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The benefits of buying used machines have never been greater, according to Mark Sheldrick, managing director of Direct Press Marketing (DPM). He says the euro rising against the pound means the price of new machines has risen by 20% and one of the benefits of used machinery from the home market is that they do not need to follow currency fluctuations.

Another advantage is that used equipment can usually be delivered and installed quicker than newer presses. “New machines effectively come in kit form, so the engineer’s job is almost impossible because most of the time there’s a screw missing or a hole not drilled properly. With used equipment, you just have to unplug it, mark it up and its fairly straightforward,” says Sheldrick. The only holdback is when the equipment needs refurbishment to get it up to standard.

Export dominated
Despite this, the main market for used equipment is export. “At the moment, we are around 75% export and 25% direct,” says David Jarrett, managing director at DDJ Graphics. “We have done quite well with UK sales recently. If we had not done so, then the export sales would have been around 90%, which I think is normal for most UK dealers.”

The majority of dealers trade globally, but the trading environment is getting tougher. This is because there are now more dealers in the market. The number of large companies involved in secondhand dealing is decreasing, giving way to small, often one-man, operations.

Export sales are usually to another machinery dealer overseas, the most popular destination at the moment being China. The overseas company then undertakes the reinstallation of the press and any work that is necessary. Therefore, they need to buy the machines as cheap as possible. “The basic difference between the two is that export tends to be lower-value older presses, while direct is higher value and newer,” says Jarrett. The norm in the UK is a minimum of four colours with automation, while two-colour presses have very little home-market demand.

When purchasing used equipment, it’s “essential to buy from someone who has their own engineers and facilities,” says Sheldrick. Also, check the age and impression count, suggests Jarrett, as a 1990 press sold as a 1994 can mean the difference in value of around £30,000. “Don’t pay a deposit before you see a machine,” advises PressXchange’s John Roadnight. “There are rogue dealers who don’t own the machine they advertise, so always ask to see the machine.”

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WHAT'S NEW IN SECONDHAND DEALERS
• Chesterfield-based The Corrugated Case Company purchased a 1.6mx2.5m Rotary die-cutter from Crosland VK in January. The installation is geared at maximising the company’s output of transit packaging and PoS displays, while reducing die costs. A sheet-stacker mechanism is incorporated, as well as the latest safety features
• Sharp Print, Westerham, Kent, installed a six-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 74, installed by DPM last January. The six-colour press is capable of producing 4/2 perfected B2 print
• St Michel Print in Finland purchased a 150m book manufacturing line from EGS in December. The line consists of a 24-station gatherer from Muller Martini, linked to a Sigloch SB 6000 book block production line and a Wohlenberg book splitter