Finding Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Equipment

If you're company is part of the pharmaceutical industry, particularly on the manufacturing side of things, you are going to need to find the correct equipment and some reliable providers from which to purchase your equipment. Pharmaceutical manufacturing is one of the most highly regulated industries in the world and any equipment purchased must not only be safe for employees to operate safely, but be able to guarantee consumer safety also. It is essential that care is taken to purchase equipment that is able to provide products that are safe of the public.

Many large companies in the industry rely on contract pharma companies to manufacture goods and outsource all drug and medicine production to them; however there are still a great deal of companies that work in-house to develop and manufacture new drugs and medicines. There are vendors nationwide in the US as well as many internationally that that supplies equipment, so finding what you need should never be a problem.

Your first job will be to make a list of the things that you need and then find a supplier that stocks the equipment. It is easier, and cheaper, if you are able to purchase all of your equipment from one vendor, as discounts are given for buying in bulk, however, the chances are that you will need to go through several vendors to get everything that is needed. Wholesalers and distributors are excellent for low-priced bulk buying. You can easily find equipment suppliers online, as well as in directories and industry journals.

New or Used?

As pharmaceutical manufacturing is all about developing and producing drugs and medicines that are used for public consumption, there are certain things that will have to be purchased new. All capsules, seals, vials, and packaging will need to be bought from suppliers new, but can be bought in large quantities at reduced prices. The equipment used to in the manufacturing process, however, may be able to be purchased used, or reconditioned.

Tablet presses, hot melt extrusion machines, packaging machines and mixing machines are all widely available second-hand and will save you a lot of money when compared to buying new. There is a difference between new machinery and reconditioned machinery.

Used equipment is often purchased "as is", meaning there is likely to be a few scratches and signs of wear and tear. You can often pick up used equipment from pharmaceutical manufacturers that are upgrading equipment. Reconditioned equipment presents a much better deal. This equipment is used but is generally returned to the original supplier who will then restore the machinery to ensure it is as good as new. They will then retail it at a lower price and with a manufacturer guarantee.

The downside to used and reconditioned equipment is the fact that it is rarely available, and often does not come with the service support and extended warranty of new equipment.