Ritchie Bros. sets Montreal sales record

Ritchie Bros. continues to report record-setting sales at its equipment auctions, with its latest Montreal event dropping the hammer on more than 3,000 pieces of equipment and collecting more than £48 million. The auction held March 23-25 attracted more than 7,500 registered bidders from more than 40 countries. "Trucks and trailers are attracting unprecedented demand in today's market, with light-spec' truck tractors, van trucks, hi-boys, and reefer trailers bringing top dollar last week in Montreal," said Eric Roussin, regional sales manager.

About 90% of the equipment was sold to Canadian buyers and 61% remained in the province.

International buyers from as far afield as Ecuador, Malaysia and the Netherlands accounted for the remaining 10%. The Montreal auction came on the heels of Ritchie's first regional event for the northeast U.S., drawing equipment from locations in Maryland, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina. A Toronto auction in mid-December saw more than 8,500 online buyers bidding for 3,400 items.

An Edmonton auction in the same month moved more than 4,400 pieces of equipment with transactions totaling more than £53 million.