EDMONTON, Alta. – Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers’ first Edmonton, Alta., auction of the year netted more than $59 million in sales.

The event took place Feb. 25-27, and saw nearly 11,500 bidders from 50 countries take part in the auction, which was up 12% from a year ago.

“We once again set a new bidder record for our February sale and as a result saw strong pricing throughout the auction, particularly for the low-hour/kilometer assets in the sale,” said Trent Vandenberghe, regional sales manager for Ritchie Bros. “We are so proud that consignors continue to put their trust in us to deliver the results they need for their business. We are already building well for our big five-day sale in late April, with packages of heavy construction and aggregate/crushing equipment from Parkland Pipeline and Oil Berta Cats Ltd.”

Around 92% of the equipment sold in the auction went to Canadian bidders, with Albertans making up 49%. Approximately 70% was sold online, accounting for $42 million, and 25% through the Ritchie Bros. app.

“I’ve bought trucks and equipment from Ritchie Bros. lots over the years, so it made sense to use them for my retirement dispersal,” said Walter Bida, owner and president of Paradise Trucking Ltd. “Their global reach is so important to achieving good returns—I had equipment sell to Saskatchewan and even Texas. I would strongly recommend Ritchie Bros. to anyone looking to sell. They provide great service and great results.”

More than 5,000 pieces of equipment were sold during the auction, including a 2015 and 2014 Kenworth C500 truck, which sold for $410,000 and $400,000 respectively.