Unlocking Machinery Revenue Opportunities for OEMs Who Embrace the Used Machinery Market with Matt Smith

2025-08-13

If you're a machinery OEM you probably would like to ignore used machines. They're a hassle. For customers who own them, you have to provide support as components become obsolete and tribal knowledge dwindles. When you compete against yourself, that's particularly frustrating, especially when it seems like buyers are just trying to save a few bucks and don't care about the hard work of R&D and improvement that you've invested in. But buyers may see it differently, and Matt Smith draws on years of deep insight in global used machinery markets to explain why it's an entirely rational (not cheap) decision for some buyers in some situations, and why OEMs may cost themselves years of profitable new machinery and after-market sales by ignoring...

When you compete against yourself, that's particularly frustrating, especially when it seems like buyers are just trying to save a few bucks and don't care about the hard work of R&D and improvement that you've invested in.

But buyers may see it differently, and Matt Smith draws on years of deep insight in global used machinery markets to explain why it's an entirely rational (not cheap) decision for some buyers in some situations, and why OEMs may cost themselves years of profitable new machinery and after-market sales by ignoring used machines.

Stop ignoring and scoffing at used machines, and consider incorporating them into your overall offering using some of Matt's recommendations.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Challenge of Self-Competition
04:03 Understanding Global Asset Optimization
10:17 The Dynamics of the Used Machinery Market
19:23 Leveraging Lead Time and Flexibility
24:08 The Role of OEMs in the Used Machinery Market
31:48 Navigating Capital Investment Decisions
40:09 The Importance of Risk Management in Equipment Purchases
46:05 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Resources

Check out Matt's website and other recommended used machinery resources:

AOTCO Surface Finishing

Asset Industry Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Investment Recovery Association

EquipNet

BidSpotter

LabX

Surplus Solutions

Surplus Sherpa

LinkedIn: Matt Smith and Ed Marsh

Twitter: Ed Marsh

Instagram: Ed Marsh

YouTube: @EdMarsh

Show Transcript

Rethinking Our Market Attitudes and Assumptions

Recognizing the potential of used machines as a business benefit rather than a threat is just one example of how we should adjust our market assumptions.

Buyer habits and expectations are changing, just as AI is shifting how buyers search and consider complex decisions.

Read more from Ed's recent paper on these critical changes.

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