Contents
- 1. Does the company have its own factory, or is it a trading company?
- 2. Can it show installations in your country or region?
- 3. Is it really a concrete block machine, not an earth brick press?
- 4. Who makes the moulds, and are they heat-treated?
- 5. Does the capacity claim match blocks per cycle?
- 6. Are installation and operator training included in the price?
- 7. Warranty and spare parts: what happens when something breaks?
- 8. Delivery time and shipping to your port
- 9. Is the offer complete? Compare like with like
- 10. Can you reach the manufacturer after installation?
- Red flags at a glance
- Questions to send to every manufacturer
- About İBAR MAKİNA
- Frequently asked questions
Short answer: choose a Turkish manufacturer that builds the machine and its moulds in its own factory, can show installed machines in your country or region, includes installation and operator training in the price, gives a written warranty and ships spare parts from stock. Check these ten points with every supplier on your shortlist before you compare prices — a cheap offer from the wrong supplier is the most expensive machine you can buy.
Buyers in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Balkans often look to Turkey for a concrete block machine: Turkish manufacturers combine heavy steel construction with fast sea freight to Africa and the Gulf, and their teams travel to install the machines on site. But "made in Turkey" covers everything from large factories to small workshops and trading companies that resell other firms' machines. This checklist shows what to ask, which answers to accept and which red flags to watch for.
1. Does the company have its own factory, or is it a trading company?
A manufacturer designs and builds the machine, so it can change the mould, adapt the line to your site and supply spare parts for years. A trading company buys from someone else and adds a margin; when something goes wrong, it has to ask the real producer.
- Ask for: the full factory address, photos and video of the production hall, and a factory visit or a live video call from the production floor before you pay.
- Red flag: only an office address, photos of machines in different colours and brands, or no answer to "where exactly is your factory?".
İBAR MAKİNA builds its machines and moulds in its own factory in Çerkezköy (Tekirdağ), with more than 45 years of manufacturing experience.
2. Can it show installations in your country or region?
A reference is only useful if you can check it: the model, the city, photos or video of the running machine and, ideally, a customer you can talk to. Installations in your own region also mean the manufacturer already knows your aggregates, block sizes, ports and customs.
Some of our published installations, with photos and model details:
| Region | Installation |
|---|---|
| West Africa | CBM 25 R with stacking robot, Mali; BLOCKMASTER 8, Abidjan; BLOCKMASTER 4, Conakry; CBM 12-2, Senegal; BLOCKMASTER 10, Togo |
| Central and East Africa | CBM 25, Gabon; CBM 20, Uganda; CPM 1600 pipe machine and batching plant, South Sudan |
| Middle East | CPM 1600 PRO, Saudi Arabia; CPM 1200, Iraq; CPM 1400, Lebanon |
| Central Asia, Caucasus and Balkans | CBM 25 R, Kazakhstan; CBM 12 R, Georgia; CPM 1400, Kosovo |
The full list is on our references page, and installation videos are published on our YouTube channels. İBAR MAKİNA has exported to more than 30 countries.
3. Is it really a concrete block machine, not an earth brick press?
A concrete block machine (vibro-press) compacts a mix of cement, sand, stone dust or pumice with vibration and pressure, and makes hollow and solid blocks, paving stones and kerbs. A compressed earth brick press makes bricks from soil or clay — a different machine, a different product and a different strength. In some languages the same word is used for both, so ask the supplier to confirm the raw material and the products. İBAR MAKİNA makes concrete block machines only; it does not make soil or clay brick presses.
4. Who makes the moulds, and are they heat-treated?
The mould is the part that wears fastest and decides the shape and finish of every block you sell. Ask:
- which steel is used and whether the mould is heat-treated (hardened), and how long it lasts in normal production;
- whether moulds can be made in the exact block sizes sold in your market (for example 6-inch and 9-inch blocks in Nigeria, or 10, 15 and 20 cm blocks in French-speaking Africa);
- how quickly a replacement or a new mould can be delivered.
We produce our moulds in our own factory, including heat-treated paving stone moulds, kerb moulds and custom-made moulds for local block sizes.
5. Does the capacity claim match blocks per cycle?
"10,000 blocks a day" means nothing without the block size and the working hours. Daily output comes from the number of blocks per cycle, the cycle time and the hours worked, so ask for all three for a named block size, normally 200×400×200 mm. Be careful with figures that are much higher than other machines with the same number of blocks per cycle.
| Machine | Type | Blocks per day (200×400×200 mm, approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| BLOCKMASTER 4, CBM 12 | Semi-automatic | 4,000 |
| MBM4 | Mobile (egg-laying), no pallets | 4,000 |
| BLOCKMASTER 8, CBM 20 | Semi-automatic | 8,000 |
| BLOCKMASTER 10, CBM 25 | Semi-automatic | 10,000 |
| BLOCKMASTER 10 S | Automatic | 12,000 |
| CBM 25 PRO | Automatic | 10,000–12,000 |
| CBM 36 PRO | Automatic | 15,000–18,000 |
For example, the BLOCKMASTER 8 makes 8 blocks of 200×400×200 mm per cycle, about 8,000 a day. Our guides to capacity calculation and semi-automatic versus fully automatic machines explain how to choose the right size.
6. Are installation and operator training included in the price?
A block machine only earns money once it runs correctly, so the installation matters as much as the machine. Ask who installs it, how many days the team stays, whether operator training is included, and who pays the technicians' travel. Every İBAR MAKİNA offer includes on-site installation and operator training in the price: our team sets up the line and trains your operators on production, mould changes and daily maintenance.
7. Warranty and spare parts: what happens when something breaks?
Ask for the warranty period in writing and what it covers, which spare parts are kept in stock, and how fast they are sent to your country. A machine that stands still for three weeks waiting for a part costs more than any discount. İBAR MAKİNA machines carry a 2-year warranty, and spare parts are sent from stock the same day.
8. Delivery time and shipping to your port
Ask for the production time and the shipping terms separately: how many containers, which port of loading, and whether the price is ex-works, FOB or CIF to your port. Our production time is 30 to 90 days depending on the order date and the factory workload, and sea freight from the Istanbul-area ports takes about 30 days. Your clearing agent then handles customs and inland transport.
9. Is the offer complete? Compare like with like
Two offers can differ by a large amount simply because one leaves items out. Put the offers side by side and check that each one lists:
- the block machine and a mould for every product you plan to sell;
- the concrete mixer, belt conveyors and, if needed, an aggregate batching unit;
- production pallets (not needed for an egg-laying machine);
- a pallet trolley for moving fresh blocks — or a pallet stacking robot, which runs a line with 7–8 fewer workers on average;
- the control panel and installed power of every unit, so you can size your generator or grid connection;
- installation, training, warranty and shipping terms.
Our guides to block machine prices and setting up a block factory list the other cost items of a plant.
10. Can you reach the manufacturer after installation?
You will need the manufacturer for years: for moulds, spare parts and advice. Check who answers after the sale, in which language and how fast. Our sales team works in Turkish, English, French and Arabic, and you can write to us on WhatsApp.
Red flags at a glance
- No factory address, or no way to see the production floor.
- No installations you can check in your region.
- Daily capacity given without block size, blocks per cycle or working hours.
- Moulds, pallets or installation missing from a low-price offer.
- No written warranty, or no spare parts in stock.
- A "block machine" that turns out to be an earth brick press.
Questions to send to every manufacturer
- Where is your factory, and can I see the production floor?
- Which installations do you have in my country or region, with model and city?
- How many 200×400×200 mm blocks does the machine make per cycle and per day, in how many hours?
- Do you make the moulds yourself? Are they heat-treated? Can you make my local block sizes?
- Exactly what is included in the price: moulds, mixer, conveyors, pallets, installation, training?
- What is the warranty period, and how fast are spare parts sent?
- What is the production time, and what are the shipping terms to my port?
- Who will answer my questions after installation, and in which language?
About İBAR MAKİNA
İBAR MAKİNA is a Turkish manufacturer of concrete block and paving stone machines and moulds, concrete pipe, box culvert and manhole machines, and stationary, mobile and compact concrete batching plants. The factory is in Çerkezköy, Tekirdağ, and the company has more than 45 years of experience and has exported to more than 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Balkans. İBAR MAKİNA sells new machines only, not second-hand machines. More about us on the about us page.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the concrete block machine manufacturers in Turkey?
Turkey has dozens of companies selling block machines, from large factories to small workshops and trading firms. Shortlist manufacturers that have their own factory, published installations in your region and complete offers with moulds, installation and training. İBAR MAKİNA is one of them: it builds its machines and moulds in its own factory in Çerkezköy (Tekirdağ) and has exported to more than 30 countries.
How do I know a Turkish supplier is a real manufacturer?
Ask for the factory address, a factory visit or a live video call from the production floor, and installations you can check with model and city. A trading company usually cannot show its own production or change a mould for you.
How long does delivery from Turkey take?
At İBAR MAKİNA, production takes 30 to 90 days depending on the order date and the factory workload, and sea freight from the Istanbul-area ports takes about 30 days. Customs clearance and inland transport in your country come on top.
Is installation included in the price?
With İBAR MAKİNA, yes: on-site installation and operator training are included in the price, the machine has a 2-year warranty and spare parts are sent from stock the same day.
Which capacity should a new block plant start with?
Most new plants start with a semi-automatic machine making 4,000 to 8,000 blocks a day, such as the BLOCKMASTER 4, CBM 12, BLOCKMASTER 8 or CBM 20. Plants with large, regular buyers choose the CBM 25 or a fully automatic CBM PRO line.
Does İBAR MAKİNA sell second-hand block machines?
No. İBAR MAKİNA builds and sells new machines only.
Send us your target daily output and the products you want to make on WhatsApp or through the quote form, and we will send a complete offer with the machine, moulds, line equipment, installation and training.
