• Australian machinery manufacturer Packserv works with customers to design the optimal solution.
    Australian machinery manufacturer Packserv works with customers to design the optimal solution.
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When it comes to buying machinery, or setting up a new facility, buying local can offer the best quality value proposition. Packserv outlines a new machinery acquisition solution it is offering in partnership with Finlease.

Research released earlier this year by Roy Morgan (in its Business Attitudes on Buying Australian report) found that four in five Australian businesses buy Australian Made goods wherever possible, prioritising locally made products.

The research surveyed business decision-makers from a cross-section of Australian industries and found the key drivers behind the ‘Australian first’ attitude was down to value for money and better-quality products.

Quality is not a luxury, but an ethos for many brands. To cite an example, when The Food Company, a leading producer of authentic Australian-made condiments, decided to upgrade its packaging equipment, its mandate was clear: its production line had to be Australian-made.

“This steadfast commitment to buying local and supporting Australian manufacturing has a myriad benefits not to mention supporting local jobs, industry, and the Australian economy,” says Nathan Wardell, who heads up local machinery manufacturing enterprise Packserv.

Wardell points out that in addition to quality, safety, and reliability advantages, buying locally eliminates international shipping delays and customs barriers, significantly reducing lead times for setting up production lines.

“FMCG manufacturers are often quoted lead times of six to twelve months or more for packaging machinery,” says Wardell. “When they contact Packserv and send us their samples, we work together to design the optimal solution immediately. Who wants to wait 12 months for a machine when they can capitalise on market opportunities now?”

Packserv is one of the only machinery manufacturers offering various options to acquire machinery. Wardell explains that along with purchasing, the company provides short and long-term hire options and rent to buy, allowing clients to use the equipment immediately while paying it off over time.

“We try to offer as much flexibility as possible, based on our customers’ needs. Some of our customers prefer to rent or purchase outright, while others may initially rent and transition to a rent-to-buy option,” says Wardell.

Packserv and its finance partner Finlease, Australia’s specialist in equipment finance broking, has also recently introduced new packaging machinery bundles starting from $244 per week for a benchtop range to $990 per week for a fully automated line, subject to finance approval. Wardell says the bundles are designed to meet the diverse needs of manufacturers from entry-level businesses to those looking to upgrade their operations.

“Our priority is to help manufacturers improve productivity and efficiency immediately, reduce costs, and free up cash that would otherwise be tied up in capital purchases. We have worked with Finlease for many years, and they have helped many of our clients build successful businesses. We are delighted to partner with them on this initiative, helping FMCG manufacturers navigate the current economic conditions.”

This article was first published in the September-October 2024 print issue of PKN Packaging News, p44.

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