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Categories: construction

The larger the construction equipment, the higher the acquisition cost. Construction companies should therefore carefully consider whether to rent, lease, or buy new or used. (© Surplex).

Renting, leasing, buying new or used: Which procurement method suits your construction business?


In times of high interest rates and inflation, construction companies face the difficult decision of how to optimally expand or modernise their machinery fleet. Whether renting, leasing, buying new or used machines – each option has its specific advantages and disadvantages.
The construction industry is currently experiencing challenging market conditions. High interest rates, rising materi

Whether orange or yellow: Used excavators and construction machinery can be found at the industrial auction house Surplex. (© Surplex).

Myth or reality: Why are all excavators yellow?

Most manufacturers colour their construction equipment yellow. Over three-quarters of all excavators worldwide wear this colour. But why? The reasons range from safety concerns to historical developments, all the way to deeply ingrained cultural and psychological associations.
Imagine you have a pack of crayons, and someone asks you to draw an excavator. What colour would it wear? Most likely,

Where agriculture and construction machinery meet: The tractor (here a Kubota M5111 LP) is probably the most widespread machine in agribusiness. In 2021, almost 150,000 of these agricultural tractors were newly registered across Europe. (© Surplex).

Excavators meet agriculture: more than just tractors

Agriculture is essential for our society but faces numerous challenges such as climate change and market volatility. Key agricultural equipment, such as tractors and excavators, are indispensable and enable a wide range of work on the farm. On possible areas of application for excavators in agriculture and how used machines offer a cost-efficient solution ...
Agriculture is the backbone of our

Used machinery made easy: the industrial auction house Surplex

Used machinery made easy: the industrial auction house Surplex


Offices in 16 European countries, competent all-round service and a wide range of machinery: For over 20 years, the Surplex industrial auction house has offered the ideal platform for buying and selling used machinery.
The used machinery market is growing. More and more companies from various industries are recognising the opportunities offered by deploying used machinery in production. Es

Wheeled construction machines are more manoeuvrable and cost-effective than their tracked versions. Until 27 April, several construction machines – including wheeled excavators and loaders – are up for bid on Surplex.com. (© Surplex).

A wheel of fortune: construction machinery on wheels

Excavator, loader or dump truck – here’s what to consider when using tyred construction machinery. Wheels enable higher speed and manoeuvrability at a lower price and easy maintenance. However, they reach their limits on difficult terrain.
Example 1: the wheeled excavator
Probably the most well-known construction machine that is widely used on both wheels and tracks is the excavator. A wheel

When buildings are demolished, a lot of rubble is produced that is recycled to save resources. (© CL-Medien/Shutterstock.com).

From demolition to house: sustainable recycling of construction rubble


Recycling of building materials is becoming increasingly important in times of increasing sustainability. When buildings are demolished, recyclable rubble accumulates. This is crushed, sieved, sorted and processed. Recycled rock can then be reused as a building material. And even the construction machinery used can contribute to a circular economy, as buying and selling used machinery gives i

(KoSSmoSS, Shutterstock,1790109722)

Quiet humming instead of loud hammering: Electric mobility on construction sites

Construction sites are one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions. The machines used in construction also contribute to these “gray emissions”. Many companies are currently switching to electromobility to improve their carbon footprint. Selling their old diesel machines can make it easier to invest in this new drive technology.
The construction industry accounts for almost 8% of g

Insulating the outer walls increases a building’s energy efficiency. Energy-based renovations to existing buildings form a key part of a climate-neutral Europe. (© Canetti / Shutterstock.com).

No building renovations, no energy transformation

As an old proverb puts it: “Anyone who has money and buys an old house and renovates it is a fool.” But is that really the case? From an ecological standpoint, renovating houses instead of tearing them down and building them anew makes sense. Many construction measures aimed at boosting energy efficiency are promoted and are technically advanced. But the ancillary building trade is suffering from

The largest excavators in the world are used in open-cast mining. Because they weigh over 10,000 tonnes, they run on tracks/caterpillars. (© corlaffra / Shutterstock.com).

See you later, excavator!

When was the first excavator invented? And why are they called crawler excavators? What can they do and where are they used? How big is the largest crawler excavator in the world? What will excavators of the future be able to do? A small glimpse into the history of the crawler excavator and why investing in one continues to be worthwhile in hard times.
They are named after what propels them fo

Used machines for your success

Surplex has been one of Europe’s leading industrial auction houses for 25 years and trades worldwide in used machines and factory equipment. The 18-language auction platform Surplex.com has over 125,000 registered customers. The company is based in Düsseldorf and has offices in many European countries, including Spain, Italy, and CEE. More than 200 provide a full service in 20 languages.
Surplex became part of TBAuctions in August 2024, Europe’s leading multi-brand (Troostwijk Auctions, Klaravik, Auksjonen, PS Auction, British Medical Auctions, Vavato, and Auktionshuset dab), digital auction platform for B2B used goods. The TBAuctions group reach nearly 200 million annual site visits, sell over 1.6 million assets, receiving bids from 750k bidders in 175 countries, generating hammersales of more than €1.6 billion, and employing nearly 1,200 team members.