Reach stackers are the machines that make intermodal yards function. A container handler lifts straight up. A reach stacker extends its boom out and over, setting containers in the second and third row of a stack without the machine needing to drive into a lane it cannot later exit. That reach capability is what turns a simple container yard into a high-density operation.
The price tag matches the capability. New reach stackers from Kalmar, Hyster, Taylor, and Sany run from roughly $700,000 to over $1,200,000 for full-spec models rated to handle loaded 45-metric-ton containers. Used units with serviceable hours trade between $200,000 and $600,000 depending on manufacturer, hours, and configuration. This is big-ticket equipment that requires a lender who knows the category.
We finance reach stackers from $50,000, though in practice most transactions run well above that floor given machine pricing. New or used, purchase orequipment lease,sale-leasebackon equipment you already own. B and C credit are considered. Transactions typically close in seven to fourteen days.
If your operation runs both reach stackers andstandard container handlers, we can structure a combined facility covering the whole fleet. We also regularly fundempty-container handlersfor yards that separate their handling fleet by load state.
What Defines a Reach Stacker Versus Other Container Equipment
The defining feature of a reach stacker is the telescoping boom with a top-lift spreader. The machine drives on four large rubber tires, the boom extends forward and outward from the machine's chassis, and the spreader locks onto the corner castings of ISO containers. This design lets the operator lift a container in the first row, retract or extend the boom, and place it in a second or third row without repositioning the machine's body.
Stacking height is the key operational spec. Most reach stackers can stack three containers high in the first row and two high in the second row. Some models designed for rail operations can reach four high. Capacity at maximum extension is lower than at minimum reach, and the load chart governs every pick. Operators who push past the chart create structural risk; quality reach stackers have electronic load moment indicators to prevent overload.
Used reach stackers from established manufacturers hold value better than most people expect. A Kalmar DRF 420 or a Hyster ReachStacker with 12,000 documented hours and a good maintenance history is still a productive machine with real resale value. The key is documentation. Machines with missing service records are harder to value and harder to finance. We tell you that up front rather than getting two weeks into an approval and discovering the issue.
- Standard ISO container spreader locks to 20-foot, 40-foot, and 45-foot container sizes
- Typical rated capacity: 45 metric tons in first lift position, less at extended reach
- Load moment indicators are standard on most post-2010 machines
- Diesel powertrains dominate; some hybrid and battery-electric models entering the market
Who Finances Reach Stackers
The buyer profile for reach-stacker financing clusters around a specific set of operations that share one thing: they move ISO containers at volume and need density in their yard layout.
Port terminals and container depotsare the core users. A terminal that handles significant TEU volume needs machines that can stack and retrieve containers without constant aisle management. Reach stackers are the standard equipment for that function at inland depots and smaller port operations that do not run rail-mounted gantry cranes.
Intermodal rail rampsare a large part of the reach-stacker market. When containers come off a train, they need to be sorted, stacked, and transferred to truck chassis for drayage. Reach stackers do that work at most inland intermodal facilities, including operations serving major rail carriers at their ramp locations across the country.
Shipping lines and container leasing companiesoperate container depots where empty boxes are stored between shipments. Reach stackers are the primary handling equipment at those facilities.
For operators in theports and intermodalsector, reach stackers are often the highest-value single piece of equipment in the operation. Getting the financing right matters as much as getting the machine right. We work with operators at all scales, from a single-machine startup depot to a multi-unit fleet expansion.
Financing Structures for Reach Stackers
Reach-stacker transactions at the new-unit price range of $700,000 to $1,200,000 typically require more documentation than our application-only threshold covers. Application-only works for transactions under $400,000. Above that, we bring in supplemental financial documentation, which usually means two to three years of business tax returns and recent financial statements. The underwriting is still faster than a conventional bank process, but the documentation requirement is real.
Used reach stacker deals that fall below the $400,000 threshold, which includes many serviceable high-hour units from major manufacturers, can qualify for application-only treatment: recent operating statements and the purchase details are sufficient.
Structure options:
- Equipment loan:Fixed payments over 36 to 84 months. You own the machine and retain any residual value at end of term.
- Operating or FMV lease:Lower monthly payments, with a return or purchase option at the end of the term. Useful for operators who want off-balance-sheet treatment or anticipate upgrading the machine.
- Sale-leaseback:Sell a machine you own to free up capital, lease it back at a fixed monthly. The machine stays in your yard; the cash goes to your account.
For sale-leaseback transactions, we will need to establish current market value with our equipment desk's appraisal process. That adds a few days but is not a barrier for machines with documented maintenance histories.
Get Your Reach Stacker Financed
Kalmar, Hyster, Taylor, Sany, or another manufacturer. New or used, port or inland depot. We finance reach stackers and can package them withheavy-duty yard equipmentin a single deal. Tell us what you need and we will have a structure back to you fast.