As an Equipment Manager with twenty years of experience, Tom Mastera has used a lot of different methods to sell equipment.
For the last ten years he's been relying on Ritchie Bros. to bring in the buyers – and better returns.
We've tried it all, but we feel that Ritchie Bros. really gives us the most for our money.
Tom Mastera is a busy man. As Equipment Manager for Jr. Davis Construction Company, Inc. – a large highway construction contractor in Kissimmee, Florida – he manages a fleet of 200 pieces of heavy equipment. He's seen the company – and its fleet – grow substantially since he joined as a young field mechanic.
"When I started back in '93 we only had probably 25 pieces of heavy equipment," says Tom. The company then shifted its focus from housing development construction to road building. "It just took off the next few years."
Since he took on his current role as Equipment Manager, Tom has bought and sold a lot of equipment—and he knows that a big part of successful selling is making the process fair and transparent for buyers.
After years of using various auction companies, trading in to dealers, and selling directly to brokers, Tom and Jr. Davis turned to Ritchie Bros.
"A big thing for us is the fact that Ritchie Bros. auctions are absolute [unreserved]. When it sells it sells – there's nothing funny going on."
Tom knows that everything Ritchie Bros. does to make buyers confident and comfortable translates into better results for sellers. "This seems to be the best atmosphere to get a good price for your used equipment," Tom says. "The auction site is well-equipped, and it's easy for the buyers to look at the equipment. I just think they're more comfortable here – it's a much better facility here than at some of the other auctions."
While most people—especially end-users—still like to come to the site, kick the tires and bid in person, Tom recognizes the value of having both on-site and online bidding. "The internet obviously helps – not only do you have the buyers that are on site – but when a particular auction is slowing down, internet bidders can always liven it back up."
And with a lot of responsibility and a lot on his plate, Tom also values the service he gets from Ritchie Bros., and his local rep. "It's very important for a contractor who's going to put 40 or 50 pieces in an auction to have a go-to guy like Nick who's going to handle everything. It takes a lot of the confusion out and you can still focus on the job you have to do as a contractor."
And as busy as he is, Tom always looks forward to auction day. "It's definitely an asset having the live auction and being able to network and congregate and hang out with the other sellers or buyers."
Written and published: 2013
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