| UFG Auction in Burnaby B.C. |
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The current auction system at UFG has four electronic OES auction clocks, four OES "reader boards", and 550 bidding stations (keypads). The auctions are held four mornings per week, with additional auctions during busy seasons. In a typical auction, three different auctions are running at the same time, with each auction using an independently controlled Auction Clock. The first two OES Clocks were installed in 1985. A third was added in 1991. In 1997, UFG expanded their facilities and built an entirely new auction gallery. A fourth OES Clock was added at this time, as were 550 new OES keypads. Each of the four clocks were upgraded to allow up to four purchasers to be accepted with each clock swing if all were stopped at the same time and the supply allowed. The additional clock and 'multiple transaction purchase' function has greatly sped up the auction and shortened the auctioning time.
Depending on how many clocks are running, and how many purchases are enabled per clock swing, the transaction speed of this auction can range from one transaction every two seconds to more than one transaction per second. In a typical auction morning, up to 100 different growers may have sold product to up to 550 different buyers during a three hour auction. Within minutes of the auction's completion, all of the product will have been properly dispersed, the buyers will have received and paid their invoices, and the growers will know their morning sale total. A small percentage commission is typically charged on each sale.
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The auction at "UFG" is the largest and oldest flower auction operating in North America. From its inception to the present, UFG has benefited from the progressive and cooperative thinking of its members. The result is the steady growth they have enjoyed throughout their history.
