BPI asset sale generates over £100,000 for Leeds College of Building

Leeds College of Building (LCB) has raised over £110,000 through the sale of surplus joinery machinery, following a planned site restructure.

Founded in 1960, LCB is the UK’s only further education college dedicated exclusively to construction and the built environment. Serving more than 6,500 students, the College remains committed to providing high-quality education and training. As part of this mission, LCB identified the need to upgrade a significant portion of its joinery department.

To make space for newer, more advanced equipment, the College opted to sell its older machinery. This restructuring required a trusted partner to handle the asset sale efficiently and generate capital for reinvestment. Based on an existing working relationship with Industrial Specialist Richard Travis, LCB appointed BPI, a leading online asset disposal specialist.

BPI’s asset disposal solution

BPI recommended selling the machinery via its online auction platform to streamline the process and quickly free up valuable space. This approach enabled LCB to reach a broad pool of potential buyers, encouraging competitive bidding and maximising returns. The company provided a full-service solution, including valuation, cataloguing and photography of over 40 lots of joinery and woodworking machinery.

Notable items included:

•  Weinig Powermat 400

•  CNC-controlled 5-head planer moulder

•  Weinig Rondamat 960 profile grinder

•  SCM Record 110 3-axis CNC router

•  Interwood single daylight heated platen press

•  SCM Olimpic K203 single hot melt edgebander

•  SCM R800 band resaw

•  SCM S520 thicknesser

Sale results

The online auction was a major success, generating over £110,000, exceeding LCB’s expectations by 70%. Over 200 buyers participated, seizing the opportunity to acquire professional-grade, well-maintained machinery. BPI’s extensive industry network and targeted marketing efforts ensured high visibility and strong competition among bidders, resulting in premium sale prices.

BPI also handled logistics and collections, coordinating the safe transport of equipment to its warehouse over two days. This efficient process freed up space at LCB, allowing the timely delivery of new machinery. The entire operation – from initial contact to completion – was wrapped up in just three weeks.

Richard Travis, Industrial Specialist at BPI, commented: “It was a pleasure to be involved in this auction. The seamless process ensured an outstanding result, with the college’s assets outperforming initial estimates by 70%. I was proud to support the sale and wish LCB continued success.”

Sarah Mitchell, Management Accountant at Leeds College of Building, added: “We’re delighted with the service from BPI throughout the entire process. From the initial valuation to final sale, everything was handled professionally and efficiently. The auction results exceeded our expectations and allowed us to make space for new equipment without disruption. We look forward to working with BPI again in the future.”

BPI continues to help businesses unlock capital from underutilised assets – whether restructuring, relocating, upgrading or downsizing. For further information on BPI Asset Disposal Solutions, visit www.bpiauctions.com/assetdisposal.