Image source: The Commercial Trader
The cost of a used process machine includes more than its asking price. Allow for inspection, removal, transport, site preparation, utility connections, any repairs or adaptations, and commissioning. Comparing these costs for each shortlisted machine gives you a more useful picture of what it will take to start production.
A mixer, processing vessel or packaging machine may look like an affordable way to add capacity. Before committing, work through its journey from the seller’s premises to your first acceptable batch. This is where you can identify both worthwhile opportunities and expenses that an advert cannot fully explain.
Confirm that the machine can handle your process
Start with a written description of your product, required throughput, operating conditions, and cleaning needs. Compare it with the manufacturer’s specification for the exact model. Materials of construction, seals, working pressure and temperature limits can be just as important as nominal capacity.
Find out what the machine processed previously and whether it has been modified. Where practical, agree a demonstration or trial using a representative product. A vessel’s total volume, for example, does not tell you its suitable working batch size. Obtain technical advice on process compatibility before paying to move equipment that may require substantial changes.
Match its utility requirements to your premises
Request the installation manual, electrical drawings and a schedule of required services. Depending on the equipment, that may include electrical supply, compressed air, water, steam, cooling, extraction or drainage. Send the information to the people responsible for your site’s services so they can identify the work needed.
Include access for cleaning and maintenance when reviewing the proposed location. The machine’s footprint alone will not show whether doors can open fully or components can be removed for servicing. Confirm whether controls, pumps and other accessories shown in the advert are included, and whether they can communicate with the rest of your production line.
Agree the removal and delivery scope
Establish the machine’s actual location and whether it is still connected, already dismantled or held in storage. Obtain accurate dimensions, weights and handling information for the transport contractor. A site visit may be necessary to assess access, lifting arrangements and the route out of the building.
Ask for quotations that make responsibility clear for:
- Specialist disconnection, cleaning or decontamination where required.
- Dismantling, packing, loading and transport.
- Offloading, positioning and reassembly at your premises.
- Transport insurance and responsibility for damage at each stage.
Agree collection dates and any storage charges as part of the purchase. A low asking price can become less attractive if removal has to happen before your premises are ready.
Include commissioning and the first production run
Budget for specialist installation, any necessary repairs, settings, tests and staff training. Confirm which manuals, maintenance records and inspection documents will accompany the machine. Identify who will demonstrate that it meets the agreed output and quality requirements after installation, and what happens if it does not.
HSE’s inspection guidance explains that equipment whose safety depends on installation conditions should be inspected after installation and before first use. For qualifying pressure equipment, additional requirements apply: HSE’s pressure-systems guidance describes the written scheme and examination arrangements. Have a competent specialist establish what applies to the proposed installation.
Set aside a contingency for issues identified during inspection or commissioning, based on advice about that particular machine. Keep planned production downtime in the comparison too. A documented, supported machine may offer better overall value even when another advert has a lower headline price.
Frequently asked questions
Does the advertised price include removal and installation
Only if the seller explicitly includes them. Request an itemised quotation covering the machine, accessories, VAT position and each stage of delivery and installation, including any exclusions.
Can a machine be used for a different product?
Sometimes, but suitability needs technical assessment. Consider material compatibility, previous use, cleaning, capacity and operating conditions. A similar appearance or description is not enough to establish that it fits your process.
What if the machine cannot be demonstrated
Ask why, obtain the available operating and maintenance evidence, and arrange an appropriate specialist assessment. Reflect the unresolved condition and commissioning questions in your decision and purchase terms.
Compare the cost of getting to work
Browse industrial and process machinery on The Commercial Trader and send sellers your process specification. Use their responses to gather comparable installation quotations. You can then shortlist equipment on its ability to do the job and the cost of getting it into production.
