What Apex Auctions does

Apex Auctions is a Brighton, UK-headquartered industrial equipment auction and marketplace platform founded in 2002 that operates across 17+ countries with localized country-specific domains. The company facilitates the buying and selling of surplus used machinery and equipment through three core sales channels: timed online auctions with vendor approval workflows, a marketplace for immediate purchases, and private treaty negotiated sales for assets unsuitable for competitive bidding. Its core technology is the bidjs.com online auction platform supporting timed auctions, online bidding, and asset listing management.

Apex monetizes primarily through transaction fees, specifically buyer premiums and seller commissions on completed sales, with additional fees disclosed in individual sale terms. Its enterprise seller base includes Rolls-Royce, Baker Hughes, GE Vernova, and BAE Systems, while buyers range from manufacturing firms seeking used equipment to a verified international bidder pool assembled through targeted email and advertising campaigns. Beyond the core auction transaction, the company offers add-on services including Finance (same-day approval up to £50,000, sale-leaseback options), professional Valuations, and a network of Service Providers for collection, freighting, and shipping.

The company serves both sell-side enterprise clients disposing of surplus assets and buy-side manufacturing companies acquiring used machinery, operating a horizontal segmentation across 25+ equipment categories spanning machining, fabrication, electronics, plastics, and energy-sector equipment. Apex is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors or parent company, headquartered in Brighton with a small team of 11-50 employees supporting global operations.

Name

Apex Auctions

Legal name

Apex Auctions

Website

https://apexauctions.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Apex Auctions operates a global online auction and marketplace platform that helps industrial manufacturers and energy companies buy and sell surplus machinery and equipment across 17+ countries, serving enterprise sellers like Rolls-Royce, Baker Hughes, and GE Vernova alongside verified international bidders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Auction Commission: Apex Auctions charges fees on auction sales, including buyer premiums and seller commissions on surplus industrial equipment sold through timed auctions, marketplace listings, and private treaty transactions. Additional fees are disclosed in sale information sections.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Apex Auctions operates a global online platform for buying and selling surplus industrial machinery and equipment. The platform runs timed online auctions with competitive bidding, a marketplace for immediate purchases, and private treaty negotiated sales for high-value or specialized assets. Supporting services include financing options up to £50,000 with same-day approval, professional asset valuations, and a curated network of logistics service providers for equipment removal and shipping.

Product overview

Apex Auctions is a global industrial equipment auction and marketplace platform that facilitates the buying and selling of surplus used machinery and equipment. The platform operates through three core sales channels: Auctions (timed competitive bidding), Marketplace (immediate purchase), and Private Treaty (negotiated sales). Additional services include financing options, professional valuations, and a network of service providers for logistics and shipping. The company serves international markets across the UK, US, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, South Africa, China, India, Spain, Poland, and Romania, with equipment categories spanning manufacturing, machining, industrial production, and energy sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Timed Online Auctions Primary sales channel featuring timed online auctions with vendor approval requirements, online bidding infrastructure, and specific auction end dates. Used by enterprise clients (Rolls-Royce, Baker Hughes, GE Vernova, BAE Systems) to sell surplus industrial equipment to a global bidder pool.
• Marketplace Self-serve online marketplace for available used industrial machinery with immediate purchase options and straightforward buying process, serving mid-market buyers seeking specific items.
• Private Treaty Negotiated sales channel for high-value or specialized industrial assets not suited to competitive bidding, typically involving direct negotiation between Apex and prospective buyers.
• Finance Buyer financing service providing same-day approval up to £50,000, competitive finance packages, and large sale-leaseback options for industrial equipment purchases.
• Valuations Professional valuation services for industrial equipment and machinery, supporting sellers in establishing fair market value prior to disposal.
• Service Providers Network Curated network of trusted third-party service providers for equipment collection, freighting, and shipping logistics following successful auction sales.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hit revenues beyond optimistic aspirations (referenced by Carville Limited)

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Surplex: Surplex is a European-headquartered industrial machinery auction house specializing in used metalworking, woodworking, and production equipment. The business model, target customer base (industrial manufacturers disposing of surplus assets), and online timed-auction platform closely mirror Apex Auctions' approach.
• K-EUS: K-EUS is a German industrial machinery auction house specializing in metalworking, plastics, and production equipment. Their target market of European industrial manufacturers disposing of surplus machinery aligns closely with Apex's primary customer segment.
• Euro Auctions: Euro Auctions conducts unreserved auctions of construction and industrial equipment across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. Their focus on surplus construction and industrial machinery from major enterprises directly overlaps with Apex's industrial manufacturing and energy customer segments.
• Troostwijk: Troostwijk is a leading European industrial machinery and equipment auctioneer with a similar online timed-auction model. Both companies serve enterprise sellers (manufacturers, energy, defense) with surplus asset disposition across multiple European markets, competing directly for the same buyer-seller network.
• Perry Lloyd Auctioneers: Perry Lloyd is a UK-based industrial machinery and assets auctioneer offering online timed auctions and private treaty sales. They share Apex's UK base, customer overlap in industrial manufacturers, and similar mid-scale European auctioneer profile.
• BPI Auctions: BPI Auctions is a US and Canada-based auctioneer of industrial machinery, fabrication equipment, and plant assets from corporate sellers. Their mid-scale online timed-auction model for surplus industrial assets closely parallels Apex Auctions' offering.

Broad incumbents

• Liquidity Services: Liquidity Services operates a marketplace for surplus industrial assets, government equipment, and commercial inventory through platforms like GovDeals and Liquidation.com. While broader in scope, they serve enterprise surplus disposition at scale and represent a more established US-based competitor.
• Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers: Ritchie Bros. is the global market leader in industrial equipment auctions, operating IronPlanet, Marketplace-E, and other platforms. They serve the same enterprise customers as Apex (Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, etc.) but at substantially greater scale and geographic reach, representing the dominant incumbent Apex competes against.

Emerging players

• Machinio: Machinio is an online search engine and marketplace aggregator for used industrial machinery, connecting buyers to listings from auction houses and dealers globally. They represent an emerging digital listing platform that could disintermediate traditional auctioneers like Apex by aggregating supply.
• TradeMachines: TradeMachines is an online marketplace and aggregator for used construction, agricultural, and industrial machinery listings from auctioneers and dealers worldwide. They compete with Apex on the buyer-discovery side, potentially reducing direct traffic to Apex's own platform.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Industrialauctions
• Facebookfacebook.com/ApexAuctionsUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apex-auctions-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/apexauctionsltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Apex Auctions