Warehouses accumulate handling equipment the way workshops accumulate tools, and once it is paid for the value simply sits there depreciating quietly.
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Yes, forklifts and other handling equipment owned outright can be refinanced to release cash. The funder sets a value based on what the trucks would realise second hand, buys them, and hires them straight back to the operator. They stay in the building and keep moving stock. The requirement is clear title with no outstanding agreement and no rental contract behind them. Counterbalance and reach trucks from mainstream manufacturers hold trade value well, so they release more than niche or heavily customised handling equipment with a smaller resale audience.
Used kit: Yes — older trucks still release value provided hours are reasonable and batteries are sound, though the advance falls away on very high-hour units.
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Business asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what this shows — with the equivalent APR underneath, because the two are not the same number. A quick guide only; your actual rate depends on the asset, term, deposit and lender.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 6.0% flat rate (equivalent to 11.5% APR representative), you would repay around £646 a month; total amount repayable approximately £31,000, of which £6,000 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).
Handling equipment refinances cleanly because there is a busy national trade in used trucks and disposal is simple. Funders look at hour meters first, since a truck running double shifts ages far faster than the year of manufacture suggests, then at battery condition on electric units, which can be a significant part of the value on its own. Attachments such as clamps and rotators are assessed separately and usually valued conservatively. Title evidence means invoices and serial numbers for every unit, and any truck currently on short-term rental is excluded because you do not own it. As always, the funder will ask why the cash is needed, and the answer needs to describe growth or investment rather than a hole. Disposal has accounting implications your accountant should confirm.
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Toyota Tonero counterbalance forklift | Yard forklift owned outright |
| Linde E20 electric forklift | Electric counterbalance forklift |
| Jungheinrich ETV 216 reach truck | Warehouse reach truck |
| Crown ESR reach truck | Narrow aisle reach truck |
| Still RX60 electric forklift | Electric warehouse forklift |
| Hyster H2.5FT forklift | Diesel counterbalance forklift |
| JCB 535-95 telehandler | Yard telehandler owned outright |
| Combilift C4000 multidirectional truck | Long load handling forklift |
| Manitou MT 625 telehandler | Compact telescopic handler |
| Toyota BT Levio powered pallet truck | Powered pallet truck fleet |
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Often a third party logistics or wholesale operation that bought its truck fleet outright rather than renting, and now needs funds to fit out an additional bay, install racking or take on a short-notice contract. The trucks are fully owned, they have years of service left, and the capital in them is the cheapest money available.
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Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Generally yes. A six-year-old truck that has done light single-shift work can value better than a three-year-old truck worked around the clock. Funders look at the hour meter, the service record and the state of the mast before they look at the registration year.
On electric trucks, very much so. A tired battery can knock a substantial slice off what a truck is worth in the trade, and a recently replaced one helps. Chargers are usually treated as part of the package rather than valued separately.
Yes, and they often value well because they appeal to construction and agriculture buyers as well as warehousing. They are evidenced the same way, with an invoice and a serial or PIN plate for each machine.
That is fine and usually helps, because documented servicing supports the valuation. What matters is whether the truck itself is owned. A maintenance agreement is a service, not a finance agreement, so it does not block a refinance.
Quite possibly. Inspections are common on handling equipment because condition varies so widely with use. The visit is brief and the trucks stay where they are; the inspector is confirming existence, hours and condition, nothing more.
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See everything we fund in asset refinance and sale and leaseback →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
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