Buying refurbished processing equipment over new can really help you to stretch your budget. But will used equipment stand up to the rigours of your operations?
There are many myths surrounding refurbished processing equipment. Chief amongst them is that used or pre-owned equipment is more likely to break than equipment bought new.
How true is this? Will investing in less expensive refurbished equipment increase risk and lead to greater maintenance costs later down the line — or could you save your operations a significant amount of money by switching to refurbished equipment where appropriate?
As always, we’re on hand to help. For the answers to these questions and more, read on.
If you have any questions about refurbished processing equipment, download our buyer’s guide or contact us and one of our experts will get in touch. Refurbished equipment is just as reliable as when bought new
Refurbished equipment is described as such because it has been serviced, repaired, and maintained to a good (legally compliant) standard.
The advanced manufacturing legislation governing our industry doesn’t leave any room for sub-standard refurbishment or repairs that would introduce unacceptable levels of risk into your operations.
It’s worth noting that like equipment bought new, refurbished parts or machines will often come with warranties in place, either from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or one provided by the supplier/dealer, building extra levels of protection into your operations.
“If the used equipment you buy hasn’t been properly refurbished then the myth [that used equipment is more likely to break] might hold true, but professionally refurbished equipment purchased from reputable suppliers is no more likely to break than its brand new counterparts.” ‘Don't Believe These 7 Common Refurbished Processing Equipment Misconceptions’, VFE blog
When considering a refurbished part or machine against its brand-new equivalent, you can therefore take risk of breakdowns or production failure off the table. Both the refurbished equipment and the new equipment should perform equally in this comparison.
Does this mean you should always buy refurbished? Not necessarily. There will almost certainly be times when it’s more appropriate for you to buy new.
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Perhaps your operations require a part with the latest capabilities.
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Perhaps you can’t find the exact model or specification you need on the second-hand market.
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Perhaps the purchasing decision is out of your hands.
There are also some important considerations you should follow before you buy to make sure the used equipment you’re looking at has been refurbished to industry standards.
4 key takeaways for when you next consider refurbished equipment
If reliability isn’t an issue, what should you look for when buying refurbished?
The best factor to consider is where you’re buying the refurbished equipment from as the quality of the part or machine will depend on it having been refurbished correctly, professionally, in line with all the latest industry standards.
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When buying refurbished equipment in the future, recall the following: - Look for suppliers with a strong industry reputation. - Consider suppliers you’ve used before and can trust. - Can the supplier in question demonstrate all the relevant accreditations to evidence their capabilities at refurbishing and supplying used equipment? - Do they offer a modification service, either in-house or by outsourcing to the OEM/an engineering company, in order to update any older equipment in-line with current legislative guidelines? |
How much could your operations save by buying refurbished?
When you realise that refurbished equipment is just as reliable as equipment bought new, you also start to realise just how much you could be saving by taking this route.
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Are you looking to replace a vacuum furnace or autoclave that’s reached the end of its life?
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Are you expanding your operations?
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Are you opening a new site?
Whatever your reason for researching new processing equipment, your best option might not be new processing equipment at all. Get in touch today to discuss your circumstances and find out just how much you could save by investing in refurbished equipment instead.
We can break every cost down for you so you can see exactly where you’ll save, how much, and what we’d need to be able to source everything for you, so you don’t have to lift a finger.
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If you have any questions in the meantime, download our guide to buying refurbished processing equipment or contact us and one of our experts will get in touch.