Euro Auctions brings in the euros at its Leeds, UK site

214 Euro Auctions reports that it had record sales at its three-day auction at its recently expanded Leeds site in the United Kingdom at the end of August.

A total of 4,645 lots went under the hammer at the 10.5 hectare site, achieving over €37 million. More than 40% of sales were placed via the internet, a record for internet sales, said Jonnie Keys, general manager of Euro Auctions.

“We recorded an excellent turnout at our recent Leeds auction with over a thousand bidders attending from over 63 countries from around the globe,” said Keys. “In general we find that buyers prefer a mix of onsite and online channels with many coming for the first day to physically view and inspect equipment before purchasing online. We’re happy to accommodate our customers however they wish to buy – onsite, online or both.”

Keys said that he had noted a general upsurge in demand for equipment, particularly from across Europe.

Hire firm Ardent, which recently took over OneCall and ForkRent, consigned over 200 machines made between 2013 and 2015 to the sale. 6264 A-Plant also consigned over 300 former rental machines and more than 200 machines were collectively offered by CW Plant Hire, Select, WH Bond and Keyway.

Other items that went under the hammer included 255 JCB 540 170s and 535 140s, an array of loaders, graders, excavators, rollers, plus various size dumpers, forklifts, man lifts and trailers. This were also other vehicles ranging from quad buggies, executive cars and low-mileage prestige 4x4s, including a number of Land Rover Defenders.

He said that over 6% of sales are destined for delivery in the Middle East, with around 1% exported to each Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America.

Elsewhere, many of the larger infrastructure projects in the Middle East are on hold with equipment pre-purchased for various schemes standing unused for the foreseeable future.

Keys estimates that India continues to put demands on the global backhoe market. It is demanding a further 32% over its 2015 requirement, which means nearly 200,000 this type of versatile loader / digger are in us – accounting for over 50% of all construction equipment in India

The Far East, specifically Thailand, is also seeing good signs of growth following the global downturn.

Recent changes in exchange rates make the UK an attractive market for US buyers, although turnout from this market was subdued, mainly due to timeframes.

The recent boom in the Australian-led mining sector is now being superseded by a thriving construction sector and many good sized civil engineering projects are creating a demand for diggers, dozers, back hoe’s and smaller equipment. Keys believes that large infrastructure projects are also imminently ready to start, the largest being the Western Distributor highway, which at US$3.98 billion will create 5,600 jobs and have a high dependency on good quality heavy earthmoving equipment.

Euro Auctions, established in 1998, is based in Dromore in Northern Ireland and also has other sites in Leeds in England, Dormagen in Germany, Zaragoza in Spain, Brisbane in Australia and in the US in Atlanta and Houston.