Birth certificates

Information on the serial number plate, which the manufacturer affixes at the time of manufacture, allows a prospective buyer to determine clearly, among other things, a designation and date and country of manufacture. “This information can be essential to determining legal use of the machine,” says Alan McIntyre, engineering product support manager for JLG in the UK.

One issue is that manufacturers build for export overseas. A machine made in the US, for example, could be CE-compliant, or it might be physically impossible to bring it into compliance with regulations for a of use. A buyer must look for evidence of compliance with local regulations or obtain the information that will lead to that.

Number plate information also allows the OEM to recall “build history”explains JLG product manager, Ron Jackson. Not only does this information allow users to obtain correct replacement parts, it can be crucial for a buyer in complying with safety practices - obtaining proper control panel decals, manuals, and safety decals, for example, he says.

“The only way to be totally sure [about legal compliance and parts and service availability] is to contact the machine‘s manufacturer,” says Mr McIntyre. Call before you bid - after you‘ve read the number plate.