How do I check a recycling yard’s sorting line and conveyor condition?
Watch the line run, then ask for its maintenance and downtime records. Look at belts, rollers, motors and guarding, and ask what has been replaced, what is due, and what breaks most often. Have a technician look at anything you cannot judge by eye.
Ask to see the line running with real material, not an empty demonstration. Watch for belt tracking problems, jams, spillage, noise from bearings and how often workers step in to clear blockages. Look at the guards and emergency stops, and notice whether they are in place or have been removed to speed things up.
Next, read the records. A maintenance log shows which parts fail, how fast they were fixed and what it cost. Ask for a list of downtime events and what caused them. Check whether spare belts, motors and drives are kept on hand, and whether any key part is no longer made or hard to get.
Then ask what the line can actually do. Is it running near its limit, or is there room to handle more? Who built or installed it, and is that person still around to support it? If the line is financed or leased, find out whether the obligation moves to you. A line of credit or equipment loan may be attached, so ask your lawyer and accountant to read the terms.
Key takeaways
- Watch the line run under load and notice guards, jams and noise.
- Read the maintenance log for repeat failures and hard-to-find parts.
- Find out whether any equipment finance transfers to the new owner.
- Ask who built or installed the line, and whether that person or company is still around to support it.
Related reading
12 pages on the same subject, grouped by topic.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentEquipment valuation: How to do it
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
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