Second Hand, First Choice

Purchasing a pre-owned machine can be an excellent alternative to buying a new one - especially in economically challenging times. Heidelberg has been facilitating this business for many years and has also launched a global information platform on the Internet.

A great many print shops - especially in industrialized nations - ideally like to have the latest equipment with stateof-the-art features. Despite this, pre-owned equipment is in great demand, even in highly developed countries. Over the past year, for example, equipment with a combined value of around 458 million U.S. dollars (320 m. euros) has changed hands - and that just includes machinery from the EU. According to some estimates, the global annual figure is as much as 2.8 billion U.S. dollars (2 b. euros) But why should you buy a remarketed Heidelberg machine?

Cutting Costs, Expanding and Creating Reserve Capacity. "Some printers simply can't afford their brand-new dream press - and the next best thing is one remarketed by Heidelberg," explains Dr. Joachim Englisch, Senior Vice President Remarketed Equipment at Heidelberg. "Other companies may have sufficient starting capital for a brandnew model straight from the factory but are thwarted by their bank's lending rules. Buying a remarketed machine normally offers greater room for maneuver," he continues, immediately adding that the lower overall costs are far from the only argument. "By purchasing a pre-owned machine, print shops can try out new fields of business - such as finishing - with a limited outlay and risk," he points out. What's more, a second-hand machine is a cost-effective way of providing reserve capacity to cope with busy periods. "Whatever the motivation, purchasing a remarketed machine from Heidelberg is always a safe investment," Englisch stresses.

Numerous businesses around the world deal in pre-owned machines. In the case of Heidelberg machines, however, the manufacturer considers itself to be in a unique position. "If someone is looking to reliably establish the condition, performance capability, and history of a remarketed machine, who is better placed to provide this information than Heidelberg itself?" asks Englisch. He goes on to explain that most machines are put on the market because their previous owners have opted for a newer, larger and more powerful model. They are therefore only five or six years old on average and with sometimes no more than two or three or only one careful owner - to use a car salesman's jargon. "Given the legendary Heidelberg quality and the associated long service life of our products, our remarketed machines are a particularly safe bet," comments Englisch.

One person benefiting from this is Wayne Burlington from Pronto Reproductions in the Canadian city of Toronto. "We were looking to expand but didn't necessarily want to buy a new press," the print For the Price-Aware shop owner explains. The Heidelberg sales department suggested a Speedmaster SM 74-5-P. "Exactly the model we were looking for," says Burlington, adding that the entire process - from the first inquiry to commissioning - took a very reasonable three months. "Heidelberg also took care of all the logistics arrangements. All we needed to do was find room for the press and provide the power supply," he recalls. Burlington was completely satisfied with the entire process and there were no nasty surprises after commissioning. There is only one thing he would have done different. "I should have taken this step much sooner," he reflects.

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