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For decades, the skidder was the workhorse of British forestry. Long before harvester-head computer screens and GPS-equipped forwarders became standard, skidders were the machines dragging felled stems out of deep valleys, peat bogs, and spruce plantations. Even today, in a UK industry dominated by cut-to-length systems, skidders still earn their keep in steep ground, remote stands, and specialist low-impact operations.
Although new skidders are now rarely sold into the UK, the existing fleet remains active, and the used skidder market is both eclectic and surprisingly resilient. Contractors, forestry service firms and independent tree outfits continue to buy, rebuild and repurpose skidders where they provide an operational advantage over other extraction methods.
For those businesses, having the right finance partner is just as important as choosing the right machine. That’s where Gable Business Finance comes in. With deep experience in forestry and heavy equipment funding, Gable helps logging companies, forestry service providers, and independent contractors acquire and upgrade skidders without draining working capital.
It’s true that skidders are less common in the UK today than they were in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The combination of harvesters and forwarders has dramatically improved the efficiency of cut-to-length operations, particularly in large-scale conifer plantations. But that does not mean the skidder has disappeared. Instead, its role has become more specialist, and in some situations, irreplaceable.
You’re most likely to find skidders working in:
In all these roles, the skidder still earns its place by combining brute force with relatively simple mechanics. That simplicity is part of the appeal: in an era of highly electronic machines, the ability to diagnose and repair a skidder with basic tools is valuable for operators far from dealerships or workshops.
Because new sales are rare, the UK market is dominated by used and imported skidders. Machines may arrive from Scandinavia, Central Europe, North America, or be traded among UK contractors. No single brand dominates, but several names recur consistently in fleets and auction listings.
John Deere is one of the world’s best-known forestry brands, and its skidders still feature heavily in UK operations. Older models like the 440, 540, 640 and 648 remain popular, as do later series with grapple options. Contractors value Deere skidders for:
Caterpillar skidders are synonymous with heavy-duty performance. While less numerous than Deere in some regions, they still appear regularly in UK used sales. Their reputation for:
makes them attractive buys for demanding extraction work.
Before the brand was absorbed into the John Deere group, Timberjack was one of Europe’s most successful forestry manufacturers. Its skidders were built for tough working lives in harsh climates, and many are still going strong.
Timberjack skidders remain popular among UK contractors because they strike a balance between:
The Faulstone Skidder holds a special place in UK forestry history. Built as a clever conversion of the Ford County tractor combined with an Igland winch, the Faulstone acted as an affordable, versatile skidder solution. Many of these iconic machines are still working today on estates and in smaller contracting fleets.
From Slovakia, LKT skidders have carved out a niche in steep, challenging ground. Their robust construction and powerful winches make them well-suited to UK upland conditions. Alongside LKT, other European makes occasionally appear in UK auctions and dealer yards, adding to the variety of available machines.
Put simply, the UK skidder fleet is a patchwork of makes, vintages and specifications. That diversity can be a strength, but it also means that traditional lenders often struggle to value and finance skidders correctly. Gable Business Finance bridges that gap with sector expertise and flexible asset-based funding.
Despite being a niche market, there is a clear profile of businesses that still invest in skidders. These fall into three main categories, each with distinct requirements and finance needs.
Large and mid-sized logging companies harvesting softwood and mixed stands rely on skidders where:
For these businesses, skidders are often part of a wider fleet that includes harvesters, forwarders, loading shovels and haulage trucks. Finance decisions are therefore typically part of broader fleet planning—and cashflow management is critical.
Forestry service companies offer a range of services: thinning, clear-fell, site preparation, storm damage clearance, replanting, and sometimes estate management. Skidders fit into these operations as:
Because their work is often contract-based, these firms need finance structures that can adapt to changing workloads and machinery utilisation across the year.
Smaller independent contractors—often operating one or two machines—may buy skidders to support:
Independent contractors are typically very cost-conscious. They may seek older skidders at lower purchase prices, but still require finance to avoid tying up all available cash. Flexible terms and the ability to finance high-hour machines are crucial here.
Financing a new tractor or van is straightforward. Financing a 20-year-old Timberjack skidder imported from Slovakia is not. That’s where many mainstream lenders step back—and where Gable Business Finance steps forward.
Gable understands:
This sector knowledge allows Gable to provide finance where others won’t, and to design repayment structures that recognise the realities of forestry work—winter-dominated felling seasons, variable timber prices, and the need to keep working capital available for fuel, labour, and repairs.
Gable Business Finance offers a broad range of products that can be tailored specifically to skidder purchases, rebuilds and fleet strategy. The most commonly used solutions are summarised below.
Hire Purchase remains the most popular route for acquiring skidders in the UK. It’s simple, predictable and ownership-focused.
Because skidders can remain functional for many years beyond the finance term, HP works well: by the time the last payment is made, the machine may still have years of productive life ahead, during which it earns income free of finance costs.
Finance leasing provides access to a skidder without immediate ownership. It is effectively a structured rental with potential options at the end.
Leasing can suit businesses that prefer not to own older machines outright, or who expect to rotate equipment regularly to match changing contract demands.
Forestry businesses frequently have value tied up in existing kit—forwarders, tractors, excavators, loaders, even yard equipment. Asset refinance allows this value to be unlocked while the business continues using the machinery.
Refinance is especially useful in forestry because it recognises that older machines still have commercial value—and that contractors often prefer improving existing kit rather than buying entirely new.
Not every skidder-related financial need involves a full purchase. Sometimes the requirement is:
Unsecured business loans can provide the required capital without tying the finance directly to an asset. They can be used alongside HP or leasing, or as a bridge while longer-term solutions are being arranged.
Forestry contractors may need:
These are covered by Gable’s:
When you’re investing in a skidder—especially in a market dominated by used machines—flexibility and speed are just as important as the headline interest rate. Gable Business Finance builds its propositions around the practical needs of forestry businesses.
Let’s look at how different buyer groups in the UK forestry sector typically use skidder finance in practice.
For logging companies, skidders are strategic assets. They’re typically financed through:
Because logging firms handle large volumes of timber, small improvements in extraction efficiency can significantly affect profit margins. A well-financed skidder that integrates smoothly into the fleet can improve both productivity and cashflow.
Forestry service providers often work on a mix of:
Their income is sometimes irregular, following contracts rather than a steady weekly billing pattern. As a result, they benefit from:
Smaller independent contractors may not run a full-time skidder fleet; instead, they might bring a skidder in for:
They often:
Gable’s willingness to fund older kit, and to look beyond simple age-based criteria, makes finance accessible where mainstream lenders may decline.
The best way to understand how finance for skidders works in practice is through real-world examples. The following case studies are based on typical situations faced by:
A mid-sized logging company in northern England had been running an older Timberjack cable skidder alongside a newer forwarder. As harvesting volumes increased, they needed a more powerful machine to handle heavier spruce and larch on steep ground. They identified a used John Deere grapple skidder from a Scandinavian dealer—well-priced, proven, but more cash than they wanted to commit upfront.
Gable Business Finance structured a Hire Purchase agreement with:
VAT was deferred until reclaim, enabling the logging company to fund the deal efficiently. Because the skidder had strong residual value, the overall cost of finance remained competitive, and the business benefited from significantly faster extraction on its key sites.
A forestry services company working across Scotland and northern England specialised in thinning, small clear-fells, and estate woodland management. They were offered a well-maintained Timberjack skidder by a retiring contractor. The machine’s price was attractive, but the business needed to keep working capital available for fuel, wages, and replanting.
Gable provided finance via a Finance Lease, with:
This allowed the company to add the Timberjack to its fleet without committing to ownership from day one, while still retaining the operational flexibility a skidder brings to mixed forestry contracts.
An independent contractor in Wales, working primarily on traditional estate woodlands and farm forestry, owned a classic Faulstone skidder. The machine had been reliable for many years, but both winch and engine were showing signs of age. A major refurbishment was needed—new winch drum, hydraulic upgrades, engine work and tyres.
Rather than scrapping the machine, the contractor approached Gable for help. Gable arranged an unsecured business loan to cover the full restoration cost, with:
The result was a revitalised skidder at a fraction of the cost of buying another machine, with costs spread comfortably over time.
A contractor specialising in steep-ground extraction in Scotland secured a contract in a particularly challenging glen. A robust LKT skidder available in Central Europe proved ideal, but the contractor needed rapid access to finance in order to secure the machine before another buyer stepped in.
Gable used its forestry experience to quickly assess the value and condition of the LKT, then put in place a Hire Purchase agreement with:
The contractor secured the machine, completed the contract successfully and retained the LKT for future steep-ground projects.
A logging company running a single CAT skidder identified an opportunity to take on a new contract requiring a second machine. Rather than approach their bank for a traditional loan, they chose to refinance the CAT (which was nearly paid off) along with a forwarder they owned outright.
Gable valued the two machines and arranged an asset refinance package that:
The result was a two-skidder operation, greater resilience in case of breakdowns, and a more efficient finance structure.
A forestry service provider spotted a clean Timberjack skidder at a machinery auction, with very low hours for its age. They had not planned for a purchase at that point, but recognised it as a rare opportunity.
Gable provided a short-term bridging loan that:
The contractor secured a valuable addition to their fleet, without having to withdraw large sums of cash at short notice.
A small contractor specialising in hedgerow removal, shelterbelt thinning and farm forestry across northern England needed a compact skidder with good manoeuvrability and relatively low ground pressure. They found an older, smaller machine at a competitive price, but did not want to exhaust their savings.
Gable arranged a shorter-term HP agreement with:
The contractor secured the machine, maintained adequate working capital, and gained the ability to bid on larger jobs requiring mechanised extraction.
Selecting the best finance option for a skidder involves more than just looking at the monthly payment. Forestry businesses should consider:
Gable’s forestry finance specialists can talk through these factors and help construct a tailored solution that works not just numerically, but strategically.
What sets Gable apart is not just the variety of finance products, but the understanding of how forestry actually works. When you call Gable to discuss skidder finance, you’re talking to people who:
The typical process looks like this:
Looking ahead, skidders are likely to remain a specialist but important part of the UK forestry toolkit. As timber harvesting becomes more targeted and integrated with biodiversity and carbon objectives, there will always be stands and ground conditions where:
In this environment, having access to specialist skidder finance ensures that businesses of all sizes—from large logging companies to independent contractors—can continue to invest in the machinery that suits their work, not just what the mainstream finance market finds easiest to understand.
Skidders may no longer dominate British forestry in the way they once did, but they remain vital in many operations. The diversity of the UK skidder fleet—from John Deere, CAT and Timberjack machines to Faulstones and LKTs—reflects a sector that values proven engineering and practical performance.
For businesses that still rely on skidders, finance is no longer a simple matter of ticking a box on a bank form. It demands a lender who understands the nuances of forestry machinery, the realities of seasonal cashflow, and the true long-term value of a well-maintained machine. Gable Business Finance brings that expertise and flexibility together, offering practical, tailored funding solutions for:
Whether you’re importing an LKT, refurbishing a Faulstone, or adding a John Deere skidder to a growing fleet, Gable can help you structure finance that works as hard and as reliably as the machine itself.