Industrial equipment auctions and liquidations are effective ways for companies to manage their facilities, fixed asset inventory, and cash flow. Many companies offer auction and liquidation services. Selection of the right auctioneer or liquidator for your manufacturing plant’s needs can be a challenge as used equipment sales are not part of most manufacturing companies’ business operations. But companies need to sell surplus equipment for a wide variety of reasons.

Idle equipment builds up in “bone-yards” or other storage facilities and needs to be liquidated. This idle equipment takes up space and costs money. The space used for the storage is often subject to monthly rental charges. Equipment storage inside an operational facility is often in the way of other, more valuable assets. Product changes require facility changes. New products require different processing equipment and the current equipment must be removed to make way for new production capabilities. Managing surplus and idle equipment is part of general facility management and planning. Site closures and site transfers or sales can leave surplus equipment where the building owner, or new building owner, has no use for the existing equipment. Turnaround situations or other financial distress (such as bankruptcy) can also lead to requirements for equipment liquidations or auctions to generate cash from unused fixed assets.