What Troostwijk Auctions does

Troostwijk Auctions is a privately held Dutch online industrial auction house, founded in 1929 and headquartered in Amsterdam, that operates a multi-country marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of used machinery, vehicles, agricultural equipment, construction assets, and miscellaneous commercial inventory. Approximately 95 years old as of 2024, the firm has evolved from traditional on-site auctions into a digital platform with real-time online bidding, native iOS and Android applications, and a dedicated Seller Portal. Core offerings include the timed-auction platform, a fixed-price "Direct Sales" channel for immediate purchases, and a wholly-owned valuation and advisory subsidiary (TWA – Troostwijk Taxaties en Advies).

The platform covers six European countries — Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland — and is localized into seven languages with twelve currency displays. The technology stack is a web and mobile bidding system with watchlists and real-time notifications; the firm integrates local payment rails (iDEAL in the Netherlands, Bancontact in Belgium) and operates a network of transport/logistics partners to facilitate delivery.

Troostwijk monetizes primarily through seller-side commissions on completed auctions (a transaction-fee model), supplemented by service revenue from valuation/appraisal via TWA. The go-to-market is hybrid: self-serve for buyers bidding through the website or app, with light-touch administrative and support services for sellers (notably repeat enterprise sellers such as Boels Rental). Headcount sits in the 101–250 band and the company is led by CEO Ghislaine Duijmelings; ownership is private with no disclosed parent, institutional investor, or external funding round.

Name

Troostwijk Auctions

Legal name

Troostwijk Auctions

Website

https://troostwijkauctions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Troostwijk Auctions is a privately held Dutch online industrial auction platform, founded 1929, connecting buyers and sellers of used machinery, vehicles, agricultural, and construction assets across six European countries via web and mobile bidding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Industrial Auction Marketplace

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)

SIC

Wholesale-Construction & Mining (No Petro) Machinery & Equip (5082)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Virtual Real Estate Auctions (Marketplace Platforms) (BPAJAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wholesale Vehicle Auctions (Physical & Online) (TLABAKAA), Commercial Real Estate Auctions (BPAJAEAB)

Keywords

• Industrial equipment auctions
• Online auction platform
• Machinery liquidation services
• Used asset sales
• Commercial vehicle auctions

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Auction commission fees: The company earns revenue by charging commissions on completed auctions. Sellers pay fees when items are successfully sold through the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Troostwijk Auctions operates an online auction marketplace where industrial and commercial asset sellers list machinery, vehicles, equipment, agricultural assets, and miscellaneous goods for real-time bidding by a European buyer base. The platform supports timed and live auctions, a complementary Direct Sales fixed-price channel, a native mobile bidding application, and a self-service Seller Portal. Revenue is generated primarily through seller commissions on completed transactions.

Product overview

Troostwijk Auctions operates a multi-channel online marketplace for industrial and commercial assets, comprising a core auction platform supporting timed and live bidding, a Direct Sales fixed-price channel, native iOS/Android mobile applications, and a Seller Portal for self-service listing management. The platform serves sellers in liquidating machinery, vehicles, equipment, and commercial inventory across European markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TWA: Troostwijk Taxaties en Advies - appraisal and advisory services

Products and services

• Troostwijk Auctions Online Auction Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 350,000 euros above expected value in one auction
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• iDEALsupportingOthersPayment processing integration for Dutch market enabling secure online payments for auction transactions.
• BancontactsupportingOthersPayment processing integration for Belgian market enabling secure online payments.
• Transport CarrierssupportingOthersNetwork of transport and logistics partners to facilitate delivery of purchased items. The platform provides 'Je kavel(s) laten bezorgen' (Have your items delivered) service.
• TWA Taxaties en AdviessupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerValuation and advisory services partner providing professional assessment of equipment and machinery for sellers.
• Apple App StoresupportingOthersDistribution partnership for mobile application availability on iOS devices.
• Google Play StoresupportingOthersDistribution partnership for mobile application availability on Android devices.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RB Global): RB Global (parent of Ritchie Bros., IAA, and AuctionTime) is the largest global industrial equipment and vehicle auction platform. Directly comparable to Troostwijk in core construction, transport, and agricultural machinery verticals, but operates at materially greater scale with global bidder reach.
• Copart: Copart is a leading global online vehicle auction platform, primarily serving insurance, fleet, and remarketing buyers. Comparable in online auction mechanics and a portion of Troostwijk's vehicle and transport vertical, though concentrated on auto salvage rather than commercial vehicles.

Direct peers

• Surplex: Surplex is a German-headquartered online industrial auction house specializing in used machinery, plant equipment, and industrial assets across Europe. Closest head-to-head competitor to Troostwijk, with overlapping verticals (metalworking, woodworking, construction) and a comparable self-serve online auction model.
• Hilco Industrial Acquisitions: Hilco Industrial acquires and remarkets industrial machinery, equipment, and entire manufacturing facilities globally through online and sealed-bid auctions. Directly comparable in industrial asset disposition but US-anchored.
• GoIndustry DoveBid: GoIndustry (formerly DoveBid) operates an online marketplace for used industrial equipment, MRO assets, and surplus inventory across Europe and globally. Comparable model of online industrial auctions with similar customer base of asset-disposing enterprises.
• Vavato: Vavato was a Belgian online industrial auction platform that has been integrated with Troostwijk (now operating as Troostwijk-Vavato Belgium). Historically a direct competitor in the Belgian market for industrial machinery auctions.

Regional players

• Klaravik: Klaravik is a Nordic online auction platform for construction machinery, commercial vehicles, and industrial equipment, primarily serving Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark. Comparable business model and asset categories to Troostwijk but focused on the Nordic region.
• Hampp Auctions: Hampp is a German industrial auctioneer specializing in machinery, plant, and equipment sales primarily in the DACH region. Comparable to Troostwijk in industrial vertical and online auction mechanics, but with a regional German focus.

Emerging players

• Catawiki: Catawiki is a Dutch online auction platform for collectibles, art, luxury goods, and specialty items across Europe. Overlapping online auction model and Dutch origin, but focused on consumer/collector verticals rather than industrial equipment.

Others

• Bonhams: Bonhams is a global auction house covering art, collectibles, luxury goods, and specialty assets across Europe. Comparable online auction infrastructure and European footprint but operates in distinct verticals (luxury/collectibles) with minimal direct overlap in industrial equipment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TroostwijkAuctions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/troostwijk-veilingen-b-v-troostwijk-auctions
• Instagraminstagram.com/troostwijkauctions
• Xx.com/troostwijkhq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Troostwijk Auctions