Scott Finn, Managing Director of Ultra Linemarking in Australia presenting his "new" Borum machine.
20/12/2016
You have been considering buying a machine for thermoplastic extrusion for a long time. What was the reason for eventually getting one?
I have noticed a steady increase in demand for thermoplastic over the last few years, more so during the last 8-12 months. Initially I only entered into the thermoplastic market to concentrate on smaller jobs, but now my hand-guided machine is just not big enough for the jobs I have. It’s too time consuming working with a machine that is too small. Once I decided that my business had enough demand for a bigger machine it was then do I buy new or second hand?
I inspected several machines including other brands, but each machine I looked at was either over worked or over priced. I was looking at Borum's website when I found a machine for sale in their USED section. After contacting Borum and arranging a site visit to inspect the machine, I found that it was well presented in excellent near new condition. Without the USED section on their website I would never have known about this machine as it was located overseas.
If you were to describe the Borum machine in only a few words, what would that be?
With only using it for about a week now I would have to say, efficient, time saving, rewarding and impressive.
What have you done to find the information you needed to make your decision?
After speaking with the local Borum partner (Perry Theophanous @ Alphamark) several times over the past few years I have gained substantial knowledge in regards to my personal requirements in order to get the right machine for my business. I have also used YouTube looking at different makes and models and I soon realised that Borum have a client base worldwide and in my opinion have the strongest market share within Australia and that itself must mean something.
How was the onsite training in using the new equipment provided by Borum/Alphamark beneficial?
Alphamark was an integral part in the commissioning of this machine as I had no experience with the way in which a Borum operates. Alphamark demonstrated the capabilities of the machine in a clear precise way. Alphamark was also willing to be out on site at night to ensure the machine operated correctly without any issues. As we all know buying second hand always has a bit of risk involved whether it be a car, house, boat etc.
The same went with the machine that I just purchased. Although not too much was wrong with it, a few main things needed replacing and between Alphamark and Borum the parts required were ordered and received within only a few days, which displays that the after sales service does not diminish once the purchase has been made.
What do you see as the challenges of your road marking jobs? How did the Borum machine help you in overcoming these challenges?
My main challenges are; setting out, being competitive, time saving, straight lines. Coming from a Graco Thermolazer I immediately noticed the setting out time halve and potentially drop further once we become more confident in using it, needing less spots as the Borum is fully computerised and the Graco was all manual. By improving setting out time will lead to less time on the job and more profit on the bottom line. The Borum machines are surprisingly easy to keep straight the way in which they are handled on the road is great.
Which features on your Borum machine do you like the most/ help make your job easier?
I would have to say the computer and the way it operated its very user friendly, comparing to my paint truck computer in order to input a new pattern I need a laptop , although the Borum computer you can easily change which gate to open/close by pressing a button.
Would you recommend Borum machines to other operators?
Yes! The machine is well built and operates with ease. For anyone wishing to expand or update I would highly recommend a Borum for the simple fact they just work!
