How to Decide Whether to Make or Buy a Conveyor

When your company needs to invest in a conveyor to move your product, there are several questions to address, such as: What environment does it need? Will it need an incline or decline? Does it need to rotate or turn corners while it’s being conveyed? Adding to this decision-making process is the decision whether you make or buy your new conveyor system.

As with most decisions, there are pros and cons to each side. A new infographic from Dorner Conveyor provides a decision making tree on Make vs. Buy: the Cost of Making Your Own Conveyor.

As also discussed by Dorner:

Conveyor Costs. If you do choose to build your own conveyor, one of the pros is that you’re guaranteed to optimize the space available in your warehouse. You understand the best dimensions and configuration and can customize your conveyor system to meet these needs. Additionally, building a conveyor belt in-house may have cheaper up-front costs, as you can handpick parts from a variety of suppliers who offer the best price.

You also aren’t required to purchase a warranty on your own product, reducing costs even further. However, without a warranty there’s no guarantee in the protection against future defects or mechanical issues, which is why many conveyor manufacturers provide warranties when you build or purchase a conveyor system from them.

There are potentially small hidden costs that will add up over time with any conveyor, such as the administrative costs of processing a purchase order, the warranty, any changes made in the design process, customization, etc. These costs don’t have to be a surprise. It’s these added expenses that add to the pros of choosing the right conveyor manufacturing company.

Get The Conveyor You Need. While your company may specialize in a product that utilizes a conveyor belt, building the conveyor belt system may not be your specialty. Outsourcing to a conveyor manufacturing company can provide a quality solution, with your conveyor belt built with current technologies, reliable component suppliers, and consistent service and support.

In the end, deciding between making your own conveyor or buying one from another company comes down to weighing the pros and cons and analyzing what will be in the best interest for your company, your budget, and your product. For a comprehensive look at the process of making versus buying a conveyor system, check out the infographic above or contact Dorner.