RB Global Inc., a global partner for insights, services and transaction solutions, announced March 4 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Big Iron Auction Company, accelerating the company’s strategic expansion into U.S. agriculture.
The acquisition includes Big Iron Auctions, Big Iron Realty and Sullivan Auctioneers, which Big Iron acquired in August 2022, notes Steve Hansen of Raymond James.
BigIron is a scaled, agriculture-focused online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of agricultural equipment, land, livestock, and other farm and ranch assets. Embedded in the communities it serves across rural America, BigIron’s digital platform is trusted by farmers, landowners, and rural enterprises.
According to Hansen, BigIron processed roughly $885 million in gross transaction value, including roughly $520 million from commercial assets and vehicles and $365 million from agriculture land and real estate transactions, and is supported by a highly engaged bidder base.
“BigIron brings a talented team with deep ag sector knowledge and an established sales footprint that will continue operating as a stand-alone brand while being complemented by the Ritchie Bros. industrial footprint. This will create opportunities to serve even more customers through a combination of onsite, offsite, and digital channels and solutions,” said Jim Kessler, Chief Executive Officer of RB Global.
“We are proud of our team’s tremendous work to establish BigIron as a leading auction marketplace for farmers, landowners, and rural businesses,” said Mark Stock, Co-Founder of BigIron. “RB Global values our culture and shares our respect for the agricultural community. Through this combination, we gain a larger platform and additional resources, which is expected to help us deliver even greater choice and liquidity to all the sellers we serve.”
Ron Stock, Co-Founder of BigIron, said, “Since our founding in 1984, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to providing an honest, trustworthy auction. We look forward to continuing our mission to serve our sellers, buyers, and employees for years to come, and to continue operating BigIron as a stand-alone brand with Mark and I involved in the business as usual.”
The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Until closing, RB Global and BigIron will continue to operate as independent companies in the ordinary course.
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