Surplex, the digital platform for auctioning industrial goods, is clearly making inroads in our country. At the beginning of this year, Ben Heikoop joined us as acquisition manager for the Netherlands. His main activity is to interest companies in having their machines auctioned by Surplex. “I am looking for companies that are willing to invest a few hours to get rid of their surplus machines and get a good price for it.” This task is perfect for Heikoop. He has decades of experience in the sale of metalworking machines, especially in sheet metal working. This means he has a large network and knows his way around the Dutch metal sector. Surplex is an online auction company, originally German. It was founded with the intention of creating a more sustainable world by facilitating the reuse of machines. “Particularly in our part of the world, many industrial companies want to work with the latest technology,” Heikoop explains. “The payment term for a machine is often 5 to 7 years, after which they actually want to purchase a new one. At that point the question arises as to what to do with the used machine.”
This often has to go and there are various options available through the machine brands themselves or through independent traders in used machines. “Almost all major machine brands trade in themselves,” says Heikoop. “The machines then disappear to Asia, for example. But a second life is often possible closer to home. There are many companies interested in such machines that cannot afford a new one. Then second hand is a great entry point.”