Unlocking the value in your unwanted machinery

Adopting a sustainable approach for the disposal of surplus assets can help companies turn unwanted equipment into cash.

When machinery or equipment is no longer required by manufacturers, it is often a temptation to just decommission it, send it to landfill or hide it away in the back of the factory. Out of sight, out of mind tactic. In the first instance this might seem like the easiest option, but equipment can take up valuable space within your organisation that could be put to better use.

There are many more options that companies should explore when looking to dispose of factory equipment that is no longer needed. Just because an asset has fulfilled its purpose for one company does not mean that another organisation could not make use of it. End of life for one certainly doesn’t mean end of life for all.

When thinking of disposing of large equipment manufacturers typically do not have the time or resource to weigh up the options. By bringing in a partner who is an expert in disposing of equipment it can help you unlock the hidden value in your surplus assets.

Firstly, it is advantageous to ascertain if the equipment is operational and do an analysis of its value to the business. Unwanted industrial machinery can be reused in its current state, reengineered for reuse or, as a last resort, recycled for parts. This prevents valuable equipment from being left to rust, deteriorate or needlessly ending up in landfill.

By selling machinery to other organisations, manufacturers can adopt a more sustainable approach to asset disposal. This reduces overheads, provides an unexpected financial return and can help recover the original cost of the machinery or new replacement machinery.

Ramco have been helping their clients turn redundant equipment into cash since 1996. Working with clients such the Ministry of Defence and Magnox, they have helped clear sites and resell unwanted equipment.

Ramco’s team are specialists in the removal, storage and reselling of used machinery, taking the worry away from the owners. Getting rid of heavy equipment may be a challenge, but Ramco’s experienced team can efficiently decommission and remove heavy equipment from any location, before transporting the goods back to their facility to be prepared for resale. Alternatively, Ramco can arrange a sale and collection from the manufacturers site if preferred.

Ramco markets a vast range of surplus assets to a diverse customer base using a variety of different sales routes, all with the aim of providing the best financial return as quickly as possible. Assets can be offered in more than 150 countries and to over 450,000 potential buyers.

Covid-19 is also an important consideration for companies right now and compliance and safety are at the forefront of how Ramco operate. The team practice social distancing and wear disposable PPE in the form of facemasks, gloves, goggles and aprons. They also use high-strength sanitiser sprays which are applied liberally to any item awaiting collection. The same process is employed once back at the Ramco site as the assets are unloaded, stored, and resold. All items are quarantined for 48 hours before processing.

Magnox sought Ramco’s assistance for the decommissioning of ten nuclear power stations and two former research facilities in the UK, clearing over 2,700 cubic meters and 61 loads of miscellaneous equipment. This aided Magnox in meeting their requirements of care and maintenance status and ensure that decommissioning of the site was completed on schedule.

Speaking of Magnox’s partnership with Ramco, Louise Dyche, Asset Disposals Manager at Magnox Ltd, said: “As a Company we have been looking for a solution to our asset disposal requirements for a number of years and have been in contact with various companies in search of our ideal solution – a ‘one-stop shop’ for all of our disposal requirements.”

She continued “When we contacted Ramco and discussed our requirements they were very open and informative about their offer and discussed alternative options for our disposal needs. They made us think differently about our assets, what use they have and who may be interested in them.”

With the move towards Net-Zero becoming all the more important to manufacturers, companies are looking to replace older machinery for more energy-efficient models. When sourcing new equipment, money can be unlocked from the sale or disposal of old machinery. Many companies lose money through inefficient or non-existent asset disposal, Ramco can help unlock this value giving a complete 360-service to businesses across the UK.