Buying guides
Straight answers to the questions we hear before every quote.
Regulations and import · 6 min read
600 V power and imported machines: what to check before you order
Canadian plants run 347/600 V at 60 Hz; many imported machines expect 380 or 400 V at 50 Hz. Nameplate checks, transformers and approval explained.
Regulations and import · 7 min read
Canada's single-use plastics rules: what packaging producers need
Canada's single-use plastics rules in 2026: the six banned items, the court fight up to the Supreme Court, and what it means for bag, cup and straw makers.
Regulations and import · 6 min read
CSA approval for imported machinery: marks and field evaluation
How imported machines get approved in Canada: CSA, cUL and cETL marks, SPE-1000 field evaluation, provincial enforcement and what to ask suppliers.
Buying guides · 6 min read
Fiber laser assist gas: oxygen, nitrogen or compressed air?
Oxygen, nitrogen or compressed air on a fiber laser: purity and pressure ranges, supply from cylinders to generators, edge quality and cost drivers.
Buying guides · 6 min read
Financing industrial equipment in Canada: leases, loans and CCA
Leasing vs loans, BDC and EDC options, and the 2026 capital cost allowance rules, including immediate expensing, for manufacturing equipment in Canada.
Buying guides · 7 min read
How many kilowatts does your fiber laser need?
Fiber laser power for Canadian shops: typical thickness by kW for mild steel, stainless and aluminium, assist gases, bed size and when more power pays.
Buying guides · 7 min read
How to size a press brake: tonnage, bending length and tooling
Size a press brake with the air-bending rule of thumb: V-die about 8x thickness, stainless and aluminium factors, bend length, CNC axes and crowning.
Regulations and import · 7 min read
Importing industrial machinery into Canada: customs, duty and tax
How a machine clears Canadian customs in 2026: CARM, HS classification, CUSMA, CETA and CPTPP origin, GST, steel surtaxes and Incoterms.
Buying guides · 7 min read
Laser cutting safety: classes, enclosures, fume extraction and fire
Laser safety for Canadian shops: laser classes, enclosed vs open beds, fume and dust extraction, fire risk, ANSI Z136.1 and provincial rules.
Buying guides · 7 min read
Preparing your floor for machine installation: a site checklist
Site preparation for a new industrial machine: slab and foundation, anchoring, rigging, 600 V power, compressed air, gases, extraction and lighting.
Buying guides · 7 min read
Setting up a cabinet shop: CNC router, edge bander and panel saw
What a CNC router, edge bander and panel saw each do in a cabinet shop, which to buy first, nesting vs sliding table workflow, space, dust and power.
Buying guides · 7 min read
Starting paper bag, cup or tableware production: which machine for which product
Which machine makes which paper product: bag machines by bag type, cup machine speeds and sizes, plate presses, paper gsm, PE coating, space and staff.
Company · 6 min read
Why buy industrial machines through a multi-brand dealer
What a multi-brand machine dealer does for a Canadian shop: brand comparison and one contact for freight, customs, installation, training and service.