Company Announcement - In today’s competitive business environment, staying ahead of the game is, in fact, the name of the game. To do this, manufacturers need to ensure that their equipment remains effective and runs optimally at all times. The overall performance of machinery and equipment depends on its Overall Equipment Effectiveness, which refers to a number of factors – the availability of the equipment, its performance rate, and the quality versus reject rate. In other words, each of these OEE factors relates to downtime costs. As we well know, downtime is a major hindrance to attaining manufacturing efficiency. It leads to hold-ups in manufacturing processes and creates a cascading effect that disrupts workflow.

Pyrotec PackMark, a division of Pyrotec, a leading privately-owned South African company, provides a comprehensive portfolio of world-class coding equipment for primary, secondary and tertiary packaging requirements.  However, while Pyrotec PackMark prides itself on providing a broad array of cutting-edge coding equipment from Markem-Imaje, AL Tech, Harland Machine Systems and other leading manufacturers, all equipment has a limited lifespan.

‘The average life of our coding equipment, as is the case with most products on the market, ranges from six to eight years, while the equipment’s return on investment averages at around three to five years,’ comments Brandon Pearce, Pyrotec PackMark’s General Manager.

Pyrotec’s customers are well catered for with full backup and maintenance support available around the clock. ‘We operate a 24-hour call centre that’s manned by our technicians,’ Brandon explains. In the event of a breakdown, customers speak directly to a technician who, in most cases, is able to resolve the problem over the phone. However, towards the end of a coding machine’s lifespan, breakdowns may become more frequent and problems less simple to solve. So how will you know when to replace your coding equipment? ‘Generally, when there’s a marked increase in the cost and frequency of repairs it’s time to replace your unit,’ Brandon points out.

‘All our equipment comes with a 12 to 18 month warranty, and some with 18-month service intervals. While our service costs are stipulated at the time of purchase, added costs are incurred for damaged parts or poor maintenance,’ he warns. Pyrotec PacMark offers a number of services to assist customers to purchase or replace their coding equipment. ‘We offer a rental service where customers can rent a unit for a period of time and return the coding machine at the end of the contract. We also provide a financing option in the form of a rent-to-own agreement. Customers pay a set monthly fee, depending on the rental period, which includes a maintenance contract. At the end of the rental period customers have a choice of paying an additional fee to own the printer or trade it in for a new unit,’ Brandon explains. Straightforward trade-in options, where customers simply trade in old printers for new units, is also a popular choice. Values depend on the condition and age of the equipment.

For Pyrotec PackMark customers, every effort is made to ensure that coding equipment runs optimally, that maintenance is fast and efficient, and that downtime is minimised at all times. However, there eventually comes a time when all good machines need replacing and Pyrotec PackMark has the best-in-class products and services to ensure that its customers’ manufacturing lines continue to perform effectively.