Fort Worth, TX, - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers attracted more than 2,500 bidders from 40 countries, including 48 U.S. states, to the unreserved public auction at its Fort Worth, TX auction site on July 8 - 10, 2009.

Ritchie Bros., the world's largest industrial auctioneer, sold more than 2,400 heavy equipment items and trucks over three days, generating gross auction proceeds in excess of US$32 million. Out-of-country bidders purchased more than US$11 million of equipment (34 percent).

More than 1,400 people from as far away as Japan, Australia and the United Arab Emirates registered to bid in person at the auction site. More than 1,100 other people registered to bid online in real time. Online bidders purchased almost US$11 million of equipment (33 percent).

"We had extremely high international participation in Fort Worth, with almost a third of the equipment selling to buyers from outside the United States," said Kieran Holm, Ritchie Bros. area manager. "Buyers come to our unreserved auctions from all over the world because we offer a huge selection of equipment and sell it all in a fair, transparent manner. As a result, we enable sellers to reach the widest possible audience of potential buyers and achieve the best possible returns on their equipment, regardless of the local market conditions."

Key Enterprises of Austin, TX sold more than 60 heavy equipment items in the Fort Worth auction.