Square baler finance
Funding for large square balers producing dense, stackable bales for straw merchants, bedding contracts and biomass supply.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a square baler?
Yes. Large square balers are substantial machines with an active secondhand market and they fund on hire purchase without difficulty. Because they are bought mainly by contractors and straw merchants rather than by farms baling a few acres, the underwriting leans on the work behind the machine as much as on the machine itself. Used balers are funded regularly, with bale count being the honest measure of wear. The item that gets overlooked is the knotter: knotter condition and the plunger bearing history tell you far more about a used baler than the hours on the tractor that pulled it.
Used kit: Yes, with bale count, knotter condition and plunger bearing history governing value
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a square baler cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 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 will receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
Square balers are mobile hard assets with a national market, so the security is sound, but they are seasonal and heavily dependent on contract work, which is where funders focus. An underwriter will want to know the acreage committed, whether the straw is sold on contract or speculatively, and how quickly customers pay, because straw trading can involve long credit. Bale count, knotter condition, plunger bearings and the state of the pick-up drive the mechanical view. Density and bale size matter to resale, since a machine making a size nobody in your area wants is harder to sell on. Repayments weighted to the months after harvest, when baling is invoiced and straw is moving, are commonly available.
Makes and models we fund
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 |
|---|---|
| New Holland BC5070 | Conventional small square baler |
| Massey Ferguson 2270 XD | Large square baler for hay and straw |
| Kuhn LSB 1290 iD | Twin-pack high density square baler |
| Krone BiG Pack 870 | Mid-size square baler for mixed farms |
| Krone BiG Pack 1290 HDP | High density baler for straw contracts |
| Claas Quadrant 4200 | Square baler for hay, straw and silage |
| Claas Quadrant 5300 | High output large square baler |
| New Holland BigBaler 1290 | Large square baler with loop master knotters |
| Arcusin FS Autostack | Self-loading bale chaser and stacker |
| Heath Superchaser | UK-built bale chaser for square bales |
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Who buys one
Straw merchants baling behind combines across a wide area, contractors on bedding and biomass supply contracts, and larger arable farms baling their own straw for sale or for a livestock neighbour. The purchase is usually triggered by a contract requiring a particular bale size, an increase in acreage that the existing machine cannot cover in the window after harvest, or a baler whose knotters have become unreliable at exactly the wrong time of year.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
We publish the deals we arrange, with no client named and no rate quoted. See what we have funded in agriculture.
How it is treated for tax
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.
Square baler finance questions
How do lenders judge wear on a square baler?
Bale count first, then the knotters and the plunger bearings. Those components carry the load and are expensive to put right. A machine with a high count but documented knotter servicing is a better proposition than a lower count machine with no records at all.
Does bale size affect resale?
Yes, noticeably. Bale dimensions are driven by what customers can handle and transport, so a machine making a size that is unusual in your region has a smaller pool of buyers. Funders factor that in, and you should too when specifying a new machine.
Can straw merchants get seasonal repayments?
Usually. Baling and straw movement are concentrated after harvest and through the winter, so a profile weighted to those months fits the trade better than an even one. Be realistic about the quiet months, because a late-paying customer still has to be absorbed.
Can an accumulator or bale chaser go on the same deal?
Yes, where bought together on one invoice. Collection equipment is usually specified alongside the baler because it determines how quickly bales are cleared. Funding the outfit as one item is simpler and reaches a value funders are keen to write.
Is straw for biomass viewed differently?
It can help. Supplying a biomass plant under contract gives a defined, repeating outlet for the bales, which an underwriter can see supporting the repayment. Speculative baling with no buyer arranged is the weaker case, particularly in a year when straw is plentiful.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
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Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
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Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.
Specialist agricultural funding
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