March 2025

Many family businesses have no successor. High financing costs, an uncertain future due to changing laws and regulations, and the desire for a better work-life balance all play a major role. In certain sectors, such as agriculture and infrastructure, we organize auctions as a result of business closures.

In these cases, the human aspect also plays an important role. We are often in discussions with the entrepreneur for an extended period, because closing a business is not an easy decision. Employees and customers must be informed, and the machines must be sold to cover these costs — often this sale forms the entrepreneur’s pension provision. This makes it all the more important to maximize the auction results.

A good example of this is the recently closed auction for contracting and earthmoving company Bos B.V. The auction included several tractors, a forage harvester, and various machines and accessories for contracting and earthmoving work, such as digging buckets, storage tanks, fork frames, stone clamps, agricultural tires, and tools.

In total, 4,965 bids were placed by 877 bidders. Winning bidders came not only from the Netherlands but also from Poland, Germany, France, and the Czech Republic, among the 31 bidding countries. A total of €750,438 was bid.