Über Uns

Focus on Machinery Sales Due to Business Closures, Restructuring, and Bankruptcies


Launch of Dome Auctions: A New Auction Platform Exclusively for the Industry

The launch of Dome Auctions introduces an innovative auction platform for the Western European industry. Since Dome Auctions focuses exclusively on the industry, it brings much more focus. Additionally, we provide the necessary services, gaining the trust of buyers and sellers. "We notice that there is a great demand for this in the market," says initiator Wim Dieker.

As the former owner of Troostwijk Auctions, one of the most successful auction companies in Europe, Wim Dieker knows the auction market like no other. And the market knows him. "That’s important for a startup auction company because you need the trust of the buyers," he says.

Collaboration with PIPM Group

Right from the start, Dome Auctions can announce an important strategic collaboration. Platinum Industrial Plant & Machinery (PIPM Group) has also chosen the new auction platform. PIPM Group will resell industrial assets, purchased from bankruptcies and restructurings, to end users via the auction platform. "Dome Auctions understands the specific needs of our industry and offers a marketplace where every transaction is tailor-made," says Arnoud Guldemond, Director of PIPM Group.

At the official launch of Dome Auctions, machines from four Swiss companies in the metalworking industry will immediately be available for sale online, including sheet metal machines but also machining equipment. Among them are well-known company names like Big Kaiser AG, Marton, Progin, and Tabelco. PIPM conducts around 60 industrial asset auctions annually, spread across 70 to 80 auctions per year.

High-Quality Machines

Dome Auctions distinguishes itself from other European auction houses in two ways. Firstly, it exclusively targets the industrial sector. Secondly, thanks to the collaboration with PIPM Group, it primarily focuses on industrial assets from entire factories. PIPM Group serves a wide range of industrial sectors, including the food industry, metal processing, pharmaceuticals, and automotive. It provides services related to asset management, dismantling, and sales processes of industrial installations.

Wim Dieker explains: "This means that the potential buyer will only find industrial assets on our auction platform. And since it often involves complete factories, the machines remain in their familiar environment—the factory where they have always operated. This inspires far more confidence than seeing them stacked on pallets in a warehouse among other machines."

Exclusively for the Industry

Wim Dieker, who founded the auction platform together with an international team of specialists, initiated Dome Auctions because he noticed that the market needed a specialized B2B auction solution. The new platform aims not only to offer technological innovation but also to provide personalized service and market-driven strategies.

"Dome Auctions is committed to a professional sales process that completely unburdens both sellers and buyers. ‘Dome’ means ‘cupola’; in our case, it represents an overarching platform where buyers and sellers are optimally served." There will also be on-site specialists to assist potential buyers during the process. By focusing on the industry, the sales revenue is optimized.

Growth in Number of Auctions

So far, auctions account for a market share of €3.5 billion in European trade of used industrial equipment, barely 2 percent of the total market worth €250 billion. "This is partly because some European countries have historically lacked an auction culture, unlike the United States, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom," says Dieker.

Research indicates that this market is expected to grow. "The number of dealers with large inventories has already decreased. The internet brings transparency—everyone can see what’s available, and middlemen are being bypassed," explains the auction veteran with 35 years of experience.

Wim Dieker also expects an increase in the number of transactions through auctions, especially in the current economically uncertain times. "With the focus of Dome Auctions, we offer an attractive alternative to manufacturing companies looking to buy high-quality machines while being mindful of their budgets."