Large late-model crane fleet to be sold at unreserved Ritchie Bros. auction in Australia

Entire crane and truck fleet of the ST Group (parent of Skelton Tomkinson) to be sold at upcoming Brisbane auction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 22, 2008

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – On June 24, 2008, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA) will sell the entire crane and truck fleet of the ST Group at an unreserved public auction in Brisbane, Australia. Skelton Trucking, Australia's largest heavy haulage company, will sell close to 150 transportation and heavy equipment items at the unreserved auction as part of a major company realignment. Among the equipment being sold for the ST Group: close to 40 prime movers (truck tractors), including six 2007 Western Star and one 2007 Kenworth; more than 50 low loaders (lowboys); and nine late-model cranes – the largest crane package ever sold at a Ritchie Bros. auction in Australia. The cranes being sold include:

  • Two 2007 Manitowoc M12000 120-ton crawler cranes
  • One 2007 and one 2006 Grove GMK4080 80-ton all terrain crane
  • 2004 Grove GMK5100 100-ton all terrain crane
  • 2004 Grove GMK3055 55-ton all terrain crane
  • 2006 Franna MAC25 25-ton crane
  • 2004 Franna AT20 20-ton crane
  • 2004 Tadano GT550 hydraulic truck crane

The auction also features a large selection of articulated dump trucks, wheel loaders, crawler tractors and other equipment for the construction, transportation, mining and other industries, with more equipment being added right up until auction day. The auction will be completely unreserved, with no minimum bids and no reserve prices.

"We often sell cranes at our unreserved auctions, but it's rare to see so many late-model cranes being sold all in one place, all in one day," said Simon Ross, Ritchie Bros. Regional Manager. "Worldwide demand for cranes continues to be strong, and the pace of production can't meet the needs of industry. Our upcoming auction represents a unique opportunity for interested crane, truck and equipment buyers. Not only are we selling an exceptional lineup of machines, we're selling them all unreserved – meaning there will be no minimum bids and no reserve prices. Every piece of equipment will be sold to the highest bidder on auction day."

The unreserved public auction starts at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at the Ritchie Bros. Brisbane auction site (cnr. Burnside Rd. and Pacific Highway, Yatala, QLD). The auction is open to the public. Registration to bid is free. Interested buyers can bid in the auction in three different ways:

  • In person at the Ritchie Bros. Brisbane auction site;
  • By proxy bid; or
  • Live and in real time over the internet using the Ritchie Bros. online bidding service, rbauctionBid-Live.

More information about the auction, including photos and details of the equipment being sold, can be found on the Ritchie Bros. web site at www.rbauction.com. Interested buyers can also visit the Ritchie Bros. Brisbane auction site to inspect and test the equipment in person prior to the auction. Anyone interested in selling trucks or equipment in the June 24 auction can contact the Ritchie Bros. Brisbane auction site at +61.7.3382.4444.

About Ritchie Bros.
Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. is the world's largest auctioneer of industrial equipment, operating through over 110 locations in more than 25 countries around the world. The Company 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, material handling, mining, forestry, petroleum, marine, real estate, and agricultural industries. The Company maintains a web site at www.rbauction.com.

For more information contact:
Simon Ross, Regional Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Gold Coast auction site tel: +61.7.3382.4444
Or
Kim Schulz, Corporate Communications Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Canadian office tel: +1.778.331.5500 or mob: +1.604.788.5379 or email kschulz@rbauction.com