How To Choose The Right Machine

There are very few products that have no competition. In fact, I can’t think of a single item I might purchase for which there aren’t numerous alternatives. So how do you decide which one is the right choice for you? It was this very dilemma that created consumer reports. These reports are created by independent companies who purchase and try out all the various alternatives and rate them according to a set of criteria. But what do you do, if there is no consumer report available for the product you need to purchase? Since this blog is all about packaging machinery, I’ll use bottle unscramblers as an example.

Your company is planning on adding a new production line. The product will be packaged in plastic bottles of various sizes and shapes and run at different speeds. The company has already picked out the bottles they will use and the bottles will be shipped in bulk from the blow molder in boxes. Your job is to choose the best bottle unscrambler for this job. There are no consumer reports available to even get a list of the companies that make bottle unscramblers. If you’re new to the industry, you may not have any idea who to contact, so you take the obvious first step and surf the internet. There you find a number of companies that build and/or sell bottle unscramblers. Your next step would be to contact these companies to see what they have to offer. But unless you really know what questions to ask, every company you talk to is going to tell you they have the best machine for your project. How do you know they are right?

Nothing is more important to your production line than having the correct machinery. A mistake in purchasing the wrong machine will be costly with needless downtime, decreased production capacity, and sometimes the addition of other machinery to resolve the issue of the one wrong choice. To be sure you are making the right choice, create a list of what you need your bottle unscrambler to accomplish. For example, what is the top speed it must run? How many types and shapes of containers will you need to run on it? Will you need an ionized air rinser? Will it need special electrical requirements such as wash down, or explosion proof? Will it need to puck the containers, or stand them on the conveyor? Will the containers need secondary orienting? Will the containers need a roll ramp discharge? Do you need to feed them in a left-hand configuration? How much room do you have for the bottle unscrambler and hopper? How much room do you have between the unscrambler and the next machine in the line? How long do you want the hopper to run without having to refill it? After you have completed your list of current needs, take a look at your possible future needs. What additional containers might you run on this machine in the future? Could they have a different shape, size, or speed requirement? If the marketing dept. designs a beautiful new container next year, will it run on the new bottle unscrambler you just installed? Once you complete your list, you now need to find the machine that fits your requirements. Send your list to the companies that make bottle unscramblers and tell them you need a machine that exactly fits your needs. Make sure they go over every point with you and show you how their machine can handle all of your requirements. By this point, the choice should be much easier. If more than one choice still exists, look to value. Don’t just look at price. Which machine will run more efficiently and will last longer? In many cases the more expensive machine offers the better long-term value. Finally, check references. If the company has a strong base of long-standing repeat customers, there is a good reason for it.

New England Machinery has created a Bottle Unscrambler Questionnaire. Call us at (941) 755-5550 to request a free, no obligation copy to help in determining your specific needs.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at http://www.neminc.com/.