Finance Assets arranges hire purchase and leasing for UK limited companies buying new or used injection moulding machines and the ancillaries that run with them.
Injection moulding machine finance spreads the cost of a moulding cell over 2 to 7 years, so a moulder can take on a new tool or customer without draining cash. We fund hydraulic, hybrid and all-electric machines of every tonnage, known as injection molding machines in US spelling, along with the robots, chillers, dryers and granulators around them.
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
- Injection moulding machine finance lets a moulder spread the cost of a press and its ancillaries over 2 to 7 years.
- With hire purchase, the business owns the machine after the final payment.
- Robots, chillers, dryers and granulators can usually go on the same agreement as the press.
- Moulds can only be funded when the business owns them, not when the customer does.
- Finance Assets arranges injection moulding finance for UK limited companies and LLPs.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Machines covered | Hydraulic, hybrid, all-electric, vertical and multi-shot injection moulding machines |
| Terms | Usually 3 to 5 years, and up to 7 years for new machines from well-known makers |
| Paid upfront | Hire purchase: often a 10% deposit plus VAT. Leases: usually 1 to 3 rentals in advance |
| New or used | Both, including machines from other moulders and many auction purchases |
| Extras | Robots, chillers, dryers, granulators, installation and moulds you own can often be included |
| Who we help | UK limited companies and LLPs |
Injection moulding machines we finance
Lenders will fund most plastic injection moulding machines used in the business, especially those from makers with an established second-hand market.
- Hydraulic injection moulding machines, from small toolroom presses to large-tonnage machines
- All-electric machines, often chosen for precision, medical and cleanroom work
- Hybrid machines that combine electric and hydraulic drives
- Two-shot and multi-component machines
- Vertical machines for insert moulding and overmoulding
- Complete moulding cells with robots, conveyors and guarding
Ancillaries, moulds and tooling
The equipment around the press can usually be funded with it, but moulds follow a different rule.
- Robots and sprue pickers, from simple take-out arms to six-axis robots.
- Temperature control, including chillers and mould temperature controllers.
- Material handling, such as dryers, loaders, blenders and granulators.
- Moulds you own, which can often go on the machine agreement, although lenders lend less against them.
- Moulds your customer owns cannot be funded, because the business cannot offer them as security.
New, used and imported machines
- New machines from UK and European manufacturers or their agents, including deposits paid while the machine is built.
- Used machines from dealers, other moulders and auctions. Lenders ask for the year, tonnage and running hours.
- Imported machines, with some lenders, including deposits paid to overseas makers before shipping.
- Machines you already own can be refinanced to release cash, usually through a sale and hire purchase back.
Hire purchase and leasing for injection moulding machines compared
Most moulders buy their presses on hire purchase, because a well-maintained machine runs for many years. Leasing suits machines bought for a particular contract. 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 machine after the last one | Presses you will run for most of their working life |
| Finance lease | Rentals with VAT added to each one. The lender owns the machine | Keeping cash and VAT outlay low on a full cell |
| Operating lease | Lower rentals priced around the expected resale value. You hand it back at the end | Machines tied to one contract or product life |
| Contract hire | A fixed rental including maintenance, rarely offered on the presses themselves | Delivery vans and forklift trucks |
| Type | VAT | Tax treatment, usually |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | VAT on the full price is usually paid upfront, then reclaimed on your VAT return | You may be able to claim capital allowances, and the interest is usually deductible |
| Finance lease | Added to each rental | Rentals are usually an allowable business expense |
| Operating lease | Added to each rental | Rentals are usually an allowable business expense |
Tax depends on your circumstances, so check the treatment with your accountant.
Hire purchase for injection moulding machines
Hire purchase for injection moulding machines is the usual route for moulders who expect to run a press for ten years or more, and hire purchase for plastic injection moulding ancillaries such as robots and chillers can go on the same agreement. You pay a deposit, often around 10% plus the VAT, then fixed monthly payments, and the cell is yours after the last one.
Finance lease for injection moulding machines
A finance lease for injection moulding machines keeps the upfront cost down, because VAT is added to each rental instead of being paid at the start. A finance lease for plastic injection moulding cells works the same way when robots and chillers are included. The lender owns the equipment, and at the end you can usually keep it on a small secondary rental or sell it and receive most of the proceeds.
Operating lease for injection moulding machines
An operating lease for injection moulding machines prices the rentals around what the press should be worth at the end, and the lender takes that resale risk. An operating lease for plastic injection moulding suits a machine bought for one product or contract, which goes back when the work finishes. Injection moulding leasing is easiest to arrange on machines from makers with strong resale values.
Contract hire for plastic injection moulding businesses
Contract hire for plastic injection moulding businesses is rarely offered on the presses themselves, because lenders are reluctant to take on the maintenance of a moulding machine. Moulders use it instead for delivery vans and forklift trucks, where a fixed rental with servicing included keeps running costs predictable.
Asset finance for plastic injection moulding businesses
Asset finance for plastic injection moulding businesses depends as much on the customers as on the machines. Lenders look at who the moulder supplies, because many rely on a few large accounts in automotive, packaging or medical work. A spread of customers, or long-term supply agreements with the largest, strengthens an application.
Lenders also ask who owns the moulds, how quickly customers pay, and how the business handles swings in polymer prices. Moulders with a clear answer on each usually get better terms.
Injection moulding machine finance costs: a worked example
A £120,000 moulding cell, a new press with a take-out robot and chiller, costs about £2,242 a month on a 5-year hire purchase, or about £1,924 a month with a 20% balloon.
| Item | Standard | With 20% balloon |
|---|---|---|
| Cell price (excl. VAT) | £120,000 | £120,000 |
| Deposit (10%) | £12,000 | £12,000 |
| VAT paid upfront | £24,000 | £24,000 |
| Monthly payment (60 months) | £2,241.90 | £1,923.70 |
| Final balloon payment | None | £24,000 |
| Total interest | £26,514 | £31,422 |
The balloon lowers the monthly payment by about £318 while the new tool is ramping up, at a cost of around £4,908 in extra interest over the term. Lenders can often defer the VAT for a few months too.
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 machine.
How injection moulding machine finance works
- Tell us about the machine: make, model, tonnage, price and supplier, plus any robots or ancillaries
- We match the lenders on our panel that fund moulding machines of that type and age
- We come back with the options that are realistic and what they are likely to cost
- The lender reviews your accounts, bank statements and customer base and makes a credit decision
- You sign the agreement, the lender pays the supplier and the machine is installed
What lenders ask for
- Your last 2 years of filed accounts, or management accounts and a forecast for newer firms
- Your last 3 to 6 months of business bank statements
- Your main customers and their share of turnover
- The supplier quote showing make, model and tonnage, plus the year and running hours for a used machine
- Details of existing finance agreements, and photo ID and address history for each director
Related guides
Who we can help
We arrange asset finance for UK limited companies and LLPs. We are not authorised by the FCA, so we cannot arrange agreements of £25,000 or less for sole traders or small partnerships, or finance for personal use.
Injection moulding machine finance FAQs
Can I get finance on a used injection moulding machine?
Yes. Used machines from dealers, other moulders and auctions are regularly funded, particularly from well-known makers with a strong second-hand market. Lenders ask for the make, model, year, tonnage and running hours, and older machines may be offered a shorter term so the agreement ends while the machine still has resale value.
Can moulds and tooling be financed?
Often, yes, when the business owns the mould. Many moulds are paid for and owned by the moulder’s customer, and lenders will not fund a tool the business does not own. Moulds the business does own can usually be added to the machine agreement, although lenders lend less against them because they have little value to anyone else.
How much does it cost to lease an injection moulding machine?
It depends on the machine price, the term and your credit profile. As an illustration, a £120,000 moulding cell costs about £2,242 a month over 5 years on hire purchase at 9%. Lease rentals are usually similar, but VAT is added to each rental instead of being paid upfront.
Can I finance a robot or chiller with the machine?
Yes. Robots, sprue pickers, chillers, dryers, loaders and granulators can usually go on the same agreement as the press, even from different suppliers. Funding the whole cell together keeps one monthly payment and lets the lender value the cell as a working unit.
Can a new moulding business get finance?
Yes, although lenders look more closely at firms with a short trading history. Directors with years in the industry, signed customer orders and a machine from a well-known maker all help. Hire purchase is usually the easiest route, and a larger deposit or a personal guarantee may be needed.
Can I refinance injection moulding machines I already own?
Yes. Through a sale and hire purchase back, a lender buys machines you own outright and sells them back over a fixed term, so they keep running. The amount depends on their current value and age. Moulders use it to fund a new tool, a new customer or working capital.
Get an injection moulding machine finance quote
Tell us what you want to finance
Send us the machine, the price and a few details about your customers. 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.