Choosing secondhand laundry machinery does not mean the buyer is getting second best.
While rebuilt equipment will never capture the headlines for innovative features, it can represent excellent value for money in cases where a good solid workhorse of known capacity is required, claims Martin Carter of Laundryquip.
The company is UK agent for Netherlands-based Goudkuil, a specialist in used machinery.
“You must understand the difference between “rebuilding” and “reconditioning,” explains Mr Carter.
“In Goudkuil’s factory, every machine is stripped down to its bare bones and each part is inspected and tested.” Safety The company prefers to work to order rather than speculatively. Customers visit the factory and specify exactly what kind of equipment they need.
Goudkuil will rebuild machines to their customers’ requirements which can entail more work than building a new machine.
Control panels, wiring looms and switchgear are all replaced to meet current safety regulations.
Sometimes customers get more than they could expect on a new machine, Martin Carter said this is true in the case of membrane presses.
“The four guide pillars on some new models have no provision for greasing, so Goudkuil adds grease nipples during the rebuilding process. This makes maintenance easier, stops water ingress and helps prevent corrosion.” Satisfied Laundryquip’s recent customers include: Fishers Services in Scotland who took delivery of two fully-rebuilt Milnor 60044 three-pocket 180kg washer-extractors to upgrade its Greenock wash-house. Sketchley in Hinckley installed a Passat 253.20 steam-heated tumbler as an addition to a bank of existing dryers.
Regency Laundry Services in Bath replaced a 30 year-old Manlove ironer with a Goudkuil-rebuilt two-roll Lapauw 1200 ironer. The fact that the specification called for, “very high-quality output” did not deter Regency from choosing a rebuilt machine.
Fair deal It is Goudkuil’s policy not to ask for a deposit with the order, neither is payment expected on delivery.
In fact, the company says that no payment is required until both the Goudkuil engineers and their customers are totally satisfied that the equipment is performing to specification. Typically this is 30 days after commissioning. All rebuilt machinery carries an unconditional 12-month warranty.
