Kaiserslautern – 05/17/2022

More than buying and selling: Used machinery trading with a positive contribution to the CO2 balance

From the dealer’s point of view, maximizing profit margins and customer satisfaction are the top priorities in the buying and selling process for used machinery. Sellers and buyers expect professional management and best prices.

Used equipment dealers have an interface function in the connection between the seller, the used machine, and the buyer. Transaction management creates added value for all parties involved. The seller receives new liquidity, the buyer new production capacity and the dealer generates a positive trading margin. What creates a win-win situation for the companies involved also applies to the CO2 balance. This is a new perspective on the used machinery trade that mostly goes unnoticed.

Since the manufacturing process of a new machine generates significant CO2 emissions, the decision to buy a used machine ensures that new CO2 emissions are avoided. This results in a positive contribution to the carbon footprint when the life cycle of a used machine is extended through resale.

Used machinery dealer GINDUMAC has been analyzing the life cycles of the machines it sells since it was founded in 2016. “The life cycles in metal, sheet metal and plastics processing are very different. It depends a lot on the machine park concept, application depth and manufacturer,” says Benedikt Ruf, Managing Director of GINDUMAC GmbH.
“Nevertheless, our empirical values show a tendency for used metal working and sheet metal forming machines to change hands around three to four times on average. In plastic injection molding, we see that machines are generally used by around two to three different companies before they are scrapped,” says Ruf.

The extended life cycle and the cross-border sale of used machines demonstrate the positive impact chain for the carbon footprint. This usually starts with manufacturing companies, which always must be at the highest technological level and consequently regularly renew their machinery.

In practice, for example, metal processor A from Germany decides to sell a 5-year-old machining center because he can manufacture more technologically sophisticated, more productive and more energy-efficiently with a new machine. He can sell his used machine via a dealer to metal processor B from Poland. Metal processor B from Poland requires a significantly lower technology level for his machinery processes than metal processor A from Germany. With the purchase of the used machining center, he can rejuvenate his machine park and set up his production in a more energy-efficient and productive way. When the used machine is delivered, metal processor B from Poland sells his 10-year-old machining center via a dealer to metal processor C from the Czech Republic, who is currently planning to expand his production and can ideally do this with a used machine.

In total, a positive energy balance is created in this example through cross-border trade. Instead of three new machines, only one new machine is required. The CO2 emission is reduced to 1/3 of the production output that would normally have been necessary. At the same time, production at metal processor A and B is more energy efficient. Metal processor C expands his production climate-neutrally.

With this positive effect circle, the initial CO2 emission of a new machine production can be distributed among the different machine owners in the life cycle of the machine. The side effect of selling used machinery is the avoidance of new CO2 emissions. Put simply, the longer the machine is in use, the more positive the CO2 balance. The used machine trade thus indirectly becomes a climate protection driver.

At GINDUMAC, in addition to high customer satisfaction and professional transaction management, the topic of “Circular Economy” is also an important guiding principle of the company’s mission. “What counts in used machinery trading are qualitative machines, the best possible prices for sellers and buyers, and smooth processing. This is also the core of our business model and the primary interest of our customers. Nevertheless, we also see an overarching perspective that equally drives us to make a positive contribution to the circular economy and indirectly to climate protection every month,” comments Janek Andre, CEO of GINDUMAC GmbH.

About GINDUMAC

Used machinery trading rethought: This is what the two GINDUMAC founders & managing directors Benedikt Ruf (left) and Janek Andre (right).