Unfortunately people can’t resist a cheap deal and plant & machinery is no exception.
Many machines and other plant were sold off when we hit the end of the boom, now that we are on the up again, people are investing in plant & machinery again.
Many if you have seen the Ads for auctioned plant every month or so, and everyone wants a good deal.
Now the thing with auctions is there is no “come back” it’s a case of buyer beware
……now before we go any further, some auctioned plant is top quality and safe, knowledge is key here.
So what is the problem? Generally there is no history of the item or what environments they operated in, quarry? lifting duties? chemical plants.
So what should I do? Would you recognise what a ‘grey‘ import?
Grey imported goods are products sourced from outside the normal European distribution channels, usually from as far off as Asia or the sub continent, either shipped in directly to specific customers or imported for resale.
The potential pitfalls of buying a Grey Import are costly if you do not have the knowledge to know what to look for or the legal standing of this plant according to the relevant Regulations.
So let’s start there;
All plant sold in the EU must have a declaration of conformity, a CE mark.
This is a mark of build quality and guarantee.
It is illegal to have a machine without this mark and it is illegal to sell a machine without one, but like many Regulations, there is not enough enforcement, but you could fall foul of your insurance cover.
Safe plant;
Do you know what you are buying, was it ex-stock,? ex-rental? a bank repossession?
There could be potential Safety issues here, was the item even serviced and looked after, was it every involved in an accident or a product alert?
I have seen on first hand the manufacturers data plate & SWL markings removed, would you buy a car with no owners cert and no licence plates? so do your homework or get professional advice….remember as the owner of the plant, you are ultimately & legally responsible for it.
The regulations that govern this are the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC