Auction Operations Crew Member

Financial services firm Ares Management and commercial asset marketplace operator RB Global have been highlighted for their strong fundamentals and profitability, whilst cloud storage provider Dropbox faces challenges. Ares Management has demonstrated exceptional revenue growth of 24.3% annually over the past two years, with earnings per share compounding at 19.5% annually over five years. The company maintains an operating margin of 21.8%. RB Global, formerly Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, has achieved 27.4% annual revenue growth over five years, with EPS growing at 19.3% annually. The company generates a free cash flow margin of 14%. Dropbox, despite a 26.6% operating margin, showed flat billings and faces weak demand outlook. Wall Street expects flat revenue over the next 12 months.

Scottish yard aids auctioneers expansion. Ritchie Bros. has strengthened its presence in the UK with the opening of its first operational yard in Scotland, providing buyers and sellers of used machinery with a dedicated facility in the country's central belt. Located at Harthill, just off Junction 5 of the M8 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the new site is designed to improve access for customers across Scotland while reducing transport distances and simplifying equipment logistics. The facility operates 24 hours a day for deliveries, allowing customers and hauliers to drop off and collect machinery outside traditional opening hours. The company says the flexible access will help minimise downtime and make it easier to move equipment around busy work schedules. The Scottish yard complements Ritchie Bros.' existing UK operations at Maltby, near Rotherham, together with its Mullingar facility in Ireland, which opened in 2025. The three locations provide broader coverage across the UK and Ireland while supporting equipment sales through the company's online auctions and other sales channels. Chris Thomson, Scotland Territory Manager at Ritchie Bros., said the investment reflects the company's commitment to the Scottish market. "Having an operational yard in Harthill means we can offer the same market-leading services already available elsewhere in the UK while making it easier and quicker for customers in Scotland to sell machinery and equipment," he said. "The new location allows Scottish sellers to access our global network of buyers while benefiting from a much more convenient local facility." As well as reducing transport costs and journey times, the site brings inspection, marketing and sales support closer to customers who previously had to travel further afield to access Ritchie Bros.' services. The opening forms part of the company's wider strategy to expand its regional footprint and meet growing demand for used equipment and asset management services across the UK and Ireland. The new yard is located at 59 West Benhar Road, Harthill, Shotts ML7 5TG.