The three buying routes
| Auction house | Machinery dealer | Direct from plant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price | Lowest to mid | Highest | Lowest |
| Condition information | Photos, sometimes a viewing day | Inspected, often refurbished | Whatever you can see yourself |
| Warranty | None - sold as seen | Commonly 3-12 months | None |
| Dismantling & transport | Usually your responsibility, often to a deadline | Frequently included or arranged | Entirely yours |
| Payment terms | Immediate, plus buyer's premium | Negotiable | Negotiable |
| Best for | Buyers with technical staff and time pressure tolerance | Production-critical machines | Buyers already on site or nearby |
Surplex in Düsseldorf is the reference European industrial auction house - over 25 years in used machinery, offices in a dozen European countries, and services covering valuation, dismantling, transport and customs. Machineseeker and Resale are the largest listing marketplaces for dealer and end-user stock. All three are worth monitoring simultaneously; the same machine frequently appears on more than one.
Realistic residual values
| Age | CNC machine tool | Hydraulic press | Compressor / pump | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 55 - 75% | 65 - 80% | 50 - 70% | Still under maker support |
| 5 years | 40 - 60% | 55 - 72% | 35 - 55% | Sweet spot for value |
| 10 years | 25 - 40% | 40 - 60% | 20 - 35% | Control support becomes the question |
| 15 years | 12 - 25% | 30 - 50% | 10 - 20% | Retrofit territory |
| 20+ years | 8 - 18% | 20 - 40% | Scrap to 15% | Mechanically often still excellent |
Note how differently presses hold value. A hydraulic press is a frame, cylinders and a pump - all of which age slowly. A CNC machining centre is a frame plus a computer, and the computer sets the resale price. That asymmetry is where the value is.
Inspection checklist
See it running under power
Non-negotiable for anything above a few thousand euros. A machine that "just needs reconnecting" is a machine the seller could not start. Insist on a powered demonstration, and be present or send someone competent.
Check geometry against the original acceptance report
German machines ship with a documented acceptance test. Ask for it, then verify with a ballbar or laser interferometer. This converts "looks good" into a number you can price against.
Assess the control's support status
Contact the control manufacturer - Siemens, Heidenhain, Fanuc - and ask whether the specific control generation is still supported and whether spares exist. An unsupported control is not fatal, but it must be priced as a retrofit.
Inspect the wear items
Spindle runout and bearing noise. Axis backlash. Ballscrew and slideway condition under the way covers. Hydraulic leaks and oil condition. Coolant tank contamination - a neglected coolant system usually indicates a neglected machine.
Read the alarm history
Most CNC controls retain an alarm log. Recurring spindle, drive or axis faults tell you far more than the seller will. Ask for a screen capture if you cannot attend.
Confirm what is included
Tooling, chucks, fixtures, chip conveyor, coolant system, manuals, software licences and post-processors. These are commonly stripped before sale and are expensive to replace individually.
Compliance: the cost buyers forget
- Within the EU, unchanged. A machine already CE marked and placed on the market again in essentially unchanged condition generally retains its marking.
- Substantially modified. Significant modification - adding automation, changing the control's safety functions, altering the machine's intended use - can make you the manufacturer for regulatory purposes. That means a new conformity assessment, technical file and Declaration of Conformity in your name.
- Imported from outside the EU. A machine that was never CE marked must be brought into conformity before it can be put into service in the EU. Budget €5,000-40,000 depending on how far the safety system is from current requirements.
- Workplace obligations. Separately from CE, employers must ensure work equipment is safe for its actual use. An old machine can be legally marked and still require additional guarding, interlocks or an e-stop upgrade.
Total cost of a used purchase
| Element | Typical share of hammer price |
|---|---|
| Buyer's premium (auction) | 10 - 20% |
| Dismantling & rigging | 5 - 20% |
| Transport within Europe | 3 - 12% |
| Installation & levelling | 3 - 10% |
| Electrical connection & safety upgrade | 3 - 15% |
| Control retrofit (if needed) | Often exceeds the purchase price |
| First-year unplanned repairs | Budget 10 - 20% |
Related reading
- Industrial machinery relocation from Germany
- German factory equipment price guide
- CE marking requirements for German industrial equipment
- German machine tool service providers
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy used German industrial machinery?
Three main routes. Industrial auction houses such as Surplex in Dusseldorf, which has traded used machinery for over 25 years and became part of TBAuctions in 2024, sell plant from closures and insolvencies. Machinery marketplaces such as Machineseeker and Resale list dealer and end-user stock. Direct purchase from a closing plant is the cheapest route and carries the most risk.
How much does used German machinery cost compared with new?
As a rough guide, expect 55-75% of new price at 3 years, 40-60% at 5 years, 25-40% at 10 years and 12-25% at 15 years for well-maintained machine tools. CNC machines with obsolete controls fall much faster than the mechanics justify, which is why control retrofits are often the best value in the used market.
Do I need to CE mark a used machine?
If the machine was already CE marked and you place it on the market within the EU unchanged, the original marking generally stands. If you substantially modify it, or import a machine from outside the EU that was never CE marked, you take on the obligations of a manufacturer - which means a conformity assessment, technical file and Declaration of Conformity in your own name. This is the most commonly overlooked cost in used-machine purchases.
What should I inspect before buying a used machine tool?
Run it under power. Check spindle runout and bearing noise, axis backlash and ballscrew condition, way cover and slideway wear, hydraulic and coolant leaks, control alarm history and whether the control is still supported. Ask for maintenance records and the original acceptance test report, then compare a laser or ballbar measurement against the original geometry figures.