IronPlanet®, a leading online marketplace for used heavy equipment, announced today a strategic alliance including a small minority investment with Mascus, an online marketplace for construction equipment, transportation vehicles and trucks and agricultural, forestry, material handling, equipment, headquartered in the Netherlands.

The agreement includes the seamless integration of the two sites with new remarketing services to aid the ease, speed and availability of equipment. Advertisers on Mascus will now be able to quickly and efficiently push items listed on Mascus to IronPlanet for auction, further enhancing equipment disposition and speed to liquidity. In addition, buyers on IronPlanet will have greater access to the entire inventory of listings on Mascus. Sellers of used heavy equipment are increasingly moving from traditional publications and land-based auctions to the global reach and instant access of online marketplaces like IronPlanet and Mascus. Likewise, buyers of equipment turn to the Internet to find the equipment they need at the price they are willing to pay within the quick timeframe they desire. The alliance will provide the transparency of availability, pricing and location not available in printed publications and traditional auctions.

IronPlanet®, a leading online marketplace for used heavy equipment, today announced it will host the industry’s first major auction of 2014 on Jan. 28-31, featuring nearly 2,000 construction and related items for sale online.

“IronPlanet is dedicated to providing customers with a fast and convenient way to acquire and dispose of used heavy equipment,” said Greg Owens, CEO, IronPlanet. “Our four-day January sale provides the industry’s first opportunity of the year for buyers worldwide to purchase equipment and sellers to translate underutilized machines into cash – all through a trusted online marketplace.”

With the New Year now in full swing, it’s time to get ready for a busy season of industry conventions. We are a proud sponsor of the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) Summit & CONDEX, kicking off this week in Houston, Texas. As an international trade association, AED represents companies involved in construction, mining, forestry, agriculture and more. The annual three-day show brings together industry distributors, manufacturers, service providers, and more to learn about new services and products, network with peers and attend educational sessions.

With the New Year in full swing, it's time to look back at the trends that shaped Canada's construction industry in 2013 and and make predictions for the coming year. From mining and road building struggles to an upswing in forestry and oil and gas activity and Tier 4 engine adoption, there is a lot to cover.

Learn more about the issues that could impact your business in the next year by downloading our article "A Look Back and a View Forward," or reading it in the Dec. 23 issue of Equipment Journal.