If you are a contractor in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, or Ghana, you have probably asked yourself this question: should I buy one brand new asphalt plant, or two used ones for the same budget?
On the surface, buying two used plants sounds smarter — more capacity, lower upfront cost. But Africa is not Europe. Your job site has dust, bad roads, unstable power, and limited skilled workers.
Let’s stop guessing. Let’s do the math.
The Assumption (Real African Market Case)
For comparison, we are looking at a 120 ton per hour stationary plant. A brand new unit costs around 280,000 US dollars. Two used units of the same size, aged 5 to 7 years old, cost about 150,000 dollars each, totaling 300,000 dollars.
Shipping to Africa costs about 15,000 dollars for the new plant, but 30,000 dollars for two used plants because of double the weight and volume. Installation and training are included by the factory for the new plant. For the used ones, you have to pay local mechanics out of your own pocket. A new plant runs 10 hours per day reliably. A used plant typically runs only 6 to 7 hours per day because breakdowns are common. Fuel consumption is another big difference. A new plant uses 5.5 to 6 kilograms of fuel per ton of asphalt. An old plant burns 7.5 to 8.5 kilograms per ton.
Year One — Real Cost Comparison
Let’s start with the new plant.
It produces 120 tons per hour times 10 hours, which equals 1,200 tons per day. Downtime per month is only about 8 hours for minor fixes. Fuel cost per ton is 5.5 US dollars. Assuming local diesel at 0.9 dollars per liter, the monthly fuel cost is 1,200 tons times 25 days times 5.5 dollars, which comes to 16,500 dollars. Repair cost in year one is around 1,500 dollars, just for wear parts.
Now let’s look at the two used plants.
On paper, each plant produces 120 tons per hour times 6 hours, which equals 720 tons per day per plant. Two plants together would give you 1,440 tons per day — higher than the new plant. But here is the reality: in African job site conditions, one of the two used plants is always broken. The real availability is about 60 percent. So your real daily output is only 900 to 1,000 tons.
Fuel cost per ton is 8 dollars. Monthly fuel cost is 1,000 tons times 25 days times 8 dollars, which equals 20,000 dollars. That is 3,500 dollars more per month than the new plant. Repair cost in year one for two used plants is between 25,000 and 40,000 dollars. You will need new bearings, a burner, drum lining, and you will face electrical faults. Think about that extra 3,500 dollars in fuel every month. That adds up to 42,000 dollars in one year alone. That money could buy you half of a brand new burner.
Which One Pays Back Faster?
Let us assume your profit per ton of asphalt is 15 dollars after material costs.
The new plant produces 30,000 tons per month (1,200 tons times 25 days). Monthly revenue is 450,000 dollars. Subtract monthly fuel and repair cost of roughly 18,000 dollars, and your monthly net profit is 432,000 dollars.
The two used plants produce roughly 25,000 tons per month. Monthly revenue is 375,000 dollars. Subtract monthly fuel and repair cost of roughly 50,000 dollars, and your monthly net profit is 325,000 dollars. That means the new plant earns 107,000 dollars more per month than the two used plants.
Now for payback period. The new plant has a total cost of about 295,000 dollars (280k purchase plus 15k shipping). Divide that by 432,000 dollars monthly profit, and you get 0.68 months. That is less than three weeks. The used plants have a total cost of about 330,000 dollars (300k purchase plus 30k shipping). Divide that by 325,000 dollars monthly profit, and you get 1.02 months. That is about four weeks.
So the new plant pays back only one week later than the used plants. But after that, it keeps earning over 100,000 dollars extra every single month.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Tells You About Used Plants in Africa
Let me list the real problems you will face.
First, no wiring diagram. Your local electrician guesses how to connect things, and ends up burning the control panel.
Second, a worn dryer drum. This gives you 30 percent lower heating efficiency, which means much more diesel burned.
Third, an old baghouse filter. This causes black smoke, which leads to government fines or even a shutdown order.
Fourth, no spare parts in stock. You will have to wait 45 to 60 days for parts from China or Turkey. Meanwhile, your project delay penalties are adding up.
Fifth, no training. Your workers overheat the bearings and break the main shaft.
In Africa, time is not money. Time is penalty. If your road project delays by two months, you may lose your entire contract deposit.
When Should You Actually Buy Used Plants?
You should only buy used plants if all of the following are true. First, you have a full-time experienced mechanic — not just an electrician, but a real plant mechanic. Second, you already have a container full of spare parts sitting in your yard. Third, your project is small, under 50,000 tons, and short, under 6 months. Fourth, you are buying from a site you personally inspected inside and out.
Otherwise, buy new. But buy smart.
Why Our New Plants Work Better for Africa
We do not just sell you a container with a sticker on it.
We offer dual power option, so your plant can run on a generator or an unstable power grid.
We install a heavy-duty dust collector that handles local aggregate with high dust content.
We provide a simple PLC control system with local language options including English, French, and Swahili.
We keep spare parts in stock in Lagos, Nairobi, and Dar es Salaam. Common parts can be delivered within 48 hours.
And we include one full month of on-site training. We teach your workers, not just install the machine and leave.
The Final Answer — Short Version
A new plant pays back in roughly three weeks. Two used plants pay back in roughly four weeks. The difference is only one week.
But after six months, the new plant has made about 2.5 million dollars in profit and is still running like day one. The two used plants have made about 1.5 million dollars in profit, and one of them is already scrapped.
If your project lasts more than six months, buy new.
If you want to grow from a road contractor into a serious plant owner, buy new.
Want a One-on-One Payback Calculation for Your Specific Project in Africa?
Send us your daily tonnage needed, your project duration in months, and your local diesel price in dollars per liter.
We will send you a custom Excel sheet comparing new versus used plants for your exact situation. This is completely free with no obligation.
