Manufacturing equipment financing covers the full machine shop: CNC machining centers ($80K–$1M+), press brakes ($75K–$400K), CNC lathes ($60K–$300K), laser cutters ($200K–$1M+ for fiber lasers), EDM machines ($80K–$300K), 3D printers + additive ($25K–$500K+). Financing runs 6–12% APR over 36–84 month terms with 0–20% down at 600+ FICO. SBA 504 at ~6% blended rate beats equipment loans on $500K+ deals if you can wait 45–75 days. OEM captives (Mazak Capital, Haas Capital, Okuma America Financial, DMG Mori Finance, Trumpf Financial Services) often beat third-party rates on new equipment.
Manufacturing equipment financing is one of the most mature equipment lending categories — the equipment holds value, the revenue is contract-based, the industry has low default rates, and lenders compete hard. This guide covers what manufacturers actually pay across the major equipment categories and how to choose between equipment loan, SBA 504, and OEM captive financing. For related see Section 179 tax strategy 2026 and construction equipment financing.
Cost Ranges by Equipment Class
| Equipment | New | Useful life |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical machining center (VMC) | $80K–$250K | 15–20 yr |
| Horizontal machining center (HMC) | $200K–$600K | 15–20 yr |
| 5-axis CNC | $400K–$1M+ | 15–20 yr |
| CNC lathe (turning center) | $60K–$300K | 15–20 yr |
| Press brake (CNC) | $75K–$400K | 20–25 yr |
| Fiber laser cutter | $300K–$1M+ | 10–15 yr |
| Plasma cutter | $50K–$200K | 12–15 yr |
| EDM (wire / sinker) | $80K–$300K | 15–20 yr |
| Industrial 3D printer (metal) | $200K–$1M+ | 8–12 yr |
Major Brands & OEM Captives
- Mazak — market leader in CNC machining centers. Mazak Capital captive financing.
- Haas Automation — American-made CNCs, dominant in small-to-mid machine shops. Haas Capital.
- Okuma — Japanese, high-end CNC. Okuma America Financial.
- DMG Mori — German/Japanese partnership, premium CNC. DMG Mori Finance.
- Mitsubishi — broad equipment portfolio, EDM specialty.
- Doosan (rebranded DN Solutions) — Korean CNC, value-positioned.
- Trumpf — German market leader in press brakes and fiber lasers. Trumpf Financial Services.
- Bystronic, Amada — major press brake and laser brands.
Third-Party Lenders + SBA
- SBA 504 through Preferred Lender Banks — cheapest path on $500K+ machine purchases. Live Oak Bank, Celtic Bank, Byline Bank are active.
- SBA 7(a) if combining equipment with working capital or acquisition.
- PEAC Solutions, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Pawnee Leasing, Stearns Bank — specialty industrial equipment lenders.
- Currency Capital, Beacon Funding — broader equipment lenders with manufacturing focus.
- People's Capital + Leasing, North Mill Equipment Finance, Pawnee Equipment — mid-size specialty.
Section 179 Strategy for Manufacturers
Manufacturing is the textbook Section 179 use case. A profitable machine shop buying $500K of new CNC equipment in Q4 can:
- Finance with 10% down ($50K cash out at close)
- Expense the full $500K under Section 179 (subject to $1.16M limit)
- Tax savings at 25% effective rate: $125K
- Net year-one cash position: +$75K refund vs $50K cash out at close
- Plus deductible loan interest over the loan term
Manufacturers regularly time large equipment purchases for Q4 specifically for this reason. Coordinate with your CPA before signing if you're close to a tax-year boundary. See Section 179 tax strategy 2026 for the full breakdown.
Next Step
Get matched with manufacturing equipment lenders — SBA 504 Preferred Lender Banks, OEM captives, and specialty industrial lenders. See also Section 179 tax strategy 2026 and equipment lease vs loan vs cash.