Summary
• Buying or leasing second-hand equipment can be invaluable for urgent new business.
• Second-hand machinery can also be a low risk way to add new processing capability.
• Buying from an independent dealer can mean extra choice and neutral advice.
• A service record for used machines is important.
• Searching for a second-hand machine supplier on the internet, look for companies that specify their range and stock levels.

Everybody in the timber business wants the latest technology, the finest equipment manufacturers can offer – and quite right too. Technological developments over the last decade have made woodworking machinery faster, more accurate, easier to program and less error prone. And the recent W8 exhibition at the NEC underlined that, although times are tough for everyone, the leaders in the business are continuing to innovate, improve and provide the timber and woodworking industries with better solutions.

But suppose you need a machine really quickly – you may, for example, have the opportunity of a regular supply contract, but only if you can start delivering batches in a week’s time. Buying or leasing used machines from a reliable expert source can get you the fully tested and serviced equipment that you need in days. You may not get the very latest technology and design improvements, but you will be cutting timber when your new customer needs you to be.

Or maybe one of your existing customers wants you to carry out extra operations on materials that you are already supplying, but the scale of the contract does not really merit the additional capital cost of the machine you need to do it. You need to keep a valuable customer happy, so what do you do? The common sense solution is to look around for a reliable leased second-hand machine. Minimum outlay, maximum result.

There’s also the fact that, obviously, buying used machines costs a lot less than buying new, although you have to factor into the calculation the facts that used machines may not last as long and that you will have to budget more in the first year or two for maintenance. On the other hand, you can set against increased maintenance costs the reduction in depreciation that leasing second-hand can bring.

Watch where you buy

If you have decided to buy new machines, buying from the manufacturer isn’t always the best way to do it. An independent stockist of, for example, saws or planing machines, can often show you competitive machines for the same purpose from different manufacturers, thereby saving you time by giving you the opportunity to compare alternative purchases in the same place. In the present economic climate, you may even get a better deal from an independent.

When buying second-hand, you need to be sure of your source. Buying from the administrator of a company that had not been able to afford proper maintenance for a couple of years is fraught with dangers. It is safer to rely on the expertise and professionalism of a company accustomed to repairing, servicing and re-calibrating machines to a high standard – and a company that has a reputation to maintain. You have to know that machines you buy meet current electrical and health and safety standards or, alternatively, what it will cost to achieve that. You need to know when the equipment was last serviced, and check that there are still cost-effective suppliers who can provide ongoing service for that type of machine.

Finding a supplier

The first step, whether you are seeking an independent stockist of new machines, or a supplier of used machines, has to be an internet search. But beware if a website does not specify how broad a range of new machines is offered, or if it is vague about how many used machines are in stock.

My own company, Scott and Sargeant Woodworking Machinery Ltd, (www.machines4wood.com) has a 35,000ft² showroom in Sussex that offers second-hand panel saws, planers, sanders and CNC machines by major manufacturers, as well as a full range of new equipment.

While, obviously, I would recommend Scott and Sargeant because I know it does a good job (and also because I, like you, am always looking for business!) I do recommend that you discount possible suppliers whose websites are not specific, and who don’t have a showroom that you can visit to inspect machines thoroughly and ask questions. It is also sensible to buy from a company that can supply the full range of new tooling that you will need on an ongoing basis to get the best value from your purchase.

The key objectives in difficult times must be to increase versatility and quality while keeping productivity high and costs to a minimum. Selective purchasing of quality second-hand machinery can reduce your machine time costs, reduce costly depreciation and give your workshop greater ability to meet new challenges and generate new sales.