Ritchie offers 125 cranes

Auctioneer Ritchie Bros in Canada reports that more than 125 cranes will be available at its auctions in Europe and North America during March and April. More than 70 will be available at auctions in North America while the rest will be in Europe.

Some 20 heavy lift cranes will be available in Europe, including a 400 metric ton capacity 2008 Liebherr LTM 1400 at an auction in France on March 6, and a 500 metric ton capacity Demag AC 500 all terrain crane at an Italy auction on March 8.

"Over the years, people from all over the world have increasingly turned to Ritchie Bros to buy and sell cranes," said Guylain Turgeon, managing director EMEA. "Last year we sold more than 330 cranes at our European auctions alone, nearly half of them all terrain cranes."

The 2001 Demag AC 500-1 was used in December 2011 to lift the famous 30 meter (100 foot) high Christmas tree on the plaza of the Duomo Santa Maria Nascente in Milan, Italy - one of the largest cathedrals in the world. Grandi Trasporti, which owns the crane, said it will sell the crane at the auction in Caorso to use the funds for a new crane.

Ritchie said it will auction a 100 US ton capacity 2007 Manitowoc crawler crane in Denver, CO on March 14. A 175 ton capacity 1996 Grove GMK5160 all terrain crane will be up on March 27 in Sacramento, CA.