Skidder Financing

Finance grapple and cable skidders with payments sized to mill quota rather than best-case production — new, used, and auction machines. Representative example: a $375,000 skidder runs about $7,100/month.*

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The Skidder Reality

A skidder's earnings have a ceiling somebody else sets. You are paid by the ton delivered and the mill decides how many tons it takes this week, so unlike almost every machine we finance, working harder does not raise the revenue. A payment built on the machine's production capacity instead of the quota is a payment that only clears in the good quarters. We size to the quota, with room for the weeks the mill goes down.

Built for This Asset

Structures priced by people who know what a skidder earns and how it holds value — not a generic credit box.

Forestry & Logging Expertise

Part of our Forestry & Logging vertical: payment structures matched to how this industry's revenue actually arrives.

Backed by $1B

A $1B forward flow agreement with TPG gives Elevex institutional capital strength with entrepreneurial speed.

What We Finance

Grapple skidders, single and dual arch
Cable skidders for selective and small-tract work
Winches, grapples, and blade attachments
Tires, chains, and traction packages
Used and auction machines valued on drivetrain and hours
Multi-machine crew packages

Payment Structures

The differentiation: four ways to own the same equipment, engineered to your cash flow. Compare them side by side on our structures page.

Operating Lease

Off-balance-sheet treatment with end-of-term flexibility — return, renew, or purchase. Often the right answer when technology cycles or accounting outcomes drive the decision.

$1 Buyout Lease

Own the equipment for one dollar at term end. Fixed payments, full Section 179 eligibility, and a clean path to ownership.

Seasonal & Step Payments

Payments that follow your revenue curve — lighter in slow months, heavier in peak season, or stepping up as new equipment ramps to full production.

Usage-Based & As-a-Service

Payments tied to hours, output, or consumption. The category Elevex is defining: pay for what equipment achieves, not what it costs.

Learn more about financing structures

How It Works

Three steps from quote to funded.

1 · Apply in Minutes

Application-only to $1,000,000 — no tax returns or financials below that threshold. Have your equipment quote, auction listing, or build spec ready.

2 · Structure Together

A finance professional (not a portal) walks the structure options — term, seasonality, end-of-term — and prices the deal to your cash flow.

3 · Fund in 24–48 Hours

Most transactions fund within 24–48 hours of signed documents. Your vendor gets paid; you get to work.

Common Questions

Can payments flex when the mill cuts quota?

That is the structure conversation to have up front. Reduced-payment periods can be built in for mud season and scheduled mill downtime, sized so the annual total still works. See seasonal structures.

What matters most on a used skidder?

Drivetrain and hours, well ahead of model year. Transmission, axles, and hydraulic condition set the remaining life, and that is what the term gets built on — not the year on the door.

Can I finance a used skidder?

Yes — used skidder financing is standard business, whether the unit comes from a dealer, an auction, or a private seller. We value working assets on condition and remaining service life, not a blanket age cutoff, and set terms the equipment can actually support.

Does a skidder qualify for Section 179?

Most business-use equipment placed in service this tax year qualifies for Section 179 expensing, financed or purchased outright — often meaning the first-year deduction outruns your first-year payments. Run your numbers on our Section 179 calculator and confirm specifics with your tax advisor.

How fast can skidder financing close?

Application-only decisions to $1,000,000 come back in minutes for qualified credits, and most deals fund within 24–48 hours of signed documents. Apply online with your quote to start.

Ready to finance your skidder?

Payments built on outcomes, from the team that knows your industry. Equipment sellers: offer financing at the point of sale with CapVex.

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