Inside ASN Constructors’ Fargo Diversion Fleet: Why They Trusted Us to Sell It

OwenSeptember 25, 2026 · 4 min read

A Project of Historic Scale

Fargo-Moorhead has seen more than its share of flooding over the years. To stop it, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needed a joint venture of three specialized construction firms, and a fleet built to move more dirt than almost any project in recent U.S. history. Gil Gilbert, fleet manager for ASN Constructors, has spent the last two years managing that fleet. Now, as the Red River Diversion Project nears completion, it’s time to sell.

A Project of Historic Scale

ASN Constructors is a joint venture formed in the early 202s between three partners, each with its own specialty: cost controls and project management, large-scale mining and excavation, and bridge work. It was built specifically for this job: 31 miles of diversion channel designed to route floodwaters around Fargo-Moorhead. Once complete, the project is expected to be so effective that residents may no longer need flood insurance. To date, crews have moved roughly 50 million cubic yards of earth and built 19 bridges and two aqueducts over the Cheyenne and Maple Rivers.

“If you took all the earth that was excavated out of this diversion, it would cover the entire NDSU
campus with ten feet of dirt,” Gil says.

Built Right, Maintained Right

Every piece in the fleet was purchased new, and by design, purchased locally. That includes scrapers, dozers, cranes, excavators, and the bridge-building equipment that made the aqueducts possible. From day one, ASN put the fleet under contract maintenance with local dealerships: John Deere, Caterpillar, Volvo, and Case. “Everything was maintained at a dealership level,” Gil says. “They did all the maintenance, all the repairs, major and minor.”

Once the equipment hits Ritchie Bros.’ temporary yard in West Fargo, Ritchie Bros.’ expert yard staff line it up and set it out, the same way they would for any Ritchie Bros. auction. This is a one-owner, job-completion sale; buyers will find scrapers, dozers, cranes, and excavators. There’s also the bridge-building equipment that raised the diversion’s 19 bridges and two aqueducts, plus the trucks, support equipment, and attachments that kept crews
moving for two years.

Every fleet reaches a turning point, whether that’s a completed job, a downsizing, or simply modernizing equipment. Thinking about what that turning point looks like for your own operation?
See how to sell your equipment with Ritchie Bros. →

Equipment for saleSponsoredTrojan Excavator BucketNewnan, GA 4 daysView listing

Why ASN Chose Ritchie Bros.

Gil’s relationship with Ritchie Bros. goes back to the early 2000s. He worked for a demolition company in
Pennsylvania and sold equipment through Ritchie Bros. for the first time. “Every company I’ve ever had, I’ve been tied in with Ritchie Brothers,” he says. When ASN needed an auction partner, Gil reached out to his network and was connected with Jimmy Chadwick, a Ritchie Bros. Key Account Manager. Gil brought the recommendation to ASN’s executive committee, and the venture signed on in June 2024.

Enter Jimmy Chadwick

Jimmy Chadwick has spent ten years as a Key Account Manager at Ritchie Bros., based out of the Pittsburgh area. A contact at S&B USA pointed him toward Gil and the growing project in Fargo. The two have worked together ever since, building a multi-channel selling strategy as ASN’s needs evolved. Early on, equipment came off the job in small numbers. Jimmy’s team listed pieces with Ritchie Bros. at a fixed price to keep tight control as volume built. Now, with the project wrapping up, the rest of the fleet is heading to a live, on-site and online auction.

The ASN Constructors Sale

Unlike the marketplace sales that carried the project for the past two years, this final sale brings live, on-site bidding back to West Fargo. The equipment sells live and online, with timed lots for attachments and support equipment.

Buyers can view the fleet at Ritchie Bros.’ temporary yard in West Fargo – 2351 8th Avenue NW, West
Fargo, ND 58078 – with inspections running October 6 to 20, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Priority bidding opens October 15, and everything sells live with on-site bidding starting at 8:00 AM on October 20, at the West Fargo Convention Center – 825 E Beaton Dr., West Fargo, ND 58078.

Looking back on the partnership, Gil doesn’t hesitate: “Ritchie Bros. is the biggest and the best,” he says. “Their ability to attract buyers from all over the globe is unprecedented. Nobody else can do that.”

Equipment for saleSponsoredEntek Excavator BucketNorth East, MD 10 daysView listing

Two years, one project, one team. And now, one auction. Ready to see the full lineup?
Browse the equipment selling from ASN Constructors →

See also

What BigIron Means for Ritchie Bros. Ag Sellers