Finance Assets arranges asset finance for concrete and aggregates suppliers, helping UK businesses fund truck mixers, batching plants, concrete pumps, tipper and grab lorries, and the loaders, crushers and wash plants that keep a quarry or yard producing.
Asset finance for concrete and aggregates suppliers spreads the cost of vehicles and plant over 3 to 7 years, so a ready-mix, precast or aggregates business can grow its fleet or output without tying up the cash it needs for materials, fuel and wages. We arrange truck mixer finance, batching plant finance and quarry plant finance on new and used equipment.
Written by Marcus Wright, founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, in financial services since 2008 and a commercial finance broker since 2019. Last reviewed September 2026.
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The short version
- Asset finance lets concrete and aggregates suppliers spread the cost of mixers, lorries and plant over 3 to 7 years.
- Truck mixers, tippers and mobile plant have strong resale markets, so lenders fund them readily, new or used.
- Fixed plant such as batching plants and wash plants is funded more on the strength of the business and the length of your site tenure.
- Lenders look at your operator’s licence, your spread of customers and how seasonal your sales are.
- Finance Assets arranges this finance for concrete and aggregates suppliers trading as limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Equipment covered | Truck and volumetric mixers, batching plants, concrete pumps, tippers, grab lorries, loaders, crushers, screens and wash plants |
| Deal sizes | From a single volumetric mixer to a new batching plant or quarry processing line |
| Terms | Usually 3 to 5 years on used vehicles and mobile plant, and up to 7 years on new fixed plant |
| Paid upfront | Hire purchase: often a 10% deposit plus VAT. Leases: usually 1 to 3 rentals in advance |
| New or used | Both, from dealers, manufacturers, auctions and other operators |
| Who we help | Limited companies and LLPs, plus sole traders and partnerships on business agreements over £25,000 |
Vehicles and plant we finance for concrete and aggregates suppliers
Lenders will fund most of the vehicles and plant a concrete or aggregates business runs, provided it comes from a known manufacturer and there is a market to sell it into.
| Equipment group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Concrete delivery | Drum truck mixers, volumetric mixers and concrete pumps, from line pumps to truck-mounted boom pumps |
| Concrete production | Static and mobile batching plants, cement silos, aggregate bins, weigh systems and water recycling units |
| Precast and blocks | Block-making machines, precast moulds, curing systems and handling cranes |
| Aggregates haulage | Eight-wheel tippers, tipper-grabs, bulk tipper trailers and walking-floor trailers. See our HGV and artic trailer finance guide |
| Quarry and yard plant | Wheel loaders, excavators, articulated dump trucks and telehandlers |
| Processing plant | Crushers, screens, sand and aggregate wash plants, conveyors, stockpilers and weighbridges |
How concrete and aggregates suppliers use asset finance
Most concrete and aggregates suppliers use asset finance to keep a modern delivery fleet and to fund plant that raises output or lowers the cost per tonne.
- Renewing the delivery fleet. Mixers and tippers work hard in dusty, heavy conditions, so many suppliers replace them on a set cycle and finance each one as it arrives.
- Adding volumetric mixers. A volumetric mixer batches concrete on site, which cuts waste on small loads and lets a supplier serve smaller customers profitably.
- Investing in processing. A wash plant, or a new crusher and screen, can turn low-value material into saleable sand and graded aggregate. Lenders will fund it where the numbers support the investment.
- Handling seasonal cash flow. Sales usually dip over winter and in wet weather, and some lenders can set lower payments for the quieter months.
- Releasing cash from owned equipment. Mixers, tippers and plant you own outright can be refinanced to fund new plant or add working capital.
Finance options for concrete and aggregates suppliers
Most suppliers buy vehicles and plant on hire purchase, and use leases or contract hire for delivery fleets renewed on a fixed cycle. Our types of asset finance guide covers each option in more depth.
| Type | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | A deposit, then fixed monthly payments. You own the equipment after the last one | Mixers, tippers and plant you will run for many years |
| Finance lease | Rentals with VAT added to each one. The lender owns the equipment | Large plant orders where you want to keep the deposit and VAT outlay down |
| Operating lease | Lower rentals set around the expected resale value. You hand the vehicle back at the end | Mixers and tippers renewed on a fixed cycle |
| Contract hire | A fixed rental for an agreed term and mileage, often with maintenance included | Delivery vehicles with predictable running costs |
Hire purchase for concrete and aggregates suppliers
Hire purchase for concrete and aggregates suppliers is the most common way to fund both vehicles and plant, because a well-maintained mixer, loader or crusher keeps its value and keeps earning for years. You pay a deposit, often around 10% plus the VAT, then fixed monthly payments, and the equipment becomes yours after the final payment and a small option fee. A balloon at the end can lower the monthly cost on vehicles you expect to sell or part-exchange.
Finance lease for concrete and aggregates suppliers
A finance lease for concrete and aggregates suppliers keeps cash in the business when the purchase is large, such as a new batching plant. You pay a few rentals in advance, and VAT is added to each rental rather than paid in one go. The lender owns the equipment, and at the end you can usually carry on at a small secondary rental or sell it on the lender’s behalf.
Operating lease for concrete and aggregates suppliers
An operating lease for concrete and aggregates suppliers suits a fleet renewed on a fixed cycle. The rentals are set around what each mixer or tipper should be worth when it comes back, so they are lower than a finance lease, and the lender carries the resale risk. You agree the mileage and return condition at the start.
Contract hire for concrete and aggregates suppliers
Contract hire for concrete and aggregates suppliers is used mainly for delivery vehicles. You pay a fixed monthly rental for an agreed term and mileage, often with maintenance, tyres and breakdown cover included, then hand the vehicle back. It gives a fleet manager one predictable cost per vehicle.
Fixed plant and site tenure
Batching plants, wash plants and fixed processing lines can be financed, but lenders look at them differently from mixers and loaders. Fixed plant costs a lot to dismantle and move, so its resale value is lower than its price suggests, and lenders lean more on the strength of the business. They will also ask how long you can stay on the site. A quarry lease or planning permission with only a few years left will usually limit the term, while a long lease or a freehold site makes a longer agreement easier. Mobile batching plants and tracked crushers and screens avoid most of this problem, because they can be moved and resold.
VAT and tax on concrete and aggregates equipment finance
Hire purchase front-loads the VAT and may bring capital allowances, while leases and contract hire spread the VAT across the rentals.
| Type | VAT | Tax treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | The whole VAT amount is paid at the start, and a VAT-registered company usually claims it back on its next return | As the owner for tax, the company may be able to claim capital allowances, such as the annual investment allowance or full expensing on new plant |
| Finance lease | VAT is added to every rental and recovered through your usual returns | Rentals are usually allowable as a business expense |
| Operating lease | VAT is added to every rental | Rentals are usually allowable, and the lender claims the capital allowances |
| Contract hire | VAT is added to every rental, with restrictions on cars | Rentals are usually treated as a running cost |
Which option works out better depends on your company’s profits and plans, so talk it through with your accountant before you sign.
Truck mixer finance costs: a worked example
A new 8 cubic metre truck mixer on a 32-tonne chassis at £165,000 costs about £3,083 a month on a 5-year hire purchase, or about £2,645 a month with a 20% balloon.
| Item | Standard | With 20% balloon |
|---|---|---|
| Mixer price (excl. VAT) | £165,000 | £165,000 |
| Deposit (10%) | £16,500 | £16,500 |
| VAT paid upfront | £33,000 | £33,000 |
| Monthly payment (60 months) | £3,082.62 | £2,645.09 |
| Final balloon payment | None | £33,000 |
| Total interest | £36,457 | £43,205 |
The balloon lowers the monthly payment by about £438 but adds around £6,748 of interest. A well-kept mixer often sells for more than the balloon after five years, which is why balloons are common on delivery fleets.
Illustration calculated in September 2026, assuming an interest rate of 9% a year. It is not a quote. Your rate depends on your trading history, credit profile and the vehicle.
What lenders look for in concrete and aggregates suppliers
Lenders look at the usual financial documents, plus the licences, permits and sales pattern that show how steady the business is.
- Accounts and bank statements. The last two years of filed accounts, recent management accounts and three to six months of business bank statements.
- Operator’s licence. For mixers and tippers, your O-licence, the number of vehicles it authorises and your compliance record.
- Customer spread and debtors. Sales across many builders, contractors and merchants rather than one or two large accounts, and an aged debtor list showing how quickly they pay.
- Seasonality. Monthly sales figures over at least a year, so the lender can see how winter affects cash flow.
- Site and permits. Your quarry lease or planning permission, any environmental permits, and for fixed plant, how long you can stay on the site.
- Accreditations. FORS, and quality schemes such as QSRMC for ready-mixed concrete, show a lender the business is well run and can supply larger customers.
Related guides
- Asset finance for quarry operators
- HGV finance, for truck mixers, tippers and bulk tankers
- Rolling stock finance
- Telehandler finance
- Asset finance for civil engineering firms
- Asset finance for demolition companies
- Asset finance for scaffolding companies
- Asset finance for railway contractors
- HGV and artic trailer finance
- All sectors we finance
Who we can help
We arrange asset finance for concrete and aggregates suppliers that trade as UK limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000 that are for business purposes. We are not authorised by the FCA, so we cannot arrange agreements of £25,000 or less for sole traders or partnerships of two or three partners, or finance for personal use.
Concrete and aggregates finance FAQs
Can I get finance on a used truck mixer?
Yes. Used drum and volumetric mixers are funded regularly, because there is a steady market for them. Lenders look at the chassis age and mileage, the condition of the drum or mixing body, and the service history. Older vehicles may be offered a shorter term so the agreement ends while the mixer still has resale value.
Can a batching plant be financed?
Yes. Static and mobile batching plants are funded on hire purchase or leasing, often with installation and groundworks included up to a set share of the cost. Mobile plants are easier to fund because they can be moved and resold. For a static plant, lenders will ask about your site lease and how long you can stay.
Can I finance a wash plant or crusher?
Yes. Wash plants, crushers and screens from established manufacturers are widely funded. Tracked and mobile units are the simplest, because they have a clear resale market. Larger fixed wash plants are usually funded on the strength of the business and the site tenure, and lenders may want to see how the plant will lift output or margin.
Can finance payments be lower over the winter?
Some lenders can set seasonal payments, with lower instalments in quieter months and higher ones when sales pick up. It suits suppliers whose sales dip in winter and wet weather. Lenders will want to see monthly sales figures over at least a year before agreeing a seasonal profile.
Can a newer concrete or aggregates company get finance?
Yes, although lenders look harder at companies with less than two years of accounts. They may ask for a larger deposit, personal guarantees from the directors or evidence of customer orders. Directors with experience in ready-mix, quarrying or haulage and a clean credit history make an application much easier.
Can I raise cash against vehicles and plant I already own?
Yes. Through a sale and hire purchase back, a lender buys mixers, tippers or plant you own outright and sells them back to you over a fixed term, so they keep working. The amount depends on their current value and age. Suppliers use it to fund new plant, a fleet expansion or working capital.
Get a concrete and aggregates finance quote
Tell us about the equipment
Send us the vehicles or plant, the prices and a few details about your business. We will come back with the options that are realistic and what they are likely to cost.
About the author
Marcus Wright is the owner and founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, which trades as Finance Assets. He has worked in financial services since 2008, beginning his career at Santander, and has been a commercial finance broker since March 2019.
He founded Bolton Business Finance in 2020 to give businesses access to the whole lending market rather than one bank’s own product range. The firm is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers and works with a panel of 135+ lenders. Call 0161 546 9128.
Finance Assets is a trading name of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, an independent commercial finance brokerage, not a lender. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only complete non-regulated introductions. All lending is for business purposes only. Registered address: Westgate House, 1 Westgate Avenue, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 4RF. Company number 12495909.