What Machinery Trader does

Machinery Trader, a service of privately-held Sandhills Global, is a long-established marketplace for new and used construction equipment founded in 1978. The platform operates MachineryTrader.com, a cloud-based listing marketplace where sellers (equipment dealers, contractors, rental companies, and individual owners) create listings featuring equipment specifications, up to 40 photos, and videos, while buyers browse and inquire via phone, messaging apps, and email. The platform's core technology integrates real-time inventory synchronization, multi-channel buyer communications, and SEO-optimized listing pages, with the option for dealers to deploy custom branded websites backed by Sandhills Cloud.

The product portfolio extends well beyond listings. The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) and FleetEvaluator-powered Market Reports deliver retail, auction, and inventory trend intelligence across construction, agriculture, and trucking as a subscription data product. Hosted Websites, Mobile Application, AuctionTime (live farm equipment auctions), EquipmentFacts (auction results analytics), Value Insight Portal (Hi/Lo/Average pricing), FastTrack Iron (quick listing tool), and UCC Search (lien records verification) round out the offering. Platform integrations with CurrencyFinance (equipment financing through 30+ lenders with terms up to $500,000) and FR8Star (shipping logistics across U.S. and Canada) embed transactional services directly into listing pages.

Revenue is generated through three streams: listing fees and marketplace commission from sellers, recurring subscription revenue from hosted dealer websites and market reports, and ancillary services (financing referrals, shipping logistics). Pricing is transaction-based for listings with add-on services, while hosted websites and market reports follow subscription cadences. The customer base spans equipment dealers, contractors, rental companies, brokers, auction companies, and financial institutions across 22+ countries, with operational geographies covering North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand through Sandhills Global's country-specific brand domains.

Name

Machinery Trader

Legal name

MachineryTrader.com (service of Sandhills Global)

Website

https://machinerytrader.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Machinery Trader is an online marketplace and weekly print publication for new and used construction equipment, serving equipment dealers, contractors, and rental companies globally since 1978, owned by Sandhills Global.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Listing Fees / Marketplace Commission: MachineryTrader operates as a primary marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of construction equipment. Sellers pay to list equipment, and the platform generates revenue through listing fees and transaction facilitation.
2. Market Reports Subscription: Monthly market reports covering construction equipment, agriculture, and trucking sectors. Users can subscribe to receive reports for specific industries.
3. Hosted Websites: Custom hosted websites for construction and heavy equipment dealers with real-time inventory sync, SEO optimization, and integrated platform management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Machinery Trader operates an online marketplace where third-party equipment dealers list new and used construction, agricultural, forestry, and transportation equipment for sale. The company generates revenue through listing and subscription fees, hosted dealer websites, advertising, and proprietary market intelligence products such as the Equipment Value Index (EVI) and Market Reports. The platform is part of the broader Sandhills Global ecosystem, which includes complementary auction, inventory management, and dealer website services.

Product overview

Machinery Trader operates as a comprehensive B2B marketplace platform for new and used construction equipment, built on a platform-plus-services architecture. The core product is MachineryTrader.com, a cloud-based marketplace featuring real-time inventory listings with photos, videos, specs, and communication tools. Supporting the core platform are several integrated services: the Equipment Value Index (EVI) and Market Reports providing pricing intelligence; Hosted Websites enabling dealers to create custom branded storefronts with Sandhills Cloud inventory sync; the Value Insight Portal (VIP) for pricing analytics; AuctionTime and EquipmentFacts for auction capabilities; and UCC Search for lien verification. Additional services include mobile access, financing integration via CurrencyFinance, and shipping logistics via FR8Star. The platform is published weekly in regional print editions and is owned by Sandhills Global, which operates a broader ecosystem of equipment and vehicle trading platforms including Truck Paper, TractorHouse, Crane Trader, and ForestryTrader.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MachineryTrader.com Online Marketplace Core online classifieds marketplace where equipment dealers list new and used heavy machinery for sale to contractors, fleet owners, and individual buyers across construction, agricultural, trucking, and forestry categories.
• Equipment Value Index (EVI) Proprietary market intelligence index that tracks asking and auction values of heavy equipment over time, used by dealers and buyers for pricing and valuation decisions.
• Market Reports Subscription-based industry reports summarizing equipment pricing trends, inventory levels, and demand signals for dealers, buyers, and manufacturers.
• Hosted Dealer Websites Subscription-based turnkey website solution that allows equipment dealers to run their own branded online storefront integrated with Machinery Trader listings and inventory.
• Sandhills Cloud Cloud-based inventory and content management platform enabling dealers to publish listings across multiple Sandhills Global marketplaces (Machinery Trader, TractorHouse, Truck Paper, etc.) from a single system.
• AuctionTime Online auction platform operated by Sandhills Global that allows equipment dealers and sellers to liquidate inventory through timed online auctions, surfaced to Machinery Trader's audience.
• EquipmentFacts Auction reporting and lot information service providing detailed equipment lot data and auction results accessible to Machinery Trader users.
• Value Insight Portal (VIP) Online portal that gives subscribers access to equipment valuation, pricing trends, and market analytics powered by the Equipment Value Index.
• Mobile Application Mobile app for iOS and Android that allows users to browse, search, and save equipment listings from Machinery Trader on phones and tablets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of thousands of buyers search MachineryTrader.com every day

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sandhills GlobalcoreOthersMachinery Trader is owned and operated by Sandhills Global, headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Sandhills manages multiple industry-specific publications and platforms including Truck Paper, TractorHouse, AuctionTime.com, and many others serving the construction, agriculture, trucking, and aviation industries.
• CurrencyFinancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCurrencyFinance provides equipment financing services through MachineryTrader's platform. The partnership enables buyers to access third-party financing options for equipment purchases with terms up to $500,000 through a network of over 30 lenders.
• FR8StarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFR8Star provides shipping and logistics services for equipment purchased through MachineryTrader, helping arrange transport across the U.S. and Canada.
• AuctionTimecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuctionTime is a Sandhills Global brand offering online farm equipment auctions. Cross-promoted on MachineryTrader with live auction listings displayed on the platform.
• EquipmentFactscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEquipmentFacts provides on-site auction services with listings featured on MachineryTrader's platform.
• Sandhills CloudcoreTechnology or IntegrationSandhills Cloud provides dealer portal solutions integrated with MachineryTrader for inventory management and hosted website solutions.
• Value Insight PortalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVIP provides equipment valuation data and analytics integrated with MachineryTrader listings for Hi/Lo/Average pricing analysis.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TractorHouse: Sibling Sandhills Global marketplace focused on new and used farm and agricultural equipment. Same platform technology, hosted-website ecosystem, and EVI data layer, making it the closest functional peer with overlapping buyer/seller segments.
• Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (RB Global): Largest global marketplace and auctioneer for used construction, transportation, and agricultural equipment. Directly competes for seller listings and buyer demand, with integrated logistics and financing services similar to Machinery Trader's CurrencyFinance/FR8Star stack.
• IronPlanet: Online heavy equipment auction marketplace (now part of RB Global). Competes head-to-head with Machinery Trader's AuctionTime for online seller listings and buyer liquidity in used construction and heavy equipment.
• Equipment Trader: Sibling Sandhills Global marketplace (alongside Machinery Trader) that lists construction and related equipment. Operates on the same Sandhills Cloud infrastructure and serves an overlapping dealer and contractor audience.
• Truck Paper: Sibling Sandhills Global marketplace for new and used commercial trucks and trailers. Shares platform technology, dealer integrations, and cross-category buyer pools relevant to construction fleets.
• Machinery Pete: Long-running used farm and construction equipment listings and valuation platform. Competes directly for seller leads and buyer attention in the used tractor and equipment category with comparable listing/search functionality.
• AuctionTime: Sibling Sandhills Global online auction platform for farm equipment (with cross-listing into Machinery Trader). Direct competitor in online equipment auctions against IronPlanet and Ritchie Bros.

Broad incumbents

• Cat Used (Caterpillar): Caterpillar's official used and certified-pre-owned equipment marketplace. Represents the OEM-direct threat that competes with third-party marketplaces for branded, high-ASP Caterpillar equipment transactions.

Emerging players

• Bidadoo: Online auction marketplace specializing in heavy construction and industrial equipment. Niche competitor focused on timed online auctions that overlaps with Machinery Trader's auction listings segment.

Others

• Proxibid: Online auction platform infrastructure provider for heavy equipment, industrial, and commercial assets. Adjacent competitor that powers auction experiences for some dealers who might otherwise list on Machinery Trader or AuctionTime.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/machinerytrader
• Facebookfacebook.com/MachTrader
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2301612
• Instagraminstagram.com/MachineryTrader

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Machinery Trader