There’s a lot to like about start up culture, particularly in a biotech company: the promise of making life better through mind boggling technological advances, the challenge of bringing an idea or theory to reality, the simple excitement of being part of something new. But with all the unknowns facing a new or small and growing biotech firms, stretching dollars to try and lengthen runway is always a prudent move.
One of the best ways to make your money go further is to purchase used and refurbished general purpose lab equipment. Biosafety cabinets, incubators, centrifuges, balances, refrigerators, freezers, rotary evaporators, freeze dryers – all of this equipment can be purchased used and refurbished for a fraction of the cost of comparable new machines.
The biggest expense for almost any company is personnel and you can’t skimp on salaries. Your employees are your most valuable asset, as the saying goes, and in today’s market it’s especially important to compensate your employees accordingly to keep them productive and happy. And the more money you save on equipment, the more money you’ll have available to direct toward hiring and retaining talented individuals.
That’s not to say that purchasing all used equipment is a good idea, however. We almost always recommend customers purchase mass spectrometers, microplate readers, flow cytometers, analyzers, or any equipment dependent on software for operation directly from the manufacturer, particularly if you are unfamiliar with the equipment and need a lot of operational and tech support. A gas chromatography system is not exactly a plug-in and go machine – users may need to be trained and coached extensively if they are not already well-versed in the principles of operation and/or with the model in question. (That being said, there are reputable dealers who work with refurbished software dependent instruments like these. Call or email us for recommendations.)
General lab equipment, on the other hand, is typically more straightforward to install and operate. A water bath needs to be filled with water, plugged in, and you’re ready to go. An air-jacketed CO2 incubator needs to be plugged in, attached to a gas supply, and you’re ready to go. A biosafety cabinet needs to be put on a stand and plugged in, and you’re ready to go. This is where you can save a lot of money without much headache or frustration.
So if you’re on a budget and looking to start a biotech lab please contact American Instrument Exchange so that we can save you some serious money on equipment. Thanks!
American Instrument Exchange has been a reliable source for used laboratory and scientific equipment for over 50 years, buying and selling equipment since 1969. Our surplus lab equipment is reconditioned for many types of laboratories, including biotech, biomedical, medical research, chemical, pharmaceutical, and university and hospital research laboratories. All lab equipment listed on our website is in stock and ships from our 30,000 square foot warehouse in Massachusetts. Our facilities include a fully equipped shop with highly trained technicians who thoroughly test each instrument before it reaches your laboratory. Please visit our website at https://www.americaninstrument.com/.