If you need to have packaging equipment for the products you make at your business, you may be thinking about buying some that are pre-owned. This can be a good idea as it can save you considerable money over buying new. However, it is important that you have a full understanding of the machines you will buy. Here are a few things you need to find out before making a purchase.
Condition
It is not enough to see pictures of a machine or even to see it personally. You want to make sure it is working and working properly. The best way to do this is to ask to see the machine in operation. If the current owner has already placed the machine in storage, this may take a bit of talking. However, unless you can see it working, it is best to pass on it. The current owner will find that they need to have the unit someplace where people can see it working and move it if they do not want it stuck in a storage room for a long time.
Previous Use
Make sure you ask what the machine was used for, both recently and since it was manufactured. If it had been in use in an area that was hot and muggy, the moisture might have gotten inside where it can cause damage to the internal parts. If you are packaging food products with it, the previous use will be very important. For example, if the recent use was to package fertilizer or any chemicals, you may not want to use it for food unless certain you can get it completely clean and sanitized.
Any Modifications
It is possible to buy a machine that was originally manufactured for one type of packaging parameters and have a few modifications done for a different set of parameters. If any previous modifications have been done, you may not be able to change things to suit exactly what you need. You may want to take a machine mechanic with you to check things out if you think something will need to be changed.
Do not be afraid to purchase pre-owned packaging equipment. However, if you do, make sure you know as much about the machine as possible. Hopefully, you can find one that has not been through multiple owners so that you can get a complete history of it. If you are shopping at a used equipment facility, make sure they offer some type of warranty on it, so if something should go bad soon, you are not going to be out the cost of the machine plus repairs.
