Ritchie Bros. Expands Orlando Heavy Equipment Auction to Six Days for 2027

Ritchie Bros. Expands Orlando Heavy Equipment Auction to Six Days for 2027

Ritchie Bros. will extend its annual February Orlando heavy equipment auction from five to six days in 2027, following an event that attracted more than 19,500 registered bidders from over 80 countries. The expanded programme will run from 15–20 February, with five days of equipment inspections scheduled before bidding begins.

The February 2026 auction featured more than 14,500 heavy equipment assets and vehicles, including upwards of 6,500 pieces of construction machinery and 2,600 trucks and trailers. The additional selling day will give Ritchie Bros. greater flexibility to accommodate equipment categories and consignments while retaining its combination of live on-site auctions and online bidding.

Briefing

• The February 2027 Orlando auction will run for six days, from 15–20 February.
• Equipment previews are scheduled for 10–14 February, ahead of the auction.
• The 2026 event attracted more than 19,500 registrants from over 80 countries.
• More than 14,500 assets and vehicles were offered in 2026, including over 6,500 construction equipment units.
• The 2027 programme will combine live ramp auctions, yard-based selling, photo-based sales and online bidding.

The International Used Equipment Market

Orlando has become an established fixture in the international used construction equipment calendar, bringing together contractors, equipment dealers, rental businesses and fleet operators with buyers from across the world. Its appeal lies partly in the concentration of machinery available within a single event, allowing purchasers to compare equipment across manufacturers, specifications and operating histories.

The February 2026 auction demonstrated the breadth of that inventory. Alongside the construction equipment and commercial vehicles, Ritchie Bros. offered approximately 460 consumer vehicles, more than 70 lifting assets and over 55 quarry and aggregate assets. The mix reflects the company’s reach across construction, transport, material handling and other industrial sectors.

Ritchie Bros. operates within RB Global, whose wider portfolio includes IAA, BigIron, Rouse Services, SmartEquip and VeriTread. The group reports a marketplace connecting buyers and sellers in more than 190 countries, supported by over 60 full-service yards across 14 countries, more than 700 sales representatives and upwards of 400 events annually.

That international network gives equipment sellers access to markets beyond their immediate geographical area. Machinery that no longer suits the operating requirements or replacement schedules of one contractor may remain commercially attractive elsewhere, particularly where project conditions, fleet budgets and equipment availability differ.

The scale of Orlando’s international registration provides evidence of that geographical reach, although registration numbers do not necessarily translate into completed purchases. RB Global has not disclosed the geographical distribution of successful buyers or the total transaction value of the February 2026 event in its latest announcement.

Six Days of Equipment Sales

The 2027 auction will use several selling formats, with different machinery categories scheduled across the six-day programme.

On the second day, wheel loaders, motor graders and articulated dump trucks are scheduled to cross the auction ramp. The third day will feature smooth drum and padfoot compactors alongside crawler tractors, while cranes will be offered through photo-based sales in the main auditorium.

Excavators are scheduled for the fourth day using a sound-truck auction format, in which auction personnel move through the equipment yard to conduct sales. This allows large machines to remain in their designated positions rather than being driven individually across a conventional auction ramp.

The sixth day will close with a timed auction of consumer vehicles, including pickups, SUVs and automobiles, together with trailers. Unlike live ramp auctions, timed sales allow registered bidders to submit offers electronically during a defined bidding period, with the closing process governed by the applicable auction rules.

The programme combines established physical auction practices with digital bidding, accommodating equipment that can be driven across a ramp as well as machinery that is more conveniently sold in place or through photographic presentation.

Jake Lawson, President, Heavy Equipment & Transportation North America at Ritchie Bros., said the additional day was introduced in response to customer demand.

“Orlando is where the industry comes together every February, and our customers have told us they want more of it,” Lawson said. “When a seller consigns here, their equipment goes in front of buyers from around the world in a single week. Adding a sixth day lets us offer more equipment and more selling options without losing the online and live, onsite energy that makes this event unique.”

The expansion provides additional selling capacity, although the company has not announced a specific target for the number of assets to be offered in February 2027. The final scale and composition of the auction will depend on consignments received ahead of the event.

Equipment Inspection and International Purchasing

The five preview days preceding the auction will allow prospective buyers to examine equipment before committing to a purchase. Physical inspections remain an important part of the used machinery market, particularly for higher-value construction assets where mechanical condition, operating hours, maintenance records and previous applications can influence purchasing decisions.

For international buyers, acquisition costs also extend beyond the successful bid. Transport arrangements, shipping charges, import duties, local compliance requirements and any necessary equipment modifications can materially affect the economics of purchasing machinery overseas.

These considerations vary considerably between machines. A compact excavator can present relatively straightforward transport requirements, while moving a large crawler tractor, crane or articulated dump truck may involve specialist loading arrangements, dimensional restrictions or partial dismantling.

The February Orlando auction will retain both on-site and remote bidding options, allowing overseas buyers to participate without travelling to Florida. Those purchasing remotely may nevertheless need to arrange independent inspections or rely on the equipment information and supporting documentation available for individual lots.

Ritchie Bros. has scheduled its inspection period for 10–14 February 2027. Prospective buyers should confirm individual lot locations and inspection arrangements, as equipment offered through the wider auction programme may not necessarily be held at the same physical site.

Orlando 2027 Auction Arrangements

The February 2027 event will take place from Monday 15 February through Saturday 20 February, with on-site bidding centred on the Ritchie Bros. auction facility in Davenport, Florida, in the greater Orlando area.

The equipment catalogue is being developed as consignments are received, with construction and quarry machinery among the categories represented in the auction listings. Buyers will be able to review individual lots, assess available equipment information and make arrangements for inspections and bidding ahead of the event.

The move to six days follows substantial international participation in February 2026, but the eventual number of machines sold and the value of transactions will depend on the inventory offered and the level of competitive bidding.

Further information about consignments, registration, inspection dates and auction arrangements is available through the official Ritchie Bros. Orlando 2027 auction page.

Key Industry Questions

1. When is the Ritchie Bros. Orlando auction in 2027? The auction will take place from 15–20 February 2027, extending the annual event from five days to six.
2. When can buyers inspect equipment before the auction? On-site preview days are scheduled for 10–14 February 2027, immediately before the auction begins.
3. Where is the Orlando equipment auction held? The main auction facility is located in Davenport, Florida, in the greater Orlando area. Individual equipment lots may be held at other locations.
4. How many bidders registered for the 2026 Orlando auction? RB Global reported more than 19,500 registrants from over 80 countries.
5. What types of construction equipment are sold? The programme includes excavators, wheel loaders, motor graders, articulated dump trucks, crawler tractors, compactors, cranes and other construction and industrial equipment, subject to consignments.
6. Can international buyers participate online? Yes. Ritchie Bros. provides online bidding alongside its live on-site auction formats, subject to registration and applicable sale conditions.
7. What is a sound-truck auction? A sound-truck auction involves auction personnel moving through the equipment yard to conduct sales, allowing machinery to remain in place rather than crossing a conventional auction ramp.
8. What should overseas buyers consider before bidding? Buyers should assess equipment condition, transport costs, import duties, local regulatory requirements, payment arrangements and applicable auction fees before establishing their maximum bid.
9. Will the additional auction day mean more machinery is sold? The sixth day increases selling capacity, but RB Global has not announced a specific equipment-volume target for the February 2027 event.

Strategic Takeaways

1. The expansion from five to six days provides additional capacity to accommodate equipment categories and consignments without fundamentally changing the established auction formats.
2. International participation gives sellers access to potential buyers operating under different fleet replacement cycles, project requirements and capital constraints.
3. The combination of ramp, yard-based, photo-based and timed auctions accommodates machinery with different handling and presentation requirements.
4. Equipment inspection and total landed costs remain central considerations for international buyers, regardless of whether bidding takes place on-site or online.
5. The commercial scale of the 2027 event will ultimately be determined by consignments, completed transactions and achieved selling prices rather than registration figures alone.