Sterling Machinery

What Sterling Machinery does

Sterling Machinery Exchange is a privately held industrial equipment dealer founded in 1954 and headquartered in South El Monte, California. The company buys, sells, and trades new and used metalworking and fabrication machinery, maintaining hundreds of units in stock at its physical showroom with nationwide distribution. Its product portfolio spans metal forming equipment (press brakes, shears, rolls, benders, ironworkers), metal cutting machines (lasers, waterjets, plasma cutters, saws), precision machining equipment (lathes, milling machines, grinders, boring mills, machining centers), and fabrication tools (punches, presses, welders, notching machines). It also distributes new equipment from sub-brand manufacturers including Scotchman, Piranha, Geka, Baileigh, Bodor, Flow, Knuth, Amada, Cincinnati Inc, U.S. Industrial, Acra, and Parmigiani.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer model across four revenue streams: one-time machinery sales (margin on used equipment spread, list pricing on new), trade-in and exchange transactions, nationwide auctions and liquidations (through the Sterling Machinery Auctions sub-brand), and financing referral services through third-party lending partners. Customers can transact via e-commerce website, phone sales (with Spanish-language support), the physical showroom, or live video demonstrations through Machinerytube.com. Used equipment is listed at fixed prices typically in the $7,250-$89,500 range, while new machinery pricing is quote-based and subject to tariff-driven adjustments.

Sterling serves a diversified B2B customer base including fabrication shops (primary), machine shops, and aerospace, automotive, defense, industrial manufacturing, educational, and government segments. Ancillary services include equipment appraisals, consignment sales, and a finder's-fee referral program. The firm has no disclosed institutional ownership, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity in its 70+ year operating history, suggesting long-term founder- or family-controlled ownership. With 11-50 employees and no public revenue disclosure, Sterling operates as a stable, niche-focused independent dealer in the U.S. metalworking equipment resale market.

Name

Sterling Machinery

Legal name

Sterling Machinery Exchange

Website

https://sterlingmachinery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sterling Machinery Exchange is a privately held industrial equipment dealer founded in 1954 that buys, sells, and trades new and used metalworking and fabrication machinery to fabrication shops, machine shops, and aerospace, automotive, defense, and government buyers across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

South El Monte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Machinery Sales: One-time sales of new and used metalworking machinery including press brakes, shears, CNC machines, lathes, mills, grinders, saws, lasers, waterjets, ironworkers, and fabrication equipment. Revenue generated from the margin between acquisition and sale prices for used equipment, and from new equipment sales at list prices.
2. Trade-In and Exchange: The company buys, sells, and trades used machinery, generating revenue through the acquisition and resale of pre-owned industrial equipment.
3. Auctions and Liquidations: Facilitates machinery auctions and liquidations nationwide, generating fees from auction services and asset recovery.
4. Financing Services: Offers machinery financing and leasing options, partnering with lenders to provide installment payment plans for equipment purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sterling Machinery buys, sells, and trades new and used metalworking and fabrication equipment, maintaining an extensive online catalog and an 8,000 sq ft showroom in South El Monte, California. In addition to machinery sales, the company provides related services including equipment financing, third-party hosted auctions, consignment sales, plant liquidations and tear-outs, machinery appraisals, and freight/rigging coordination.

Product overview

Sterling Machinery Exchange is a machinery dealer specializing in buying, selling, and trading new and used metalworking and fabrication equipment since 1954. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of industrial machinery organized around core product categories: metal forming equipment (press brakes, shears, rolls, benders), metal cutting machines (lasers, waterjets, plasma cutters, saws), precision machining equipment (lathes, milling machines, grinding machines, boring mills, machining centers), and fabrication tools (ironworkers, punches, presses, notching machines, welders). The portfolio includes sub-brands from manufacturers like Scotchman, Piranha, Geka, Baileigh, Bodor, Flow, Knuth, Amada, Cincinnati Inc, U.S. Industrial, Acra, and Parmigiani. The company also provides ancillary services including machinery financing, auctions, liquidations, and equipment appraisals. With hundreds of machines in stock, customers can inspect equipment in person or through live video demonstrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sterling Machinery Auctions: Related auction services brand for machinery liquidations and asset recovery.

Products and services

• Press Brakes New and used press brakes for bending and forming sheet metal and plate, sold to fabrication shops and industrial manufacturers.
• Shears Mechanical and hydraulic shears for cutting sheet metal and plate, sold to fabrication shops and metal service centers.
• Presses Mechanical, hydraulic, and servo presses for stamping, forming, and punching operations, sold to industrial manufacturers.
• Plate and Angle Rolls Plate rolls, angle rolls, and pyramid bending rolls for rolling plate and structural sections, sold to heavy fabrication operations.
• Ironworkers Ironworkers for punching, shearing, notching, and bending steel plate and bar stock, sold to fabrication shops.
• Laser Cutting Machines CO2 and fiber laser cutting machines for sheet metal and plate profiling, sold to fabrication and job shop operations.
• Waterjet Cutting Machines Abrasive waterjet cutting machines for cutting metal, stone, composites, and other materials, sold to industrial manufacturers.
• Welding Positioners and Manipulators Welding positioners, turning rolls, and manipulators used to position workpieces during welding, sold to fabrication and heavy-industry operations.
• Lathes Manual and CNC lathes for turning operations, sold to machine shops, job shops, and industrial manufacturers.
• Milling Machines Vertical and horizontal milling machines, including knee mills, bed mills, and CNC mills, sold to machine shops and industrial manufacturers.
• Saws Band saws, horizontal and vertical band saws, and circular saws for cutoff and contour sawing operations, sold to machine shops and metal service centers.
• Grinders Surface grinders, cylindrical grinders, and bench grinders for material removal and finishing, sold to machine shops and tool rooms.
• Drills and Drill Presses Bench, floor, and radial arm drill presses for hole-making in metal, sold to machine shops and industrial manufacturers.
• Finishing and Inspection Equipment Equipment for deburring, finishing, and inspection of metal parts, sold to machine shops and finishing departments.
• Metalforming Tooling and Accessories Punches, dies, tooling, and accessories for metalforming equipment such as ironworkers and press brakes, sold to fabrication shops.
• Equipment Financing In-house financing arrangements to help qualified buyers purchase machinery from the company.
• Third-Party Equipment Auctions Hosting of machinery auctions on third-party platforms, such as eBay listings under the company name, to sell equipment to a broad bidder pool.
• Machinery Appraisals Professional appraisal of individual machines or entire plant assets for buyers, sellers, lenders, and accountants.
• Plant Liquidations and Shut-Down Tear-Outs Coordination of plant closures, including equipment tear-out, removal, and disposition for industrial manufacturers.
• Consignment Sales Consignment program allowing sellers to list machinery through Sterling Machinery, with the company handling marketing, sales, and settlement.
• Freight and Rigging Coordination Coordination of freight, rigging, and installation services for machinery purchased through or sold by the company.

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kempler Industries: Long-established US dealer of used metalworking and fabricating machinery including press brakes, shears, and CNC equipment. Directly comparable to Sterling as a buy/sell/trade dealer serving fabrication shops and machine shops across North America.
• Mohawk Machinery: Cincinnati-based dealer of new and used metalworking machinery, CNC machine tools, and fabrication equipment. Closely comparable product breadth (lathes, mills, press brakes) and customer base to Sterling.
• Prestige Equipment: US-based dealer specializing in used and rebuilt metalworking and fabricating machinery with global reach. Directly competes in the same product categories and serves similar industrial buyers as Sterling.
• Resell CNC: Online-focused dealer of used CNC machines and metalworking equipment, competing with Sterling's e-commerce channel for machine shop and fabrication buyers.
• MachineryMax: Used CNC machine and fabrication equipment dealer with online showroom model. Comparable to Sterling's used-equipment e-commerce offering for CNC machining and metal forming equipment.
• Perfection Global / PBI: Major US dealer of used metalworking machinery, CNC machines, and fabricating equipment, with significant liquidation and auction capabilities. Comparable scale and product mix to Sterling Machinery.
• Timberland Machinery: Ontario-based dealer of new and used metalworking and woodworking machinery serving Canadian and US customers. Comparable dealer model and product portfolio to Sterling with regional scope.

Emerging players

• MachineTools.com: Online marketplace for buying and selling new and used machine tools. Competes with Sterling for online machinery transactions and offers a digital-first alternative to traditional dealers.

Others

• Baileigh Industrial: Manufacturer and direct seller of metalworking and fabrication equipment (ironworkers, press brakes, shears). Listed as a Sterling sub-brand, but competes with Sterling's new-equipment sales via direct manufacturer channels.
• Cincinnati Incorporated: US manufacturer of press brakes, shears, and lasers sold through Sterling as a sub-brand. A supplier-partner to Sterling that also competes via direct sales, comparable in product line to Sterling's offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SterlingMachinery
• Facebookfacebook.com/SterlingMachineryExchange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sterling-machinery
• Instagraminstagram.com/sterlingmachinery
• TikToktiktok.com/@sterlingmachineryexch
• Xx.com/sterlingmachine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Sterling Machinery