DoveBid

Long before the internet transformed commerce, a family-run auction house named DoveBid was founded in 1937. For decades, it built a solid business in the tangible world of industrial auctions and asset valuation. The company, led by Chairman and CEO Ross Dove, specialized in helping businesses manage and sell their surplus capital assets. As the dot-com era dawned, DoveBid embraced a "clicks and mortar" strategy, transitioning its established auction business online. The company launched DoveBid.com, a B2B marketplace for used capital assets, expanding its reach globally. It facilitated the sale of everything from biotech and pharmaceutical equipment to manufacturing machinery, becoming a leader in online corporate asset management. This strategy included the acquisition of several smaller firms to bolster its online presence and service offerings. A major turning point came in 2008 when GoIndustry, a UK-based competitor, acquired DoveBid for approximately £17 million. The move was described as a "transformational deal" aimed at creating a market leader in the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The combined entity, known as GoIndustry DoveBid, continued to provide asset management, auction, and valuation services. The journey concluded when Liquidity Services, another major player in the surplus asset market, acquired GoIndustry DoveBid, absorbing its long legacy into an even larger marketplace.