Meet Don Aro: Certified Equipment Appraiser

April 30, 2021 | Troy Clark

Troy: Congratulations on securing the highest level of AMEA certification, your Certified Equipment Appraiser (CEA) status and passing your USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) certification! How do you see the value of this? Don: Thank you! Becoming a certified AMEA appraiser and having passed my USPAP training, allows me...

5 Real Tips on Selling Your Machines... Fast!

April 23, 2021 | Troy Clark

Here are 5 suggestions that I always make when I am presented with machinery a customer wants me to broker for them. My conviction is that the five suggestions below enable most situations to be win-win for both seller and buyer. 1. Clean the machine. I just sold an Okuma Cadet LNC-8...

True Confessions: Why I Joined the MDNA

April 15, 2021 | Troy Clark

I’ve never been impressed by status. Growing up in Indiana there was no room for prestige or titles in farm country. You were known by your actions and your integrity. There were plenty of bragging rights, like – who could run down the back lane the fastest or solve the Rubik’s cube or take the trash out to the burn-barrel at night without getting scared. But school...

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a New Machine, Part 3

April 2, 2021 | Troy Clark

In our past two articles we have shared two of the three primary mistakes buyers of new machinery sometimes make. These observations are from our vantage point when assessing value and potential resale desirability. Not the sole focus when buying new, but certainly worthy to consider as we have seen it bring heartache once the machine has been expensed...

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying New Machines, Part 2

March 26, 2021 | Troy Clark

Our previous blog referenced 3 basic mistakes we have seen our customers make when purchasing new machines from their OEM dealer of choice. The first article addressed what we have seen when lathes are purchased. Our recommendation, while not dramatic, was – when possible always include a tailstock (not to mention live milling or Y-axis… we can...

Mistakes to Avoid when Buying New Machines, Part 1

March 16, 2021 | Troy Clark

Ever wish you knew more? I do. I always wish I knew more because when I don’t know enough is when I experience disappointment. And the more I grow in my professional life, the more I realize my limitations. But I keep growing. I used to be a college kid, now I’ve got two kids of my own. I used to be a salesman, now I’m a business owner. My business grew and...

Top of Mind in Arkansas

February 26, 2021 | Troy Clark

Last fall a great customer shot me an email, “Troy, if you can find me another Haas ST30SSY , just like the other one you sold me, I’d have interest.” Say no more! When one of your best customers asks anything of you – you jump to it! This customer is very special to me. I have been...

Our Culture and Your Machines

February 17, 2021 | Troy Clark

The famous management guru, Peter Drucker, is cited as having made the claim, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” We’re big on strategy and I bet you are too. But, we have found that the DNA of our company culture is the driving force of all our strategy. What is that culture and what does it mean for our customers and colleagues that count on us for dependable...

The Okuma Hat Trick: Three Solutions at Once

February 5, 2021 | Troy Clark

Every once in a while we’re able to help the right hand find the left hand and get a deal done. But sometimes a third hand is needed to make the circle whole. In August of 2020, we took a call from an oil & gas manufacturer in Texas who was struggling because of the low oil prices and Covid-19 slow down. He’d been referred to us by a local...

Wishing You a Wonderful Holiday Season!

December 23, 2020 | Troy Clark

The Team at Clark Machinery Sales wishes you and your family peace and joy this holiday season. In 2020, more than in any other year, we have been impressed by our marvelous customers, partners, and vendors. Merry Christmas!

Do Haas EC-500 sell in the used market?

December 21, 2020 | Troy Clark

One question that has always bedeviled machinery dealers (and therefor shop owners as well) is this: “Why don’t all machines sell all the time?” Another way to put the question would be, “Why do certain machines sell quickly this year and sit around the next?” Thank you for sharing our pain! Here’s our thoughts on it. Over a year ago we were...

How to Pronounce "Fanuc"

December 14, 2020 | Troy Clark

Is it Fanuc or Fanuc? Sounds ridiculous, but for the past 20 years of my buying and selling machines I have heard manufacturers, dealers and technicians pronounce the name of this storied CNC Control manufacturer differently. Shoot, I’ll even say it differently depending on the day or on the machine...

The "Hurry-up" Call. Getting your machine to market ASAP!

December 9, 2020 | Troy Clark

It can happen anytime during the year. We have a name for it, we call it, The "Hurry-up" call. You ordered a machine, snagged a great deal from the new Doosan or Haas dealer (insert OEM of choice here), or from the friendly competitor down the road… and now you realize you need the floor space for the incoming machine...

End of Year Buying Guide

December 7, 2020 | Troy Clark

All too often a customer will receive a call from their financial officer in the final weeks of December with an urgent directive to “spend money now – or pay taxes later!” Sometimes this is for simple tax planning, sometimes specifically to take advantage of Section 179 spending. And generally this results in another phone from the customer to one of our dealers at...

SOLD! Used Doosan VC3600 Vertical Machining Center

November 24, 2020 | Troy Clark

It’s true what they say, “The best laid plans of mice and men…” We plan and strategize, and research markets and target buyers for specific machines to make sure we meet their needs. The Clark Machinery Sales team loves improving our process and is passionate about making sure the right people know about the machines they may need. But with all that...