Manufacturers use online markets as sales outlets

BREWERTON - When Eric Gantly went to trade in his $300,000 laser-cutting machine' for a newer model, the manufacturer told him it was worthless, and offered him $5,000 for the spare parts.

So Gantly, president of Frigo Design, Inc. in Brewerton, posted the five-year-old piece of equipment on eBay. Within one week, he sold the machine for about $50,000, he says.

Gantly and other Central New York-based manufacturers are using online markets such as eBay and its "Manufacturing & Metalworking" category to buy and sell both new and used manufacturing equipment.

Frigo Design manufactures custom-built frames and panels for appliances (for example: covers for refrigerators to match them with cabinet patterns and colors). The firm began selling its products on its Web site (www.fhgodesign.com) in 2001, and started auctioning its goods on eBay soon after, Gently says "[eBay] gives people another avenue to find us," Gantly says. "People looking on eBay are looking for a specialty product or a bargain."