Used Equipment Beats the Clock

The next time someone tells you new equipment is “on the way,” ask them how long. Because these days, the answer is usually months, not weeks.

We’re constantly hearing reports from developers in new construction that lead times for new transformers regularly exceed six months. In some cases, especially for medium voltage or custom builds, it’s closer to a year. Electric motors? Same story. A basic 200 HP motor that used to be in stock everywhere is now showing 20 to 30-week delivery timelines. And if you need something over 500 HP, good luck. You’re not just ordering a motor anymore, you’re entering a queue.

So what’s going on?

First, global supply chains never really recovered from the pandemic. A lot of raw materials, especially copper and silicon steel, are still tight. Those materials are critical to power distribution equipment like transformers and motors. China continues to restrict some exports, and domestic producers are still catching up.

Second, there’s been a surge in demand driven by the growth of data centers (due to A.I.), EV infrastructure, and utility-scale renewable energy projects. All of them are eating up electrical gear at a rapid pace. New facilities need switchgear, distribution transformers, UPS systems, and power monitoring, and they’re buying faster than OEMs can produce.

Third, skilled labor shortages are affecting manufacturers across the board. Even when materials are available, there aren’t enough trained technicians to wind coils, finish housings, or perform QA testing fast enough. Some motor and transformer manufacturers are running overtime shifts and still falling behind.

All of this means one thing: if you need equipment now… you’re not getting it new.

That’s where the used market is proving its value, big time. On Surplus Record, we’ve seen a flood of buyers searching for “ready to ship” or “in-stock” transformers, motors, switchboards, and other critical gear. In many cases, they’re not even price shopping. They just need to keep their line running, hit a construction deadline, or replace a failed unit that can’t wait 30 weeks.

It’s created a kind of urgency we haven’t seen in years. Some shops are buying used gear before even pricing out a new replacement, just to avoid the lead time gamble.

For sellers, this is a golden opportunity. If you’ve got equipment sitting on the floor collecting dust, motors, panels, controls, gearboxes, or even machine tools, there’s probably a buyer out there. The demand is there, and buyers are acting fast.

We’ve always believed the used market isn’t second best. It’s a smart, flexible, and sometimes life-saving alternative to waiting on a slow-moving supply chain. And right now, it’s outperforming the new market in the one category that matters most, time.