Used equipment, new life

Working to match the market’s needs with its own expertise, The R.T. Kuntz Co. (Farmingdale, NJ), a systems integrator with experience designing, supplying, installing, starting, and servicing turnkey resin conveying and scrap handling systems for processors, has expanded its reach so that the company also considers projects involving used equipment.

“Lately we’ve been helping some of our customers in a different way,” says Scott Thompson, VP of sales for the company. “We’ve helped our customers save money by utilizing some of the equipment they’ve stored in their plant or warehouse by refurbishing their used equipment into existing or new systems.” As an authorized Maguire dealer for that company’s blenders, and distributor and reseller of other brand-name auxiliary equipment, The R.T. Kuntz Co. typically deals in new equipment for its systems.

But opening itself to the use of used equipment allows its customers to expand, add lines or integrate another system, and save 30-50% of the cost of a new system, Thompson says. “We partner with customers to help them choose the proper pieces of equipment, and fill in any gaps in the system with new equipment, PLC controls, and so forth, and integrate them into a complete system,” he adds.

Refurbishment usually includes vacuum pumps, central filters/dust collection systems, vacuum chambers, vacuum valves, and conveying equipment.

“While our core business is integrating new systems, if it’s a matter of getting the project done and there are limited funds, then refurbishing idle used equipment plays a big role in getting a new system up and running at an economical cost,” notes Thompson. He says his company typically won’t work on used grinders and dryers, but can help its customers  “find the right person and make sure that the system works together,” Thompson says. —Clare Goldsberry