Buying used machinery for film and bag production: Checklist for technology, import and commissioning

Which machine categories are used in film and bag production?

Industrial manufacturing of plastic bags and packaging films is divided into four interrelated plant categories traded on the used machinery market either as standalone units or complete production lines [26]:

1. Blown film extrusion lines (mono and coextrusion extruders): Melt polyethylene granules (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE or regranulate), form a tubular film bubble through the die head, cool it and wind it flat onto rolls [9], [26]. Key specifications include screw diameter, number of layers (mono, 3-layer, multi-layer), maximum working width and output in kg/h [26].
2. Bag cutting and sealing machines (converting machines): Convert tubular or half-tubular film into T-shirt carrier bags, flat bags, side-gusseted bags, mailing bags or roll-type waste bags with drawstrings or wave-top cuts [9], [26].
3. Flexographic printing presses: Print the film web in a rotary relief process in one or more colours (either as an inline printing unit on the extruder/bag machine or as a standalone central-impression [CI] or stack flexo press) [26].
4. Recycling and pelletising lines: Reprocess edge trim, die-cut skeletons (PIR) or washed post-consumer film waste (PCR) by shredding, melting, degassing, melt filtration and pelletising into extrusion-ready regranulate [9], [10].

Technical inspection checklist before buying used machinery

Before making a purchase decision, every used machine should be evaluated using current photographs, technical specifications and ideally a video recorded during live production under load:

• Core mechanical wear: Condition of extruder screw and barrel (compression and output rate), gearbox noise, concentricity of rubber and steel rollers, and condition of the die head and cooling ring [26].
• Sealing and cutting assemblies: On bag converting machines, the condition of sealing bars, cutting blades, perforating knives, handle punch units, band heaters and temperature controllers is decisive for uniform weld seams and clean tear-off perforations [27].
• Electrics, PLC controls and drives: Year of manufacture and spare-part availability for PLC controllers, frequency inverters, servo drives and HMI panels, as well as the presence of complete wiring diagrams and operating manuals [28].

Legal framework: EU import, CE marking and occupational safety (BetrSichV)

In cross-border purchases of used machinery, a strict legal distinction applies depending on whether the machine has already been lawfully placed on the market within the European Economic Area (EEA) or is imported into the EEA for the first time from a third country (such as Turkey) [28], [29]:

• First placing on the market from a non-EEA country: Under Section 2.4 of the European Commission's official 'Blue Guide' (2022/C 247/01), Union harmonisation legislation – namely the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 – applies to used products imported from a third country when they enter the Union market for the first time [28], [29]. The machine must meet essential health and safety requirements and be accompanied by a technical file, operating instructions in the user country's language, a Declaration of Conformity and CE marking [28], [29].
• Substantial modification: Even a machine already located in the EU may be classified as a new product under the Blue Guide if it undergoes substantial modifications that alter its original performance, purpose or design [29].
• Operator obligations in Germany (BetrSichV): Regardless of where a machine is purchased, every employer in Germany must conduct a risk assessment under Section 3 (1) of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV) before initial commissioning [30]. Section 3 (1) sentence 3 BetrSichV explicitly states that the presence of a CE mark on work equipment does not exempt the employer from carrying out a risk assessment [30].

Delivery terms (Incoterms® 2020), installation and spare-parts supply

In international machinery transactions, dismantling, loading, transport, customs clearance and re-commissioning should be clearly defined using the Incoterms® 2020 rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) [31]:

Incoterms® 2020 rule	Transfer of costs, risk and customs obligations under ICC
EXW (Ex Works)	The seller makes the machine available at its premises only; loading, export customs clearance, transport and import rest entirely with the buyer [31].
FCA (Free Carrier)	The seller hands the goods over to the carrier nominated by the buyer (e.g. loaded onto the buyer's truck at the seller's facility) and completes export customs clearance [31].
DAP (Delivered at Place)	The seller bears transport costs and risk to the named destination (ready for unloading on the arriving vehicle); import customs clearance is handled by the buyer [31].
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)	The seller bears all costs and risks to the destination, including both export and import customs clearance and import duties [31].

Pakzeno sources inspected used machinery from Turkey to your specification (type, working width, output and budget range), provides photos, live production videos and technical data prior to purchase, and upon request arranges installation and commissioning by travelling technicians as well as ongoing supply of spare parts such as sealing bars, blades, rollers, band heaters and temperature controllers.

View Pakzeno machinery catalogue