How To Update & Upgrade a Used Grote Slicer

If you’re considering buying a used Grote slicer or have recently purchased one, the team at Grote can help ensure the machine is in proper working condition and is set up correctly for your application. 

From pre-purchase inspections to ongoing support, Grote is there for you every step of the way. 

Read on to learn more about the value we add when you’re in the market for a pre-owned Grote industrial slicer.

 

INCLUDE GROTE IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING A PRE-OWNED GROTE SLICER

Grote builds mechanically sound machines that last. When necessary, we can make replacement parts for any of our slicers. Thanks to our continued support for our older equipment, a purchase can last many decades.  However, as reliable as those older products are, technology has evolved, and older slicers might need some upgrades to give you the very best performance for your application.

When looking to buy a pre-owned slicer, the seller of that equipment probably doesn’t know much about the actual use of the machine. Machines not configured correctly don't perform correctly – resulting in less throughput, higher waste, lower quality slicing, and more downtime for maintenance. Grote will fly out and examine one of our pre-owned industrial slicers to ensure it’s configured precisely for your intended usage.

While most customers don’t involve us until after the sale, having Grote inspect a prospective machine before a purchase offers tremendous value. Used Grote slicers may have a lower initial price, but if they are not configured to your exact application or up to modern safety and sanitation standards, the slicer may require additional parts to run for your intended purpose, causing you to spend even more than expected. 

Whether before or after the purchase, a 2-day visit from a Grote technician is less than a $5k investment and includes:

• Equipment inspection
• Training personnel on correct usage
• Ensuring the machine is 100% functional for your intended use

 

WHAT UPGRADES MIGHT BE NECESSARY?

Hydraulic Machine Upgrades

Hydraulic slicers are relatively old yet come onto the used market occasionally. You can now upgrade these older machines to utilize newer electronics, significantly affecting the ease of use.

Upgrading an older hydraulic machine with newer motor servo components significantly improves performance. Switching from hydraulic to electric costs around $50k, depending on the equipment and situation.

 

Fix Potential Safety/Compliance Issues

Retrofitting a Grote slicer might require additional safety, sanitation, or compliance upgrades. For example, older Grote machines didn’t need two safety contact standards to ensure operators would be safe using the slicer. 

Hardware is more key based now, and Grote will make the necessary safety upgrades to ensure the retrofitted machine complies with current safety and sanitation regulations.
 

Electrical Rebuilding

Over time, electrical panels can start to look like a Frankenstein mash-up of wires. Rebuilding the electrical panel avoids headaches, safety issues, and potential breakdowns.
 

Small Quality-of-Life Enhancements

Grote can also add minor quality-of-life upgrades that add even more value to your slicing operations. For example, instead of turning knobs, we can add an automatic electronic thickness adjustment to older machines.
 

Replacing Obsolete Parts

As time passes and technology improves, some components of older Grote slicers may become obsolete. While those parts may work just fine right now—if one or more of them should fail in the future, you might have to shut down your line as you wait to find a new one.

Grote will replace all obsolete parts with more readily available and newer ones, which will help prevent unnecessary downtime in the event of a future failure.

 

Stocking Spare Parts

Grote will compile a list of essential spare parts you should consider keeping on hand to reduce potential future downtime. For example, we will help you select the correct Grote Accuband blades for your machine and application. We can also help you determine the ideal product holder sizing and available rows to fit your food products.

3rd party blade suppliers know less about Grote machines and what applications are ideal for their non-OEM blades. Their blades may be less expensive in the short run—however, you may find less quality slices and yield, and more frequent changeouts than you would with an OEM Grote blade.

 

HOW THE UPGRADE PROCESS WORKS

Because each machine vintage and condition is different, as are your operation specs and goals, each used slicer upgrade can be different. We go through this process step-by-step to create a custom plan.

• Our qualified technicians gather information and take pictures of your used machine, either electronically or onsite at your operation.
• We use our historical data, the machine's condition, and your operating specs to create a plan and parts quote.
• We order the necessary parts and equipment while you continue to run your line.
• Once the parts have arrived, you’ll send the machine to us so we can perform the upgrades. It takes approximately one week or less to complete the work.
• We will thoroughly check and test the equipment before sending it back to you to ensure there aren’t any other undiagnosed issues.
• Once completed, we ship the machine back to your facility. Optionally, a field technician can perform commissioning and train your team to get back online.

Cost of Upgrading

While purchasing a used slicer is less expensive than purchasing a new machine, the cost of upgrades and customization needs to be accounted for to compare apples to apples. Lean on Grote experts to help you identify and evaluate which updates are needed to get the slicer into peak condition. The extent of recommendations will depend on the individual machine and your intended use.

A full retrofit can cost approximately 75% of a new purchase, while the actual cost will vary depending on the machine and the upgrades/parts required. Get started with this article on how you calculate industrial slicer payback and ROI.   

 

WORK WITH GROTE TO GET THE MOST VALUE OUT OF A USED SLICER

A pre-owned industrial slicer can offer excellent value for your money. However, it pays to work with our technicians to inspect the machine and make configuration updates and upgrades to ensure it operates optimally.

Click below to learn more about our slicers and the benefits you can expect from an upgrade or retrofit.

 

Retrofit Your Grote Slicer