The value of precious metals has often reaped the benefits within unstable currency markets. Given the state of the current US economy in these uncertain times, many precious metals are trending upward in 2020. Gold and silver mining facilities are the most common, however, this industry includes other types of mines such as rhodium, palladium and platinum, which drive the precious metals markets on a day to day basis.

For businesses owners involved in the mining of these metals who may be considering selling in a strong market or expanding their capabilities by raising new capital, it is important to consider a current appraisal of the machinery & equipment working every day to keep your company operational.

An accredited ASA (American Society of Appraisers) appraiser will provide a detailed valuation of your tangible mining assets, including drills, high wall miners, draglines, shovels/excavators, loaders, haul trucks and any other support items involved in the day to day running of the operation.

At Equipment Appraisal Services we can complete an on-site visual inspection of the equipment or a “desktop” valuation based the descriptions and photographs you provide directly to us. We will thoroughly research the market and complete a detailed valuation to assist you when making important business or investment decisions.Our experienced, accredited appraisers have been completing these types of fully researched valuations for decades and can meet the demands of any machinery & equipment appraisal assignment across all markets & industries.

The restaurant industry has certainly been one of the top business segments to suffer during the COVID-19 pandemic over the last six months, with indoor dining options still not allowed in certain locations and most others facing limited capacity with stringent and costly guidelines to adhere to.

If you are a restaurant owner thinking of selling or are considering investing in one knowing the market will eventually open up again, you will need to make a sound decision armed with as much ammunition as possible. Part of your arsenal should include a current market appraisal of the furniture, fixtures and equipment, commonly referred to as FF&E.

An accredited ASA (American Society of Appraisers) appraiser will provide a detailed valuation including the kitchen equipment, bar and seating area assets and any other supporting tangible items involved in the day to day running of the restaurant. An appraisal can be completed as an on-site visual inspection of the equipment or as a “desktop” valuation based on the descriptions and photographs you provide to the appraiser.

Whichever direction you’re heading, Equipment Appraisal Services can assist you in the process and provide an independent opinion of value which can help form a realistic purchase or sale price for the business, and support the information needed to potential investors, financial institutions, insurance companies and other parties involved in the project. Our experienced, accredited appraisers have been completing these types of fully researched valuations for decades and have the depth of knowledge and experience to meet the demand of today's challenging market.

Whether your business is expanding or going through a downturn, being purchased or sold, audited or invested in, refinanced or liquidated, it is important to understand the real market value of your tangible assets, specifically the machinery & equipment that work every day behind the scenes.

Obtaining an equipment appraisal from a qualified valuation firm such as Equipment Appraisal Services can provide you with firsthand knowledge of the value of your machinery and what to expect should you wish to buy, sell, refinance or upgrade these types of assets in the resale marketplace. A formal appraisal analysis and report can assist you in any number of ways as you move through the next phases of your company’s development and can be shared with third parties who may be assisting you with these project plans.

Our appraisers can visit your operations facility and perform an on-site personal inspection and discuss your business directly or complete a “desktop” appraisal based on the information you provide to us, including detailed asset listings and photographs.

The experienced appraisers at Equipment Appraisal Services have been completing these types of fully researched valuations for decades and can meet the demands of any machinery & equipment appraisal assignment across all markets & industries. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you as a key component to your ongoing business projects.

Machinery & Equipment appraisers know from experience that the overwhelming majority of their valuations involves the Sales Comparison (Market) and/or Cost Approaches to value. The income approach is primarily utilized for business appraisals with a few exceptions which allow the tangible equipment to be valued as independently income driven assets.

The challenge becomes which of the two approaches makes the most sense given the scope of work, premise of value and overall perspective of the project involved. Based on our experience at Equipment Appraisal Services, we have found that regardless of the above variables, relying on components of both the Sales Comparison Approach (commonly referred to as the “Market Approach”) and the Cost Approach for each valuation project produce the most credible, realistic and supportable results.

Under the Sales Comparison Approach, researching and properly interpreting the available data in the marketplace for assets very similar to those being appraised is critical to the analysis. Understanding the nuances between asking prices, recent listings, opinions of resale value and the market level at which the machines are traded are all important to the appraisal process.

With the Cost Approach, deriving the data pertaining to replacement cost new, useful life and depreciation should come directly from the specific markets and industries in which the assets are working in. Gathering new pricing information for the make and model of the machinery, along with opinions from third parties who buy and sell these assets is far more reliable than broad multi-industry trends and straight line depreciation.

The experienced appraisers at Equipment Appraisal Services have been completing these types of fully researched valuations for decades and can meet the demands of any machinery & equipment appraisal assignment across all markets & industries. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you as a key component to your ongoing business projects.

What Kind of Equipment is Covered in a Marine Vessel Appraisal? 

• Inland Barges: Though much of the midwest and west was settled because of river traffic, many people don't consider this type of transport anymore, despite its function to keep things moving that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive, such as aggregate, sand, grain, trash, oil, timber, metal ores or other bulky, heavy goods, providing a much-needed, inexpensive option to move these materials to market.
• Offshore Barges: Rivers aren't the only places that you'll see barges moving materials, though offshore barges tend to be larger and with more displacement than their smaller riverboat counterparts. Offshore barges are able to move a wide range of materials between points on the shoreline, without going further afield in many cases due to rougher weather and waterways that may be found further from the coast. At the same time, their smaller engines help provide a more economic option for moving bulk goods.
• Tugboats and Pushboats: Whether it's pulling barges off of sandbars or similar obstructions, getting large ships safely out to sea before their main engines are engaged, shuttling barges at a loading station or any number of other circumstances, tugboats and pushboats are powerful marine vessels that do a wonderful job of getting much larger ships underway, typically sticking closer to shore for the majority of the time to avoid choppier waters further out to sea.
• Hopper Barges: When large amounts of material must be moved, unpowered hopper barges are often chained together, creating a waterborne train of material. This provides the option to move large amounts of material without having to have numerous navigators or crews manning the different vessels, as one is simply pulled along behind the other. This allows a single crew to pull thousands of tons of material along a set course without a lot of extra manpower.
• Oilfield Support Vessels: Offshore oil platforms and drilling rigs need a wide range of materials, changes in crew, new parts for the rig and a number of other items that have to be exchanged at a dizzying rate. Food, medicine, protective equipment, pipeline, couplers, experts, oncoming and offboarding crew members and a wide range of other people and items are carried by oilfield support vessels, providing an inexpensive alternative to spendy helicopter rides for many petroleum companies.

By having a marine vessel appraisal performed on your equipment, you can gain valuable insights into its condition, expected useful lifespan and several other important pieces of information that will help you better manage your equipment assets. However, it's of vital importance that you have the appraisal performed by an accredited equipment appraiser, who will provide you with a properly calculated estimate of your marine assets' value.

What Happens During an Oil & Gas Pipeline Equipment Valuation?

When your oil & gas pipeline equipment is appraised by an accredited equipment appraiser, there are a number of steps taken to ensure the value that is estimated is accurate to your specific equipment's capabilities and condition. These steps help the appraiser compare your equipment to similar machinery in the industry and estimate a fair value based on this information. But what kind of equipment is appraised? In addition to the pipeline itself, the appraiser will also look at components such as control valves, tanks, wellheads, pumps, rods, vertical separators, and, virtually every piece of equipment that is part of your pipeline. If you have computers that are used in monitoring your pipeline status, if you have heavy equipment for maintenance and repairs, if you have emergency response equipment for dealing with these types of events all of these assets can be appraised as part of your overall equipment base, ensuring that you have a complete estimate of value. The appraiser will look at the specific manufacturers and models for each item, as well as its age and condition.

They will also look at the overall demand for that type of equipment, which can impact value, as well as how well the equipment has been maintained and repaired over the years. All of these factors will be taken into account when estimating value. If a piece of equipment has been well-cared for, it will have a materially higher value than one that has been abused or left without proper maintenance. This is all reflected in the appraiser's analysis. If the market for pipeline equipment is especially active, such as when the Bakken oil formation took off a decade or so ago, that demand will be reflected in the value of your equipment. If the industry is going through a slump due to lower oil prices, demand for that equipment may decrease, which will also be reflected in your asset value. Many factors feed into estimating machinery value, which all must be taken into account by an accredited equipment appraiser.

By having an oil & gas pipeline equipment valuation performed on your petroleum product machinery, you'll have a better idea of what it's worth, how long you can expect it to continue to operate economically, and an understanding of it's overall condition and demand in the industry as a whole. This provides you with valuable insights to help you better manage your oil & gas pipeline business effectively and efficiently, making it less risky to make important decisions when opportunities present themselves to your business for solid growth.

What Kind of Equipment is Evaluated During a Graphic Arts Printing Equipment Appraisal?

• Sheetfed Offset Presses: Used for a wide range of different printing purposes, sheetfed offset presses are often at the heart of businesses that provide a number of products in different sizes, including newspapers, advertisements, postcards and similar paper products. Because sheetfed offset presses deal better with this range of sizes, it provides superior flexibility in daily operations.
• Web Presses: Producing documents using huge rolls of paper rather than individual sheets, web presses deliver efficiency and economy for many businesses, providing a better option for mass production operations. However, it represents a serious investment for many businesses, which can be rolled into your balance sheet for more accurate figures.
• Pre-Press Equipment: From high-end computers that are designed to handle the burden of graphics design to the specialty equipment you use for providing proofs to clients prior to mass production, your pre-press equipment keeps orders rolling in without getting in the way of your mainstream operations.
• Bindery Equipment: As anyone in the business can tell you, what the product looks like on the press can be very different than the finished product. Folders, stitchers, trimmers and similar machinery help turn loose paper into a quality finished product, with sharp folds, quality binding and neat edges.
• Materials Handling Equipment: When you need to move pallets of paper or other material to keep your presses rolling, the equipment you use in this process is the lifeblood of your business, keeping things from grinding to a halt when a new shipment arrives or a machine needs to be replenished to continue getting the job done.
• Shipping Equipment: Unless you run a local-only shop, you're probably going to have to ship your products to your customers. Whether it's shipping scales, conveyor belts, packaging machinery or similar equipment, being able to get your finished product boxed and out the door helps keep your workspace free for operational purposes.

What's Covered During a Family Entertainment Center Asset Valuation?

• Games: Whether it's the machinery that is the backbone of your bowling alley, a few video games on the way through or a whole complex of carnival-style games, you've put a lot of money into these entertainment assets. An accredited equipment appraiser can properly calculate the estimated value of this equipment, making it easier to decide when it's time to replace a less-popular game or one that's beginning to show signs of aging.
• Facility Maintenance Equipment: Keeping your facility clean and looking great is an important part of how your business is viewed in terms of public opinion, which in turn can drive more - or less - business in your direction. Knowing the value of steam cleaners, landscaping equipment or floor buffers allows you to get a fair deal when it's time to replace them for an upgraded model.
• Kitchen Machinery: Maybe your business has a snack bar, or it could be a full-scale restaurant that feeds hungry families during a busy day of making memories. No matter the level of complexity or size, an equipment valuation can include your kitchen and restaurant equipment, making it easier to decide if it's time to switch out your soda fountain machinery or if you should focus on a new refrigerator instead.
• Computers: If you're still working with an older system, you've probably considered whether it's time to change it out for a tablet-based system that provides more options. But how will you know when it's time to make the change based on your current system's value? Having an appraisal done will make it easier to decide, because you'll know what your current system will bring in when it's sold.
• Security Assets: With the situations families can face these days and the lowering cost of security features, many family entertainment centers have added cameras, trackers and sensors to help keep their patrons of all ages safe and sound. But those assets have a value that can be leveraged when it's time to make upgrades to your facility. Knowing what those assets are worth can make it easier to document your company's value.

Whether you're facing a potential court case, legal settlement, mediation or negotiation, knowing how to present the value of your equipment is of vital importance. Unfortunately, there are many situations where that value may be a matter of dispute. How do you independently and accurately explain what your machinery is worth? One of the best ways to do this is through an Expert Witness Appraisal Report. This type of valuation takes a detailed external look at the value of your assets that may be involved in a business dispute that is being litigated. Here's a summary of how this type of appraisal can help support your equipment values.

How Does an Expert Witness Appraisal Report Help Settle Your Business Dispute?

When you're facing a potential court case or other legal action, it is vitally important to independently support and ultimately prove your side of the case. In situations where damages are being measured in part based on the value of your tangible assets, an expert witness equipment appraiser can provide you with a solid way of doing this.

In a similar fashion, an experienced expert witness equipment appraiser can testify in deposition, arbitration or court as to the methodology and opinions of value derived in the report itself. An accredited equipment appraiser who has experience with these types of engagements, can provide the necessary expertise to discuss their background and specific details involved with the appraisal.

The information they rely on from you should include the equipment's age, make, model, capacity and other specifications, as well as repair and maintenance history during the asset's lifespan. With all of this information at hand, as well as the expert appraiser's independent research and analysis, the valuation report will be highly supportable and credible in the view of attorneys, judges, juries, and arbitration panels.

Regardless of the specific business dispute that is being litigated, an experienced equipment appraiser can structure the expert report to focus on the measurable levels of value that directly impact the case, while bringing available independent market data and accepted appraisal techniques to the forefront of the case. Based on the experience and expertise of an independent equipment appraiser who can provide a supportable and credible valuation report, you will be able to confidently argue your case. The methodologies and approaches utilized by the appraiser should be in conformity with both the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), who are considered two of the top tier independent valuation organizations in the world, and are accepted in a wide range of circles for all appraisal needs.

By understanding what an expert witness appraisal report can do for you when faced with a business dispute under litigation, you can ensure that the value of your tangible equipment assets are being accurately and fairly represented. It is of critical importance that you work with an accredited equipment appraiser who has ample experience with preparing these expert reports as well a resume with a history of recent trial and deposition testimony. This gives you the best opportunity to realize a favorable outcome with your case.

You've got a lot of equipment tied up in your aggregate, grading or earthmoving operation, but what's the value of that machinery? When you have an aggregate equipment appraisal performed on your machinery, you can find out a lot about its estimated value, expected remaining lifespan and similar information that makes it much easier to make smart decisions for your aggregate business. But what exactly is involved in the overall process? Here's a quick look at how this type of appraisal is handled and what you can expect from the results.

How is an Aggregate Equipment Appraisal Handled?

 When you need to have your aggregate equipment appraised, this can cover a larger range of machinery than you might expect. Your large dump trucks, earthmoving equipment such as loaders and backhoes, crushing and screening equipment, conveyor belts and similar equipment can all be appraised by the same professional in most cases. The appraiser will need to know a range of different information, such as manufacturers, model numbers, year of manufacture, the number of hours on the equipment, the availability of any maintenance and repair records, the type of environment it's been used in and similar information.

But why is all of this information necessary for the appraisal process? Much like with used cars and trucks, some manufacturers and models have a better reputation than others with regards to quality and longevity. This reputation and the performance that has built it will impact the future overall useful life of the equipment, which in turn has a strong impact on the equipment's market value.

Similarly, from a condition viewpoint, a piece of equipment that has obvious signs of abuse or neglect is going to have a lower resale value than one that has been well-cared for over the years. If the assets have been well maintained, including taking the time for necessary component rebuilds and replacements completed over its lifespan, the effective age of the machine as a whole will be less than the chronological age, which can play a significant role in appraised value. All of these factors can impact your equipment's current fair market value.

Once that information has been gathered, the appraiser will work through the available market data and analysis to estimate your equipment's value. This information is carefully condensed into an appraisal report, which provides you with the sources and data that has gone into the overall work product. The report can then be utilized for re-financing, potential sale, insurance claims, legal settlement or any other ongoing business activity.

By having an aggregate equipment appraisal performed on your machinery, you can quickly determine the estimated value of your equipment as well as a lot of other useful information that can help you make smarter business decisions. However, this information is most accurate when you have the appraisal performed by an accredited third-party equipment appraisal specialist who doesn't have any interest in the outcome of the calculated value of your equipment the way that an equipment dealer may. Make sure to ask your prospective appraiser about their background and accreditation to ensure the best results.