Adams Machinery
Privately held used machine tools dealer founded in 1912 and based in Libertyville, Illinois. Adams Machinery buys, sells, and reconditions industrial machinery for US manufacturing companies, equipment liquidators, and financial institutions across multiple states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1912
- HeadquartersLake Bluff, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Adams Machinery does
Adams Machinery is a privately held, used industrial machinery dealer founded in 1912 and headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois. The company buys, sells, and reconditions used machine tools, serving a horizontally distributed base of US manufacturing companies as its primary customer segment, alongside equipment liquidators and financial institutions. Operational footprint spans multiple states including Illinois, Michigan, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Texas, supporting both regional sourcing and resale reach.
The firm's business model combines direct equipment resale with adjacent service lines: machinery appraisals performed by AMEA-certified staff, auction and liquidation facilitation, surplus-equipment purchasing, and customer financing made available through a partnership with DirectCapital. Inventory management is digitized via the Machine Hub platform, and the firm holds membership in the MDNA (Machinery Dealers National Association), leveraging the MDNA 30-Day Return Privilege as a buyer-facing risk-reduction mechanism. Product mix has historically centered on conventional machine tools, with an expansion in the 2020-2021 timeframe into Universal Robots UR-series collaborative robots.
Go-to-market is sales-led and direct: the company website, inbound phone, and email channels drive buyer engagement. The firm operates with a small team of 11-50 employees, with no disclosed funding rounds, M&A activity, or leadership changes in the available record. No proprietary technology, software products, or AI/ML capabilities are associated with the business; competitive positioning rests on longevity, certified appraisal expertise, trade-body memberships, and a multi-state footprint rather than on technology differentiation.
Adams Machinery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Adams Machinery
- Legal name
- Adams Machinery Company
- Website
- https://adamsmachinery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1912
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Privately held used machine tools dealer founded in 1912 and based in Libertyville, Illinois. Adams Machinery buys, sells, and reconditions industrial machinery for US manufacturing companies, equipment liquidators, and financial institutions across multiple states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Adams Machinery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Used Industrial Machinery
- NAICS
- Machine Shops (33271), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)
- SIC
- Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Workshop Tools, Equipment & Lift Systems Distribution (TLAKAOAM)
Keywords
Where Adams Machinery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lake Bluff
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Adams Machinery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Inventory Acquisition, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Used Machinery Sales: Primary revenue from buying, selling, and reconditioning quality used machine tools. Individual machine sales through website inventory with 'Request a Quote' pricing model.
- Equipment Appraisals: Professional appraisal services provided to lenders, manufacturers, and attorneys with certified appraisers and AMEA membership. Offers prompt turnaround times.
- Auctions & Liquidations: Manages sale of large groups of equipment or entire plants through managed liquidations, sealed bid events, and live or on-line auctions.
- Financing Facilitation: Provides financing options through preferred partner DirectCapital for equipment purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Used machinery - variable pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Adams Machinery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Adams Machinery Company is a family-owned dealer of used machine tools and industrial equipment, founded in 1912 and based in Libertyville, Illinois. The company buys, sells, and brokers pre-owned CNC machinery, lathes, machining centers, grinders, and industrial robots from leading brands. It also provides complementary services including equipment appraisals, auctions and liquidations, surplus equipment purchasing, and equipment financing facilitation.
Product overview
Adams Machinery Company is a used machinery dealer established in 1912, specializing in buying, selling, and reconditioning quality used machine tools. Their product portfolio centers on industrial manufacturing equipment including CNC lathes (Swiss type, turret, flat bed), machining centers (horizontal and vertical), various grinders (cylindrical, tool & cutter, centerless, surface), industrial and collaborative robots (Universal Robots UR series, ABB IRB series), presses, gear processing equipment, and other specialized manufacturing machinery. The company offers complementary services including equipment appraisals (AMEA certified), auctions and liquidations for plant sales, equipment financing through partners, and surplus equipment purchasing. Their inventory is selectively curated and most machines undergo reconditioning in their facility before sale, backed by the MDNA 30-Day Return Privilege.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Used CNC Lathes Pre-owned CNC lathes sourced from leading manufacturers, offered to manufacturing buyers seeking cost-effective turning capacity. Inventory is browsable online and included in the company's downloadable PDF catalog.
- Used Machining Centers Pre-owned vertical and horizontal machining centers available for purchase by machine shops and manufacturers needing milling capacity at a lower price point than new equipment.
- Used Grinders Pre-owned industrial grinders, including surface and cylindrical grinders (e.g., Studer S20), offered to manufacturers and tool rooms needing precision grinding capacity.
- Used Industrial Robots Pre-owned industrial robots from major brands such as Universal Robots (UR Series) and ABB (IRB6600), sold to manufacturers seeking automation at lower acquisition cost.
- Used Machine Tool Inventory (Studer, Schneeberger, Rush and other brands) Brand-specific used machine tool listings including the Studer S20 grinder, Schneeberger Norma 75 grinder, and Rush FC 500D lathe, providing buyers access to specific high-demand models from recognized manufacturers.
- Equipment Appraisals Professional appraisal service for used machine tools and industrial equipment, providing certified valuations for buyers, sellers, lenders, and tax/insurance purposes.
- Auctions & Liquidations Turnkey auction and liquidation services for plants, machine shops, and large equipment lots, helping clients monetize surplus or obsolete machinery through structured sales events.
- Equipment Financing Facilitation Financing facilitation service that helps buyers arrange funding for used machine tool purchases, lowering the upfront capital barrier to acquiring production equipment.
- Surplus Equipment Purchase Outright purchase of surplus, idle, or obsolete machinery from manufacturers and machine shops, providing a cash disposition path for unneeded equipment.
Companies that use Adams Machinery
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Adams Machinery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Adams Machinery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- MDNA (Machinery Dealers National Association)coreMember of the Machinery Dealers National Association, providing the MDNA 30-Day Return Privilege to customers. This membership provides buyer protection and industry credibility.
- AMEA (Association of Machinery & Equipment Appraisers)coreActive members with certified appraisers on staff. Provides professional appraisal services to lenders, manufacturers, and attorneys.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Adams Machinery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Resell CNC: Online-focused reseller of pre-owned CNC machinery including lathes, machining centers, and grinders — direct competitor to Adams in the used CNC machine tool segment.
- Industrial Assets: Industrial auction and used machinery dealer running plant liquidations, online auctions, and appraisals — directly comparable to Adams' used machine tool dealer + auction/liquidation business model.
- Perfection Global: Used CNC machinery and metalworking equipment dealer with global buyer reach — direct competitor in CNC lathes, machining centers, and grinders.
- Prestige Equipment Corp: Long-established used machine tool dealer specializing in CNC, grinding, and metalforming equipment — directly comparable size, focus, and customer base to Adams.
- Productivity Inc: Machine tool dealer offering new and used metalworking equipment, automation solutions, and support services — comparable product mix in CNC machinery and shop automation.
- Fortune Machinery: Used machinery dealer focused on CNC and metalworking equipment with reconditioning services — directly comparable inventory curation and reconditioning approach to Adams.
Broad incumbents
- Surplus Record: Leading online marketplace for used industrial machinery and equipment — overlaps with Adams' metalworking inventory listings but operates at much broader category and audience scale.
- HGR Industrial Surplus: Large used industrial equipment dealer operating from a warehouse showroom with broad category coverage — overlaps with Adams on metalworking and CNC inventory but at significantly larger scale.
Emerging players
- Machine Hub: Online used machinery marketplace and inventory management platform — currently a partner/integrator for Adams, but increasingly a marketplace competitor that could disintermediate traditional dealers.
Regional players
- R.A. Buhr & Associates / T&R Machinery Brokers: Smaller regional used machinery brokers and appraisers — comparable niche dealer model focused on appraisals and curated inventory across specific US regions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Adams Machinery social profiles
Digital presenceAdams Machinery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Adams Machinery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Adams Machinery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Adams Machinery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Adams Machinery
What does Adams Machinery do?
Adams Machinery Company is a family-owned dealer of used machine tools and industrial equipment, founded in 1912 and based in Libertyville, Illinois. The company buys, sells, and brokers pre-owned CNC machinery, lathes, machining centers, grinders, and industrial robots from leading brands. It also provides complementary services including equipment appraisals, auctions and liquidations, surplus equipment purchasing, and equipment financing facilitation.
Is Adams Machinery a public or private company?
Adams Machinery is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Adams Machinery founded?
Adams Machinery was founded in 1912. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Adams Machinery based?
Adams Machinery is headquartered in Lake Bluff, United States, in the North America region.
How does Adams Machinery make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Used Machinery Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment Appraisals, auctions & Liquidations and financing Facilitation.
Who are Adams Machinery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Resell CNC, Industrial Assets, Perfection Global, Prestige Equipment Corp, Productivity Inc and Fortune Machinery. Broad incumbents are Surplus Record and HGR Industrial Surplus. Machine Hub is listed as an emerging player. R.A. Buhr & Associates / T&R Machinery Brokers is listed as a regional player.
Does Adams Machinery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Adams Machinery.
What industry is Adams Machinery in?
Adams Machinery's product category is Used Industrial Machinery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKAOAM, Workshop Tools, Equipment & Lift Systems Distribution. Its NAICS code is 33271 and its SIC code is 3541.