Transaction will enable thousands of auction houses who run their sales through LiveAuctioneers to list on ATG’s existing art & antiques marketplaces in Europe
LiveAuctioneers is announcing its acquisition by Auction Technology Group plc (LON:ATG). Following the receipt of final approvals required in order to proceed, ATG expects to complete the acquisition shortly. LiveAuctioneers is currently owned by Cove Hill Partners, a Boston-based, long-term-oriented private equity firm that invests in consumer internet and technology businesses.
ATG’s mission is to be a trusted partner to the auction industry as it continues its structural shift to online, driving the appeal of secondhand items and accelerating the growth of the circular economy. The acquisition of LiveAuctioneers demonstrates ATG’s commitment to helping auctioneers build their businesses and compete with global e-commerce giants by enabling them to reach a global pool of bidders, while also providing bidders with access to millions of unique and specialized items.
This transaction will enhance the enlarged group’s offering to auctioneers and bidders across the world. It will enable the thousands of auction houses that run their auctions on LiveAuctioneers to benefit from the ability to list their auctions on ATG’s existing marketplaces and reach a wider audience of buyers of fine art and antiques in the UK and European Union. ATG’s existing auctioneer clients will have the option to list on LiveAuctioneers, reaching bidders in North America who annually win more than one million items on LiveAuctioneers.com. The acquisition will also enable ATG to integrate LiveAuctioneers’ easy-to-use payments solution across its global business, significantly simplifying this process for auctioneers and enhancing the buying experience for winners.
Under Cove Hill Partners’ ownership, LiveAuctioneers has seen significant growth in recent years, receiving more than 56 million bidder sessions in 2020. The acquisition will bring an estimated 1,600 auctioneers and 120,000 bidders to ATG’s network, as well as 27,000 auctions per year and 1.3 million lots sold. It will also give the company access to the US art & antiques market – a segment that is twice the size of that of the UK. ATG already has a growing presence in the North American auction industry, selling high-value construction and farm equipment on its online marketplace, Proxibid, and food & beverage plus heavy industrial, metal, and woodworking equipment through its BidSpotter marketplace, as well as providing best-in-class white label services through its subsidiary Auction Mobility.
LiveAuctioneers will continue to operate with its headquarters in New York City and be led by CEO Phil Michaelson. ATG’s existing art and antiques marketplaces are thesaleroom.com, which was founded by ATG in 2006, and German fine art and antique marketplace lot-tissimo.com, which was acquired by ATG in 2018. The Group also operates four marketplaces in the industrial and commercial sector.
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About LiveAuctioneers
Founded in 2002, LiveAuctioneers is a leading source in North America for fine and decorative art, antiques, and vintage collectibles from thousands of quality auction houses and galleries. The preferred online destination for bidders seeking one-of-a-kind treasures, its platform provides a comprehensive search, bidding and purchasing experience across the web and via its iOS/Android mobile apps. Always seeking to create enduring value for buyers and auction houses alike, LiveAuctioneers continues to be a leading innovator with its live-streaming video capabilities, online payments with anti-fraud guarantees, free consignment-sourcing solutions for auctioneers, and a free art and collectibles price-results database that contains millions of entries. To learn more, visit LiveAuctioneers.com.
About Auction Technology Group
Auction Technology Group plc (ATG) is the operator of the world’s leading marketplaces and auction services for curated online auctions, seamlessly connecting bidders from around the world to more than 2,000 trusted auction houses across three major sectors: industrial & commercial equipment, art & antiques, and consumer surplus & retail returns.
