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Drying Tunnel Finance

Spread the cost of drying tunnels from £10,000 to £200,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease or refinance; compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a drying tunnel?

Yes, drying tunnels are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £10,000 to £200,000, and most deals are written over 12–84 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£10k – £200k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £100k

Rates From

4.5% APR

What would a drying tunnel cost per month?

£55,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical drying tunnel price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 4.9% APR
Term
12–84 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Finishers wanting to own their drying and curing capacity outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 4.5% APR
Term
12–84 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax efficient; claim 100% of payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate
From 5.2% APR
Term
24–60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Off balance sheet, always current with the latest model.

Representative example

On a purchase price of £55,000: a 10% deposit of £5,500, then 48 monthly payments of £1,160 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £61,180, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Batch drying oven, small capacity £10,000 – £30,000 Batch Drying Oven (specification class)
Conveyorised drying tunnel, gas or electric heat £30,000 – £100,000 Conveyorised Drying Tunnel (specification class)
High-throughput drying/curing tunnel with interlocked controls £100,000 – £200,000 High-Throughput Drying/Curing Tunnel (specification class)

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Tax benefits

Drying tunnels qualify for Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), letting you deduct the full cost from taxable profits in the year of purchase, up to £1,000,000 for qualifying plant and machinery. HP agreements let you claim capital allowances on the asset; lease payments are generally deducted as an operating expense.

Market context

Drying tunnels are bought by finishers to dry or cure a coating after plating, painting or powder coating, most often as the final stage of a conveyorised line rather than as a standalone purchase. A gas-fired drying tunnel needs its own fuel supply and flue, and an electric tunnel needs adequate power, both of which are worth confirming with a supplier before committing to a site, alongside interlocked safety controls where the tunnel is integrated into a wider automated line. Buyers finance a drying tunnel most often as part of the same agreement as the plating, painting or powder coating line it serves, since throughput needs to match across the whole line; standalone tunnel purchases are usually a replacement of an ageing unit or an upgrade to conveyorised drying from batch ovens. Replacement is typically driven by needing to keep pace with a faster upstream coating or plating line, or improving temperature uniformity for a tighter cure specification, rather than the tunnel failing outright, since the chamber and insulation are durable and heating elements or burners are a routine service item.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I finance a drying tunnel on its own, without a new coating line?
Yes. While drying tunnels are often bought as the final stage of a coating or plating line, replacing an ageing tunnel or upgrading from a batch oven to a conveyorised tunnel is a standalone purchase that lenders will finance separately. Because this kind of replacement is usually planned rather than an emergency, there's normally time to get a proper valuation or condition assessment done before you commit to the finance.
Does finance cover interlocked safety controls on a drying tunnel?
Yes, where they're itemised on the supplier's invoice as part of the tunnel, particularly where it's integrated into a wider automated coating or plating line and needs to communicate with upstream equipment. If in doubt, ask your supplier to itemise every element of the quote clearly before you apply, since anything left off the invoice at that stage is harder to add to the agreement later.
Can I finance a used drying tunnel?
Yes. Lenders will finance used drying tunnels, with insulation condition and the burners or heating elements being the main things checked. A recent service and calibration record supports the application, particularly for a gas-fired unit. It's worth having photos, the serial number and any service or maintenance records ready when you apply, since this is exactly the evidence a lender looks for to support a used equipment application and can speed up the decision.
How quickly can I get drying tunnel finance approved?
A smaller batch drying oven under £100,000 can be approved same-day to 48 hours. Larger conveyorised or high-throughput tunnels, particularly where financed as part of a wider coating or plating line, typically take 5-7 working days while the lender reviews the fuller project. Having your latest accounts, bank statements and a signed supplier quote ready before you apply is the single biggest factor in reaching a decision at the faster end of that timescale.

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