," said Jordan Clarke, Regional Sales Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. "Over the years in Saskatchewan we have experienced an increase in demand from our buyers and sellers to hold larger auctions here in Saskatoonâ€"now we have the larger facilities and additional acreage to do that. For this first auction in our new facilities, we expect thousands of bidders participating from all across the province of Saskatchewan and from around the worldâ€"we can't wait to show them a selection of agricultural and industrial equipment unlike any we have ever seen here before."

The new facilities include a 20,860 square-foot auction buildingâ€"nearly twice the size of the previous building, which originally opened in 2006â€"with two auction theatres with combined seating for more than 1,000 people. The main auction theatre is for mobile equipment to be driven in front of the bidders while the items sell; the second theatre (Virtual Ramp) sells equipment by photograph on a large screen in front of a seated crowd.

Equipment highlights in the Saskatoon auction include:

• 11 Case IH 8120 combines (eight 2010 models, three 2009 models)
• nine John Deere 9870STS combines (three 2010 models, two 2009 models, four 2008 models)
• two 2009 Case IH 435 4WD tractors
• a 2010 Versatile 535 4WD tractor
• a 2010 Morris Contour 71-foot air drill
• a 2010 Seed Hawk 5012 50-foot air drill
• a 2008 Case IH 4420 Patriot 100-foot high clearance sprayer
• two Peterbilt 388 T/A tank trucks (one 2010 model, one 2009 model)
• a 2005 Caterpillar 143H motor grader
• a 2001 Caterpillar D7R crawler tractor

In total, more than 1,750 equipment items will be sold in the one-day auction for 230 sellers, including Jim Cranfield, owner of Limerick, SK-based Cranfield Farms Ltd., who has been buying and selling equipment at Ritchie Bros. auctions for the past seven years.

"I have bought and sold a lot of pieces of equipment with Ritchie Bros.," said Mr. Cranfield. "As a buyer I appreciate how upfront and honest the company is with all the equipment information they provideâ€"I've never been displeased. As a seller I value the power and ease of use of their website and the strength of their advertising, which results in strong returns on my equipment."

Also being sold in the auction is a selection of eight parcels of farmland located in Shellbrook, SK totaling 1,016±-title acres (ranging in size from 55.96± to 162.11±-title acres). For complete details on all available farmland in the auction, visit www.rbauction.com.

Consignments are still being accepted for the Saskatoon auction; anyone interested in selling their equipment can contact the auction site at +1.306.933.9333.

Ritchie Bros. will also conduct more than 50 on-the-farm auctions in April
Throughout April, Ritchie Bros. will take its auctions from farm-to-farm all across Western and Central Canada, conducting more than 50 on-the-farm auctions in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. With each auction, the Company will set up on an owner's farm and sell his equipmentâ€"some of these auctions also include farmland and livestock.

For complete details on all upcoming Ritchie Bros. auctions, including detailed equipment information and high-resolution photos of equipment being sold, visit the Company's website at www.rbauction.com.

Saskatoon, SK auction details:

• Ritchie Bros.' Saskatoon, SK auction site: Hwy 12 North & Cory Rd., Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3J7
• Saskatoon auction site phone:+1.306.933.9333
• Time & date: Wednesday, April 18, 2012, starting at 8 a.m.
• The 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
• 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 ahead of the auction

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 43 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, including a photo of Jim Cranfield (owner of Cranfield Farms Ltd.) are available for use at http://www.rbauction.com/media. Members of the public and the media can follow Ritchie Bros. on Twitter @RitchieBros.

Kim Schulz, Manager, Corporate Communications, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Phone: +1.604.788.5379 or email kschulz@rbauction.com

Or

Jordan Clarke, Regional Sales Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Saskatoon site phone: +1.306.933.9333 or email jclarke@rbauction.com