Hiring vs Purchasing Industrial Scales for Your Business

Industrial scales are essential to most businesses, but not every organisation may be ready to invest in purchasing one. The good news is that most retailers that sell scales may also offer the option of hiring the scales.

So, should you buy industrial scales or rent them?

The first thing you should consider is your budget. But more than just the dollars to spend, deciding to buy or hire a scale also depends on several other factors, including your business needs and how often you need to use the weighing scale.
To help you make the best decision that suits your business requirements, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of hiring versus purchasing weighing scales.

Hiring

If you need to use weighing scales only at certain times of the year, hiring them for your business could be the best option as you won’t need to spend a huge amount of money on something that you won’t use often. This frees up your company’s cash flow as a result of less capital being spent on resources. Plus, hiring allows you to upgrade your weighing scales anytime instead of being stuck with one model.
Hiring a scale also gives you a chance to try the scale out before committing to a purchase.

Pros

  • It is highly economical as you don’t have to pay the full price for the scale upfront.
  • You don't have to bear the service expenses. All equipment for hire will be repaired and maintained by the supplier for general wear and tear.
  • You get to enjoy flexibility to hire only during the times you need the scale and won’t be stuck with an asset.
  • You can test out a scale before deciding to purchase.
  • Guaranteed quality assurance – rental scales will be tested and calibrated before they are delivered.
  • If your current equipment is under maintenance or not in a good condition, hiring is the perfect way to avoid down time.

Cons

  • Depending on the supplier, you may need to pay some additional costs occasionally.
  • You may be charged penalty interest on late payments.
  • You can’t make any alteration or addition to the equipment without permission from the supplier.
  • You cannot fit any new accessories to the scale without permission from the supplier.
  • You are responsible to keep the scale in good order and repair in accordance with the supplier’s maintenance schedule.

Purchasing

You should definitely consider purchasing commercial scales if your business uses them frequently. The biggest benefit to purchasing a weighing scale is that it belongs to you. You won’t need to answer to anyone else regarding the scale condition or quality, and, outside of repair or servicing costs, there won’t be any additional costs following the initial upfront payment.

Pros

  • The greatest benefit of purchasing a scale is that you own it.
  • You don’t need to get any permission when using the scale, and can make all the decisions regarding the usage.
  • This also means you can make any alteration and/or additions to the scale as you see fit.
  • You can use the scale as and when you need it without having to go through any rental process or waiting time.
  • Besides repair and servicing costs, you don’t have to bear any additional expenses once you have purchased the weighing scale.
  • Buying a scale can also be a more affordable option in the long term, especially if you use the scale frequently.

Cons

  • There is a large upfront cash outlay when purchasing the weighing scale.
  • You have to bear the costs of maintenance.
  • There is no flexibility to upgrade anytime – you’d need to make another purchase to get the latest model.
  • You can’t easily return or change the equipment to meet changing business requirements.
  • Weighing scales can lose accuracy due to wear and tear after a while, and you will need to spend money on maintenance and/or buy a new scale to replace the old one.

Premium Quality Weighing Scales for Hiring and Purchasing

At Able Scales, we offer a large range of industrial weighing equipment to suit various applications. Our scales are available for purchase as well as hire.
We offer both short term and long term hire on weighing scales, allowing you to rent from a day, a week, a month, or even on a permanent basis.

To find out more about our scale rental services, please get in touch with our team today.

Choose Able Scales for quality, choice and experience.