New vs used packaging machine
The price of a used machine is tempting, but the total cost of ownership often tells a different story. This guide helps you do the right calculation before deciding.
New machine
- Full 12–24 month warranty with included service
- CE compliant and meeting current regulations (2025)
- Access to Industry 4.0/5.0 incentives and subsidised leasing
- Parts available and planned maintenance contracts
- Native integration with traceability and automation systems
- Optimised consumption with IE3 motors and inverters
- Higher initial investment vs used
- Delivery times: 8–20 weeks for custom machines
Used machine
- Purchase price 40–60% lower than new
- Immediate availability (no production lead time)
- Limited or no warranty; paid-for service
- Unknown or partial maintenance history
- Possible CE compliance issues if modified
- Risk of unavailable spare parts on older machines
- Not eligible for Industry 4.0/5.0 incentives
- Energy consumption often higher
5 hidden risks of used machines
Aspects that don't appear in the listing but weigh heavily on total cost of ownership.
Unavailable spare parts
Machines older than 10 years may have mechanical or electronic parts out of production. An unexpected line stop can cost more than the machine itself.
CE non-compliance
If the machine has been modified or lacks the original CE declaration, legal and insurance risk falls on the buyer.
High energy consumption
Older motors and vacuum pumps consume 20–40% more than current IE3/IE4 models. The saving on price is recovered on the energy bill.
No real warranty
"30-day warranty" does not cover latent faults that appear after months. The cost of an extraordinary repair can exceed the purchase price.
Incompatibility with modern lines
Machines without fieldbus protocols (Profinet, EtherCAT) do not easily integrate with SCADA or traceability systems required by retailers.
The real comparison: 5-year cost
Indicative example for an automatic belt vacuum machine. Values vary by model and usage.
| New | Used (10 yrs) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | € 55,000 | € 22,000 |
| 4.0/5.0 incentives (estimate) | − € 19,000 | € 0 |
| Maintenance 5 years | € 8,000 | € 18,000 |
| Extraordinary spare parts | € 3,000 | € 9,000 |
| Extra energy cost/year | € 0 | + € 2,000 |
| Total 5 years (indicative) | ≈ € 47,000 | ≈ € 59,000 |
Purely indicative calculation. Ask us for a personalised analysis of your specific case.
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