The Auction Company Joins Forces With Yoder & Frey
Family-owned California auction business enters a new chapter while retaining its founding leadership, local team and customer-first approach
After nearly three decades of serving California's construction, transportation and industrial equipment markets, The Auction Company is joining forces with Yoder & Frey, becoming part of the global Euro Auctions network.
The collaboration brings together two established auction businesses with a shared commitment to customer service, industry expertise and professional auctioneering. For customers in California, the partnership creates access to a significantly broader national and international buyer network while preserving the local relationships and personalized service that have defined The Auction Company since its founding.
Founded in 2003 by Claudia Knopp and Steve Gorin, The Auction Company has built a strong reputation for honest, professional auction services throughout California. The company operates auction facilities in Colton and Madera, with offices in Murrieta, specializing in construction and heavy equipment, rental fleets, trucks, trailers, vehicles and government surplus assets.
At the heart of the business is a straightforward philosophy: put customers first and deliver results through honesty, integrity and professionalism.
That philosophy will continue under the new partnership. Knopp and Gorin will remain actively involved in leading the business, supported by the experienced team customers already know. The Company's existing locations, local expertise and customer relationships will remain central to its operations.
Jonnie Keys – Yoder & Frey/Euro Auctions, Claudia Knopp and Steve Gorin – The Auction Company
Claudia Knopp, co-founder of The Auction Company, said:
“Joining Yoder & Frey and becoming part of the Euro Auctions network represents an exciting next step in the development of our company. We have built The Auction Company by putting our customers first, and it was important to us to partner with an organization that shares those same values.
“Yoder & Frey and the wider Euro Auctions group have built a network of owner-operated businesses with strong local leadership, experienced teams and a genuine commitment to customer service. That made this a very natural fit for us.”
The partnership gives The Auction Company's customers access to the broader Euro Auctions marketplace and international buyer base.
With the addition of The Auction Company's California operations, the network now includes six auction sites in the United States, seven in Canada, five in Europe, one in the UAE and one in Australia.
For sellers, the expanded network provides an opportunity to market equipment consigned in California to buyers far beyond the traditional regional marketplace. Greater exposure to national and international buyers can create increased competition for equipment and open new opportunities for sellers.
For buyers, the partnership provides access to a wider selection of construction equipment, heavy machinery, trucks, trailers and other industrial assets through an established California auction operation.
Steve Gorin, co-founder of The Auction Company, said:
“For our customers, it is very much business as usual. They will continue dealing with the same people, at the same locations and with the same level of personal service they have come to expect from us.
“What has changed is the reach behind the business. We can now introduce their equipment to a truly global marketplace and connect California sellers with buyers well beyond our traditional market.”
Jonnie Keys of Yoder & Frey and Euro Auctions welcomed The Auction Company and its team to the group.
“The Auction Company has built an outstanding reputation over many years, and the team shares the same customer-focused culture that exists throughout our network. Their addition strengthens our presence on the West Coast while giving their customers access to buyers around the world.
“This collaboration combines local expertise with global capability. The Auction Company remains a trusted California business, while benefiting from the scale, technology and international reach of a global industrial equipment auction group.
“For customers, it is business as usual — only now with the backing of a global organization and an auction network that spans multiple continents. The future remains firmly rooted in California, but the marketplace has become worldwide.”
The partnership marks an important new chapter for The Auction Company, combining nearly three decades of California market knowledge with the resources and international reach of the Euro Auctions network.
