earthmoving · Equipment & asset finance
Crane finance
Cranes are contract assets. We look at the work the machine is going onto, the certification behind it, and structure a term that lines up with the revenue.
What is crane finance?
Crane finance is funding for a mobile, all-terrain, slew or tower crane, secured against the machine. Cranes are high-value, heavily regulated assets with long working lives, so lenders assess the operator’s experience and contract pipeline as closely as they assess the machine itself.
Australia has a distinctive crane market. Pick-and-carry cranes such as the Franna are almost unique to this country and are the backbone of construction site lifting, while all-terrain slew cranes handle bigger and taller work. Whichever end you buy at, the machine is regulated: registration of the design, major inspections, log books and ticketed operators are all conditions of putting it to work.
Lenders reflect that in how they assess an application. They want to see that the crane has a life ahead of it and that the business can keep it compliant and busy. A crane bought against a signed hire agreement or a multi-year project is a much simpler conversation than a speculative purchase. Your broker should also compare a straight chattel mortgage against a lease, since some crane hire businesses prefer the lease treatment for fleet renewal.
Crane finance at a glance
| Typical price range | $150,000 – $3,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Finance term | Up to 84 months |
| Useful life | About 20 years |
| New or used | Used cranes dominate, with many imported from Japan and Europe; new purchases are usually made by established crane hire companies replacing fleet. |
| Indicative rates (Chattel mortgage) | 6.9% – 14.5% p.a. · rate history |
| Finance structures | Chattel mortgage (recommended), Equipment loan, Finance lease, Sale and leaseback |
How lenders assess crane finance
Crane finance sits with a narrower group of lenders who understand the asset and the compliance around it. Expect requests for a current major inspection or ten-year certification, evidence of insurance, and confirmation of ticketed operators. First-time buyers usually need a deposit of 20 to 30 per cent and a demonstrable contract or hire agreement. Imported cranes need compliance documentation. Terms of five to seven years are common, and larger deals may be structured with a balloon or as a lease.
Before you buy
- Confirm the crane has a current major inspection and that its ten-year or design-life assessment is complete and transferable.
- Check the load charts against the work you actually win — reach and capacity at radius matter far more than headline tonnage.
- Budget for transport, counterweights and dogman or rigger support; the crane is only part of the operating cost.
Commonly financed
Franna AT-15 and MAC 25 · Liebherr LTM 1055 and LTM 1090 · Tadano GR-250N · Grove GMK 3060 · Kato SR-250
Estimate crane repayments
- Number of repayments
- 60
- Balloon at end of term
- $315,000
- Total interest (est.)
- $445,840
- Total repaid (est.)
- $2,020,840
This calculator provides an estimate only and does not account for fees, charges or the specific terms a lender may offer. It is not financial advice or an offer of finance.
Key terms
What is crane finance?
Crane finance is a secured loan or lease used to buy a mobile, pick-and-carry, all-terrain or tower crane, with the crane as security. Terms commonly run 48 to 84 months and lenders assess compliance certification alongside the machine’s value.
What is a major inspection on a crane?
A major inspection is a detailed structural and mechanical assessment required at set intervals under Australian standards, often at ten years and then periodically after. Lenders and insurers commonly ask to see the current certificate before settlement.