Injection Molder Leasing: Alt-Lender Criteria

Winning a new tooling program or adding press capacity often comes down to timing. Banks may hesitate on used presses, private-sale deals, or growth-stage financials. Private/alternative lenders (B/C/D tiers) underwrite the asset, install plan, and bank-statement reality—and can move quickly when the package is clean.

Mehmi Financial Group is both a seller of commercial assets and a financing partner with 30+ Canadian lenders. We place injection molding files—hydraulic, all-electric, and hybrid; with robots, dryers, chillers, blenders, loaders—every week. If you’d like a quick read on your scenario, feel free to contact our credit analysts.

Alt-lender underwriting lens: the four signals that matter

1) Asset quality & liquidity (prove productivity and resale)

• Press specs: clamp tonnage, shot size (cm³/oz), screw Ø/L:D, tie-bar spacing, daylight, platen size, ejector, core pulls, hot-runner controls.
• Drive type: hydraulic vs all-electric vs hybrid (energy profile + maintenance implications).
• Controller/brand: Fanuc, Engel, Sumitomo-Demag, Arburg, Milacron, Nissei, Husky, Wittmann, etc., and Canadian service coverage.
• Hours/condition: pump/motor hours, cycles, screw/barrel wear; recent PMs, oil analysis, leak repairs.
• Robotics & auxiliaries: 3-axis/6-axis robot, EOAT, dryer/dehumidifier, chiller/TCUs, granulator, blender/loaders, conveyors, QC cameras, mold protection.
• Proof: photo set (serial plates, controller screen with hours), maintenance log, runoff video or sample parts (for private sale).

Why it matters: mainstream brands, documented condition, and service support tighten pricing and reduce down payment.

2) Install & utilities (derisk the go-live)

• Electrical (voltage/amps), water (cooling/chiller loop), air, hydraulic oil handling, anchoring, resin handling layout, safety guarding, ESA notes if applicable.
• Workcell plan: robot integration, conveyors, QC, and pack-out flow.
• Staged draws tied to deposit → delivery → install → SAT/runoff reduce lender exposure and speed approvals.

3) Cash-flow reality (bank statements over forecasts)

• 3–6 months business bank statements: steady deposits, low NSFs, visible headroom for the payment.
• Contracts & pipeline: POs, long-term agreements, tool-up schedules, PPAP dates.
• Unit economics: cycle time, cavitation, OEE baseline vs. post-install, scrap %, labour deltas, kWh savings (electrics).

4) Paper hygiene (the easiest risk to fix)

• IDs (owners ≥25%), corporate registry, invoice/quote, bill of sale + lien search/release for private sales, insurance (lender as loss payee). One clean upload wins time.

Apply once via Leasing & Loans—we route to best-fit lenders the same day.

Structures that actually fund molding cells

• $10/$1 Buyout (lease-to-own): Best for long-life presses you’ll keep 6–10 years; higher monthly, clear title at end.
• FMV/Residual (often 10–20%): Lower monthly; easier tech refresh when robotics/auxiliaries evolve.
• Sale-leaseback / refinance: Unlock equity from presses or auxiliaries you already own to cover down payment, molds/tooling, or first/last. See Refinancing & Sale-Leaseback.
• Hybrid package: Press on $10 buyout, auxiliaries/robot on FMV, milestone funding through SAT.

If receivables are slow while a program ramps, overlay Invoice Factoring or a Working-Capital/LOC so payroll and resin purchases aren’t squeezed.

Bank vs. Alt-lender: quick verdict

Terms you’ll actually see in Canada (2025 reality)

• Ticket size: ~$60k–$900k+ (press only) | cells with robots/auxiliaries at the upper end
• Term: 36–60 months typical; 72 months on late-model electrics/hybrids with strong resale
• Down payment: 0–10% strong files/dealer gear; 10–30% for startups, private sales, older/high-hour, or softer credit
• Conditions: PPSA lien, documentation fee, first/last in advance, insurance (loss payee), inspection/runoff; GPS/monitoring rarely needed on fixed cells
• Funding speed: With documents and insurance ready, same-week is common

Run payment ranges with our calculator.

The approval playbook (step-by-step)

Pre-qualify the cell before you haggle

• Press specs, controller, hours; serial photos; maintenance log; video runoff or sample parts (private sale).
• Auxiliaries list (robot, dryer, TCUs, chiller, blender, loaders, granulator, conveyors).
• Install one-pager: power/water/air, chiller loop schematic, resin path, guarding.

Tell the program economics

• Part mix, cavitation, cycle times, OEE delta, scrap reductions, kWh savings (all-electric).
• POs, PPAP roadmap, tool delivery dates, labour deltas (robotic de-gate, pack-out).

Pick the right structure early

• Keep long-term → $10/$1 buyout
• Lower monthly / planned upgrade → FMV
• Cash-tight → sale-leaseback/refi (presses or other equipment)

Stabilize banking 30 days pre-submit

• Reduce NSFs, hold a cushion; if AR is lumpy, use factoring so deposits land predictably.

Pre-clear insurance & SAT

• Binder with lender as loss payee; define SAT criteria (cycle time, dimensional spec, leak test, cosmetic spec) to trigger final draw.

Submit a one-touch package

• Application; IDs & corporate registry
• Invoice/quote or bill of sale + lien release (private sale)
• Photo set + service/PM evidence; install plan
• 3–6 months bank statements; insurance broker contact
  Send once via Leasing & Loans.

Snapshot: Electric vs. Hydraulic—financing implications

Document checklist (copy/paste)

• Invoice/quote with tonnage, shot size, screw Ø/L:D, tie-bar spacing, daylight, platen, controller/version
• Photos: serial plates, controller screen (hours), hydraulics/electrics, robot, auxiliaries
• Condition: PM logs, oil analysis/repairs (hydraulic), screw/barrel wear notes; runoff video or sample parts
• Sale type: dealer invoice or bill of sale + seller ID/company + lien search & release (private sale)
• Install plan: power/water/air, chiller loop, guarding, resin handling, SAT criteria/dates
• Banking: 3–6 months business bank statements
• IDs (owners ≥25%) + corporate registry
• Insurance binder naming lender as loss payee
• Short use-of-funds memo (programs, OEE, payback months)

Case pattern (Ontario custom molder)

A custom molder needed a late-model 220-ton all-electric with a top-entry robot and new dryer/blender to win an automotive interior RFQ. Bank stalled on private sale + tool-up timing. We placed a 60-month FMV lease with staged draws (deposit → delivery → install → SAT), 15% down, first/last in advance, binder same day. A $150k working-capital LOC covered resin and launch labour through PPAP. Result: on-time SOP, lower monthly than outsourcing, stable cash conversion.

FAQs

Can I lease a used press from a private seller?
Yes—common with alt-lenders when you provide inspection, bill of sale, and lien search/release. Start here: Leasing & Loans.

Is FMV or $10 buyout better for molders?
Keep the press long term → $10/$1 buyout. Want a lower monthly or plan a tech refresh (robotics/auxiliaries) → FMV.

How big a down payment will I need?
Strong files can see 0–10%; 10–30% is typical for startups, private sales, older/high-hour units, or softer credit.

How fast can funding happen?
With complete docs, insurance, and SAT terms, 24–72 hours from approval is common. Try our calculator for ranges.

What if I also need cash for molds, resin, or labour?
Use Refinancing/Sale-Leaseback on owned equipment and add Working Capital/LOC or Factoring.

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Why Mehmi (seller + financier, Canada-wide)

We sell equipment and finance it—daily. Our credit team understands real resale values, install pitfalls, and what underwriters flag instantly. We place files across 30+ lenders, deliver 24–48h approvals on deal-ready packages, and align structures to your SOP and PPAP schedule.

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Next step: Pricing a specific press—or want a clean pre-approval before you negotiate? Feel free to contact our credit analysts: Contact Us. Prefer numbers first? Use the calculator.