When and Why to buy an Automatic Screen Printing Press Part 2

In the previous article I discussed some things to consider before you decide to expand your business and purchase an automatic screen printing press. The first step to any business decision is to analyze your present situation and decide if an investment in an automatic screen printing press is even needed at all. You have to know what your business can handle and also what kind of machine will be best suited for your business now and in the future.

You have an idea of what you want. Now you have to consider the next step; it's what I like to call the “3 P's.” 3 P's sounds pretty cool but what are they? Price, Payment and Placement. All are equally important and ignoring any would cause you to hit a major road block in your expansion.

The 3 P's – Price 

It doesn't matter what you're buying or how much money you have, the cost of the things we purchase or commit to purchase have a huge impact on our lives. But it  

isn't price alone, it is really more the value of the things we purchase that's the deciding force.

It's often best to decide if you really need those additional options and weigh them against the total cost of the press and also your ability to afford the payments. This little formula will give you the value of the machine specifically for you.

A new automatic press might cost $15,000 to $20,000 at the entry-level but over $150,000 for the high-end. You have to consider what price range is in your budget, then compare that to previous the worksheet. This will help you find the right press for you; one that is both within your budget and able to not only serve your needs but allow you to grow into it over time.

The fact is that as long as your business is already profitable, your machine will eventually pay itself off and earn more money than you could have ever made operating a manual shop. Balancing all of the variables and finding the one that is right for you will simply allow you to maximize your investment.

Aside from the price of the machine, there are other costs that have to be factored that can affect your total cost of the upgrade. Your current screen printing dryer might not be big enough to handle the amount of shirts your automatic would be putting through it. An increase in the amount of shirts printed would need to be passed through the dryer. That small dryer that was great with your manual press might not be nearly enough anymore.

An automatic screen printing press also requires a larger air compressor and air chiller than you had for your manual shop.

The additional costs such as delivery and crating, installation, business overhead can affect your budget greatly.

Also consider the future and any additional services or equipment that you can benefit from. When expanding, are you going to take on any complex or high end jobs that might require several colors in addition to flocking or foil?

The 3 P's – Payment

Once you know what you want and you're ready to buy you have to decide how to pay for the equipment. In this case, there are really two options. If you have the capital, you can write a check for the full amount and be done with it. The other option is financing. There are several banks and lenders that can help you finance your expansion and we work with a few preferred lenders that have a great record with helping our customers.

The 3 P's – Placement

 The 3^rd P to consider when expanding is the placement of your automatic. Auto presses are much larger in size than a manual, even at the entry-level. This increase in footprint can dead end your expansion if you're not positive you have enough space plus a few extra feet around.

Our Anatol Titan automatic screen printing press is barely larger than a 6-color manual press. This small footprint nearly takes press size out of the equation because you already know how it will fit into your current shop.

If you work out of a garage, before you buy an automatic press you might have to consider renting out a small warehouse. If your warehouse isn't big enough, you might have to move to a bigger location and hold off on the upgrade until you have more room.

Remember to keep in mind the placement of structural obstacles such as columns and supports and how they might affect the layout of your shop.

Speaking of structure, another important thing to consider when upgrading is weight. It might not affect most people, but there are some who might have something located below their area of operation. It could be a basement/storage area or it might even be another business. Knowing your locations structural rating could be important if you have something below you.

Final Thoughts

Before you run off and start buying up presses, it's important to look at all of the factors that affect your decision. Know the variables that affect you directly and indirectly and compare them. Deciding is easy, it's either yes or no. It's getting to that decision that is the hard part and that takes a little bit of leg work.

Create a worksheet for yourself using some of the questions that were mentioned in the previous post. Add a few of your own and sit down and consider all of the answers to those questions. Keep in mind what your current production situation is and how upgrading might affect your business. If done correctly it will most certainly have a positive impact on your business. Remember that the value of this series is in it's intent to help you maximize your recovery and earning potential once you do make the jump. Increase your ROI and get your life back, upgrade to an automatic press.

Take a look at our line of Titan Automatic screen printing machine and see how they can help you grow your business in the next 5 years.