Ritchie Bros. to sell late model rock trucks in Grand Opening unreserved auction in Grande Prairie

• Press Release
• Source: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
• On 9:00 am EDT, Friday October 30, 2009

<< Mining and heavy equipment including drills, crawler tractors, wheel loaders, motor scrapers and hydraulic excavators to be sold to the highest bidders at the Company's new location >>

GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB, Oct. 30 /CNW/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA - News News), the world's largest industrial auctioneer, is selling mining and heavy construction equipment and trucks-including a fleet of late model rock trucks-in an upcoming two-day, multi-million dollar, unreserved public auction at the Company's brand new permanent auction site in Grande Prairie on Tuesday, November 24th to Wednesday, November 25th 2009 starting at 8:00 a.m. each day.

"We're very excited to have the opportunity to market such a diverse range of equipment at our Grand Opening auction," says Brian Podruzny, Regional Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. "We have a great selection of mining equipment, including a fleet of Cat 777D rock trucks, and a large package of oilfield transportation equipment we'll be selling. We're extremely pleased to showcase these rock trucks at our new auction facility."

More than 650 equipment items and trucks from various owners including Prairie Boys Oilfield Services Inc, Dechant Construction Ltd., Finning (Canada) and Ledcor Group will be sold unreserved to the highest bidders on auction day, with no minimum bids or reserve prices.

A major highlight of the auction is the sale of 24 rock trucks including 15 late model, low-hour Cat 777D rock trucks. This will be the largest grouping of Cat 777D rock trucks ever sold by the Company in an unreserved auction within North America. Other rock trucks for sale include Cat 773B and Cat 773D rock trucks and two 2002 Komatsu HD785-5 rock trucks.

Other equipment items being sold in the November 24th Grand Opening auction include: a Hitachi EX1800 hydraulic front shovel, close to 35 crawler tractors, nearly 30 hydraulic excavators, 25 winch tractors, close to 15 bed trucks, 10 wheel loaders, 10 articulated dump trucks, motor scrapers, motor graders and several crawler drills. More items are being delivered to the Grande Prairie auction yard daily, and will continue to be added right through to sale day.

Since acquiring its first permanent auction site in Grande Prairie in 2002, Ritchie Bros. has conducted 50 auctions there. The Company's new 59+/- acre auction site, complete with refurbishing facilities and an auction theatre with an 800-person seating capacity, will replace the former 31+/- acre auction site located at 14606 100 Street. The new auction site, located at Range Road 51 in Grande Prairie, also features a 900-vehicle parking lot.

Consignments are still being accepted for the November 24th to 25th Grand Opening auction; owners interested in selling their equipment in the auction can contact the Grande Prairie auction site at +1.780.538.1100.

	    (x)Cat 777D Rock Truck Fast Facts
	    ---------------------------------
	        -  Gross Power: 1,000 hp (745.7 kw)
	        -  Weight (approx): 90.4 tons (360,143 lbs)
	        -  Payload capacity: 100 tons
	        -  Overall truck body length: 32.1 ft in
	        -  Overall truck height (with bucket down): 16.4 ft
	        -  Wheel base: 15 ft
	        -  Tire diameter/height: 8.9 ft
	        -  Fuel capacity: 300.4 gallons

	    (x)Courtesy of RitchieWiki

	    Auction details:
	    ----------------
	        -  Location: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers permanent auction site, Range
	           Road 51, Grande Prairie, AB
	        -  Grande Prairie auction site tel: +1.780.538.1100 Grande Prairie
	           auction site fax: +1.780.539.7230
	        -  Time and date: Tuesday, November 24th to Wednesday, November 25,
	           2009 starting at 8:00 a.m. each day
	        -  Grand Opening ribbon cutting: Tuesday, November 24th on auction
	           ramp (approximately 12:30 p.m.)
	        -  Unreserved auction is open to the public; registration to bid is
	           free
	        -  Visit the auction site to register to bid in person; photo I.D. is
	           required. First-time bidders from the U.S. and Canada must place a
	           refundable CDN$1,000 deposit when they register. Customers can
	           inspect, test and compare equipment during regular business hours
	           leading up to the auction
	        -  Internet bidders must register online before auction day at
	           www.rbauction.com; at least 2-3 business days is recommended for
	           first-time internet bidders.
	        -  Phone the auction site to place a proxy bid. Phone: +
	           1.780.538.1100
	        -  Equipment details, including photos, are available at
	           www.rbauction.com
	    

About Ritchie Bros.

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA - News News) 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.

ATTENTION MEDIA: Photos of the Cat 777D rock trucks are available for your use at www.rbauction.com/media or by calling Kim Schulz at the contact number below.

For further information

Kim Schulz, Manager, Corporate Communications, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Cell: (604) 788-5379 or email kschulz@rbauction.com
Or Brian Podruzny, Regional Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Grande Prairie auction site, tel: (780) 538-1100

Buzz up!