Can you finance used packaging equipment?
Used fillers, cartoners, wrappers and palletizers turn up at dealers, at auctions and from other businesses, and you can finance them much like new ones. There are just a few more checks. Here’s what underwriting looks at, what used machines list for, what the payments come to, and when a lease or a line of credit fits.
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U.S. domestic shipments of packaging machinery came to $11.7 billion in 2025, according to PMMI’s 2026 State of the Industry report. Plenty of those machines show up on the used market later. In October 2026, Bid on Equipment, an online used-equipment marketplace, had hundreds of used liquid fillers and case sealers listed.
Program details are on our packaging equipment financing page.
Can you finance used packaging equipment from a dealer, auction or private seller?
Yes. Used packaging equipment financing works with all three. What changes is the paperwork:
- Dealer. The simplest used deal. Send the dealer’s quote with a short application. Expect 10% to 15% down.
- Auction. Financed too. I’d get approved before the sale, so you know how much you can bid.
- Private seller. Another business selling a machine directly, with no dealer in between. These deals add a lien search, an inspection or appraisal on larger items, and payment straight to the seller instead of through you. Expect 15% to 25% down.
The lien search is the one that protects you. If the seller still owes money on the machine, their lender can still have a claim on it after you’ve paid. Ask for a payoff letter and a lien release, and have the seller’s lender paid off at closing. If you haven’t run one before, here’s how a lien search works.
How old can used packaging equipment be and still get financed?
That depends on how much useful life the machine will have left when the last payment is made. Used equipment is underwritten on that remaining life, and the term can’t run past it.
On used fillers, cartoners and other machines, three things move the term:
- Who built it. Underwriting looks at the OEM by name, not just the type of machine.
- The control generation. The PLC, operator screen and drives. Parts for older controls can be hard to find, even when the mechanical side is fine.
- Parts and support. A machine the manufacturer still services can go on a longer term.
So send the maker, model, serial number and year from the data plate, the control model, and any service or rebuild records with the deal. Before you agree on a price, call the OEM and ask whether they still support that model. If they don’t, expect a shorter term.
How much do used packaging machines cost compared with new?
Going by the middle half of used listings, a case sealer runs about $2,500 to $7,000 and a palletizer about $22,000 to $55,000. On simple end-of-line machines, used and new prices overlap. Most new semi-automatic turntable stretch wrappers at Global Industrial list at $6,550 to $13,499, and the middle half of used pallet wrappers on Bid on Equipment list between $5,000 and $15,400. We didn’t find new prices for fillers, cartoners, case packers or palletizers at Global Industrial, so get an OEM quote to compare against.
| Machine | Used, middle half of listed asking prices | New, Global Industrial list price |
|---|---|---|
| Pallet stretch wrapper | $5,000 to $15,400 (32 listings) | Most semi-automatic turntable models $6,550 to $13,499 |
| Case sealer | $2,500 to $7,000 (255 listings) | $2,489 to $28,089 (33 models) |
| Shrink tunnel | $2,500 to $7,150 (181 listings) | $3,649 for a small tunnel |
| Automatic L-bar sealer | $6,000 to $18,400 (38 listings) | Not listed there |
| Inline checkweigher | $5,000 to $11,000 (129 listings) | Not listed there |
| Conveyorized pressure-sensitive labeler | $8,000 to $21,950 (192 listings) | Not listed there |
| Screw capper | $7,500 to $28,550 (205 listings) | Not listed there |
| Vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) bagger | $8,250 to $39,900 (112 listings) | Not listed there |
| Liquid filler | $8,300 to $50,000 (381 listings); the top tenth, many of them full lines, above about $102,000 | Not listed there |
| Case erector | $12,700 to $34,700 (147 listings) | Not listed there |
| Case packer | $14,000 to $47,250 (102 listings) | Not listed there |
| Auto-load cartoner | $24,000 to $42,000 (93 listings) | Not listed there |
| Palletizer, conventional or robotic | $22,100 to $54,750 (16 listings) | Not listed there |
Listed asking prices, not appraisals or offers. Used: middle half (25th to 75th percentile) of Bid on Equipment listings on October 9, 2026, without parts, accessories, unrelated equipment or items under $1,000. New: Global Industrial list prices, same day. “Not listed there” means Global Industrial had no published price; other sellers’ new prices are in our packaging line financing guide.
Dealer prices look similar. Aaron Equipment lists used rotary chuck cappers at $9,750, inside the capper range above, and used shrink tunnels at $4,500 to $7,500. The used ranges mix older semi-automatic units with newer automatic ones, so compare like for like.
Many of these come in under our $15,000 usual minimum. A used case sealer or checkweigher usually won’t clear it alone, so put it on the same agreement as your other machines. Bundling smaller machines is covered in our post on financing single packaging machines.
How much down payment do you need for used packaging equipment?
Plan on 10% to 15% down when you buy used from a dealer and 15% to 25% on a private-party sale.
Credit score alone rarely decides the deal. Many established-business programs start around a 600 FICO, and a business under a year old typically needs 700+ personal credit. Here’s how it works out on used machines from the ranges above:
| Example | Price | Down | Financed | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case sealer, checkweigher and L-bar sealer with tunnel, one dealer | $21,500 | 10% ($2,150) | $19,350 | About $615 over 36 months |
| Auto-load cartoner, dealer | $35,000 | 15% ($5,250) | $29,750 | About $740 over 48 months |
| VFFS bagger, private seller | $39,000 | 20% ($7,800) | $31,200 | About $992 over 36 months |
| Case palletizer, dealer | $48,500 | 15% ($7,275) | $41,225 | About $1,026 over 48 months |
| Liquid filler, screw capper and labeler, dealer | $57,000 | 10% ($5,700) | $51,300 | About $1,277 over 48 months |
| Case erector, case packer, palletizer and stretch wrapper, dealer | $100,000 | 10% ($10,000) | $90,000 | About $1,868 over 60 months |
Example payments at an assumed 9%, with payments in arrears, on example prices within the listed ranges above. Used equipment often prices one to three points above new, so your rate may differ. Illustrative, not an offer.
Every example is inside the application-only range, up to $500,000 on qualifying files with no tax returns or financial statements, and most applications get a first response within 1 to 2 business hours.
Can you lease used packaging equipment, or do you need a loan?
Yes. Packaging equipment leasing works for used machines too, on terms of 24 to 60 months with a $1, 10% or fair market value (FMV) buyout, and refurbished equipment is leased regularly. An equipment finance agreement (EFA), which works like a loan, runs 24 to 84 months. Here’s how the options compare:
| Equipment finance agreement | Lease | Business line of credit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who owns the machine | You, from day one. The lender holds a lien. | The lessor, until you buy it out | You, but many lines come with a lien on all business assets |
| Payment | Fixed for the whole term | Fixed for the whole term | Floats with prime (7.00% in early October 2026) plus a margin, and usually comes up for renewal yearly |
| Section 179 | Generally yours | Generally yours on a $1 buyout. On an FMV lease, you deduct the payments as rent. | Generally yours, since you own the machine |
| Fits | A machine you’ll run for years | A lower payment, or a machine tied to one program you may want to hand back | Film, corrugate, materials and ramp-up costs |
If you plan to keep the machine, I’d go with an EFA or a $1 buyout lease. You own it at the end, and the deduction is generally yours. An FMV lease fits a machine tied to a program that may not renew, like a bagger bought for one customer’s product, because you can hand it back. Qualifying leases can also be restructured mid-term to move to newer equipment.
Used machines qualify for Section 179 too, as long as the machine is new to your business and you didn’t buy it from a related party, such as another company you own. The 2026 limit is $2,560,000, reduced dollar for dollar once purchases pass $4,090,000, and bonus depreciation is 100% for equipment acquired after January 19, 2025. On an EFA or a $1 buyout lease, the deduction works like a cash purchase if the machine is placed in service, meaning installed and ready to run, by December 31. A used machine that’s already built doesn’t wait on an OEM build schedule, which helps late in the year. Confirm the treatment with your tax advisor.
Should you use a line of credit for packaging equipment?
Usually not for the machine itself. A packaging equipment line of credit is handy for the costs around a purchase, but the machine fits better on term financing.
Most bank business lines are priced at prime plus a margin, and prime was 7.00% in early October 2026, according to the Federal Reserve. That rate can move for as long as you carry the balance, while an EFA payment stays fixed. Lines usually come up for renewal every year. A used cartoner or palletizer will run a lot longer than that. And many lines carry a blanket lien on business assets that can get in the way of your next equipment deal.
Where a line helps is working capital: film, corrugate, other materials and ramp-up time. Freight, rigging and installation don’t need the line, since on qualifying transactions they can go on the same agreement as the machine.
Rebuilt or as-is: what should you check before buying a used filler, cartoner or palletizer?
Check who supports it, how current the controls are, whether your change parts come with it, and whether you can see it run. “Rebuilt” usually means the seller replaced worn parts and tested the machine. “As-is” means you take it the way it sits, and any repairs are yours. Get what a rebuild covered in writing.
- Parts and service in the U.S. About $3.8 billion of packaging machinery was imported in 2025, per PMMI. If the maker is overseas, find out who stocks parts and sends technicians here.
- The controls. Get the PLC, screen and drive models off the machine itself, not the listing. On a robotic palletizer, check the robot controller and its software options too.
- Change parts. Fillers, cappers, cartoners and case packers often need their own change parts for each container or case size. Make sure yours come with the machine and are listed on the bill of sale or quote. If they don’t, get an OEM price before you settle on a number.
- A run-off. Ask to see it run, ideally on product and packaging like yours.
- Why it’s for sale. A machine replaced in a line upgrade and one that sat broken for a year are very different purchases.
Replacing more than one machine? Our guide to packaging line financing covers phasing a line and putting installation on the same payment.
Frequently asked questions
Can you finance used packaging equipment bought at auction?
Yes. Auction buys are financed the same way as dealer and private sales. Getting approved before the sale tells you how much you can bid, and the auction house or seller is paid directly once documents are signed.
How much down payment do you need for used packaging equipment?
Expect 10% to 15% down on used equipment from a dealer and 15% to 25% on a private-party sale. The rate runs roughly one to three points above the same equipment bought new.
Is there an age limit for financing used packaging machines?
Used equipment is underwritten on the useful life it will have left at the end of the term, and the term can’t run past that. The OEM, the control generation and whether parts and support are still available all affect the term. A machine the manufacturer still services can go on a longer term.
Can you lease used packaging equipment?
Yes. Used packaging equipment leasing runs 24 to 60 months with a $1, 10% or fair market value buyout, and refurbished machines are leased regularly too. A fair market value lease fits a machine dedicated to a program that may not renew, since you can return it at the end.
Should you buy packaging equipment on a line of credit?
Usually not. Most business lines are priced at prime plus a margin, so the rate can move, and they typically come up for renewal every year. Many also carry a blanket lien on business assets. Term financing fits the machine better, and the line is better kept for film, materials and ramp-up costs.
What is the smallest used packaging purchase you can finance?
The usual minimum is about $15,000. Many used case sealers, checkweighers and shrink tunnels list for less than that, so put two or three machines on the same agreement.
Does used packaging equipment qualify for Section 179?
Yes. New and used equipment both qualify, as long as a used machine is new to your business and isn’t bought from a related party. For 2026 the limit is $2,560,000, phasing out above $4,090,000 of purchases, and the machine has to be placed in service by December 31. On an equipment finance agreement or a $1 buyout lease, the deduction works the same as a cash purchase. On a fair market value lease, you deduct the payments as rent instead. Confirm with your tax advisor.
Price the machine you found.
Set the price, down payment, term and structure in the Quote Builder and get an estimated payment, with no credit pull. When the numbers work, one short application matches you with a dedicated funding professional who handles the deal through funding.
This article is general information about financing used packaging equipment. It is not tax, legal, or accounting advice, or a commitment to finance. Prices shown are listed asking prices, not appraisals or offers. Tax and accounting treatment depends on your contract and your business; confirm with your CPA. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting.