A Guide To Buying Industrial Machinery

– Contributed content –

(Malaysian Chinese News)

31 May 2018. Many modern companies rely on industrial machinery to function. It’s important to choose the right machinery for your needs while keeping within your budget. Here are few tips for buying and maintaining machinery.

Weigh up the initial cost vs quality

When shopping on a budget, many companies focus on the initial price, but often it’s the cost in the long run that’s really worth taking into account. More expensive high-end machinery is often built to last, so you’ll spend less in repairs. Such machinery may also have greater precision, helping to minimize mistakes. That said, you may not want to invest in a top-quality machine if you’re only going to get occasional use out of it. Determine what your company really needs.

Shop second hand

You don’t have to buy machinery brand new from a manufacturer in order to ensure good quality. It’s possible you’ll find machinery in mint condition on used sites such as Gumtree at a much cheaper price (e.g. reclaimed machinery, machinery being sold due to liquidation). If possible, you should always inspect the machinery in person before buying so that you have a good idea of the condition.

Hire machinery

It’s also possible to hire or lease machinery rather than buying it outright as a way of saving costs. Hiring can be a great option for machinery that you may need only for a temporary job, whilst leasing is a better option for machinery that you want to use on a regular basis. Hire companies often supply top quality machines, although you should shop around to find a hire company that is reputable. You’ll find established machinery hire companies such as Speedy Services online.

Read reviews

Online reviews of machinery can help you to make a better judgement on which machine to buy by seeing what other users think. Sites like Trust Pilot are great for reading user reviews on machines and suppliers. Professional reviews meanwhile may offer a more educated opinion – there are plenty of comparison guides such as this Expert Reviews guide to the best commercial coffee machines. Don’t rely on testimonials found on a company website as these are often biased and won’t point out any of the negatives, which are important to take into account when buying a machine.

Try it out

Some sellers may allow you to give machines a test drive. This could be useful for helping you to determine whether its the right machine for you, giving you a better idea of how user-friendly the machine is. Another option could be to get the seller to demo the product so that you can see how well it works and whether there are any faults (useful for second-hand machines).

(trucktransformer.com)

Consider the delivery method

When getting a machine delivered, it’s important to consider the delivery process. Large machines may need to be delivered in parts – you may have the option to assemble them yourself or pay extra for professionals to do it for you. With smaller machines it’s possible you may be able to hire a van and collect them yourself.

Consider licensing and training

Some machinery such as forklifts and tractors may require a license to operate. Other machinery may not require any legal qualifications to use but could still be complex enough that training could be useful. Factor in the cost of licensing and training when looking at these machines and shop around for the best course. You’ll also want to put your employees through training – or otherwise hire new staff that are already trained to use this equipment.

Consider maintenance

Some machines can be difficult to maintain. Make sure that you know the maintenance required to keep any machines you buy in good condition. You may need to install other machinery such as coolers and ventilation to keep this machinery fully working. Some machinery may also need regular servicing from a qualified technician. Alternatively, you may have the know-how to maintain it yourself (some machinery may simply need to be cleaned and topped up with fluids and may come with its own diagnostics for helping to spot faults).

Put in place health and safety measures

Health and safety is important when handling machinery. You may need to supply safety equipment for any employees using this machinery as well as installing signage. Training your staff is also important and could prevent accidents from occuring. Workplace injuries are a common source of lawsuits with many solicitors such as David Resnick y Asociados making this their niche. On top of this workplace injuries could affect your reputation – the rise of social media has made it easier than ever for news of negligence to spread. Invest in all the health and safety measures possible to make your employees safe and protect your company legally. You could even consider hiring a health and safety inspector to offer their opinion on the health and safety measures required for each machine.

Get insured

Industrial machinery can sometimes be a target for thieves due to its high value. It’s worth getting your machinery insured just in case theft occurs. Industrial machinery insurance may also be able to protect against damage caused by fire or natural disaster. You can compare business machinery insurance costs at sites like Simply Business. In some cases, business property insurance may cover contents such as machinery – if you’ve already got property insurance, this could be worth looking into before you take out another scheme.

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