Industrial equipment auctioneer Ritchie Bros Auctioneers Inc has broken records with 30 per cent higher auction sales in 2006 than in 2005.
Gross auction sales for 2006 were USD2.72 billion compared to USD2.09 billion in 2005. Auction revenues were USD261 million, 23 per cent higher than 2005's USD212.6 million.

Net earnings in 2006 were USD56.2 million, a 14 per cent jump from 2005's USD49.5 million. Gains on sales of excess property contributed USD1.6 million to earnings.

Ritchie Bros conducted 177 industrial auctions in 13 countries throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia in 2006. According to a Ritchie Bros statement, the company set 11 regional gross auction sale records in 2006, including the largest auction in Ritchie Bros's history at Orlando, Florida, in February 2006.