A completed investment project, a decommissioned line, a technology change or standardization of the machine park \u2014 in each of these scenarios, brand new (factory new) automation components are left on the shelves that no one will ever install. PLC controllers, frequency inverters (VFDs), servo drives, power supplies and safety relays can tie up significant capital in the warehouse, and their value only declines over time. The solution is industrial automation buyback \u2014 a service that puts surplus stock back into circulation as spare parts for maintenance departments, while your company recovers cash and warehouse space. In this guide we show how to prepare your surplus for sale and what the process at RECOSTOCK looks like step by step.<\/p>\n
Automation surplus stock, also known as new-old-stock (NOS), consists of brand new (factory new) components that never made it into a machine. In practice, it arises in a few typical situations:<\/p>\n
Automation manufacturers regularly phase out older product families and replace them with new platforms. As long as a given series is still widely used in running machines, a brand new (factory new) unit from surplus is a sought-after commodity \u2014 maintenance departments are happy to reach for it, as it avoids rebuilding the control cabinet for the successor model. But as the machine park is gradually replaced, demand shrinks and the same part becomes harder and harder to sell. Then there is physics: electrolytic capacitors in frequency inverters (VFDs) and power supplies age even while sitting on the shelf, seals in pneumatic components lose their elasticity, and warehouse humidity damages packaging and promotes corrosion of connector contacts. The conclusion is simple: the sooner surplus stock goes back into circulation, the more it is worth.<\/p>\n
A fast and reliable quote starts with the unambiguous identification of every item. In automation, a single family covers dozens of variants: a SINAMICS series frequency inverter or an IndraDrive servo drive comes in many power ratings and option configurations, a PNOZ safety relay has variants differing in the number of channels and supply voltage, a Flexi Soft safety controller is built from different modules, and a PROmax power supply comes in many voltage and current versions. That is why what matters is the full part number (MPN) from the nameplate, not just the series name.<\/p>\n
Walk through your shelves and note down the complete MPN from each nameplate along with the quantity. Avoid blindly copying numbers from purchase documents or your ERP system \u2014 it happens that the box contains a different version than the paperwork says. If the part is shrink-wrapped, you will usually also find the number on the packaging label.<\/p>\n
A photo of the nameplate resolves doubts faster than any description. Photograph the nameplate or label of every item, and for larger lots also take a general shot of the shelf or pallet. Good photos speed up the quote and eliminate mistakes when identifying the variant.<\/p>\n
Note whether the packaging is original and intact, whether the manufacturer's seals remain unbroken, and whether the connectors, documentation and mounting accessories are included. This information directly affects the quote, so it is worth providing it right in your submission.<\/p>\n
Even among brand new (factory new) components, quotes can vary considerably. From the buyer's perspective, what matters is certainty that the part is exactly the variant they are looking for and that no one has installed it before. The table below summarises the key factors:<\/p>\n