Here it is the end of March, and the capital equipment gloom continues for most of us. As the dollar worsens, and energy costs take on a new meaning, equipment budgets have been stuck in a new type of hibernation. Normally, our quotations to customers have not had a specific expiration date, but they do now! Just merely whispering ‘nanotech’ to an investor is not gathering the immediate shower of wealth that it did last year. (I know what you’re thinking, that’s crude, crude, crude… but maybe somewhat appropriate!)
The equipment elephant in the room is now looking dangerous: it costs too much, it eats too much, and we can’t be sure that we have a job for it. On the other hand, without him, maybe we don’t have jobs either.
This week, we have a customer sending in their old Cooke deposition system for a rehab as an interim step to keep working until they can budget the new system. This customer is not some suffering mom-and-pop coater, but a glossy, trendy, respectable startup.
Should you be in a similar situation, please be advised that rehabbing or repurposing old capital equipment is more than a dismal default; whole new factories have been facilitated by careful work in this area. Here at Cooke, we’ll generally take on our own systems, and sometimes other brands when the OEM won’t, and some other conditions apply.
These are, in general:
The equipment needs modification to a new use, but there are no “off the shelf” parts available.
The equipment does not have a specialized third-party repairer available, or, they are too costly.
The equipment is basically ok, but needs updating or simplifying. Old semi production tools are always in this category.
The flip side of this rehab industry is that, when money starts to flow again, there are inevitable new equipment shortages that can only be filled with rehabbed used stuff. This is why the major used equipment dealers ride out any economic cyles: they sell under all conditions.
Anyway, if you’ve been pacing the floor worrying about which way to jump in these uncertain times, give us a call. Maybe we can retrain your old elephant to do new tricks. Ask for Richard.
