Operators who want to sell their used rides abroad need a log book with a lot of information that manufacturers normally do not provide.
 
THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMPLETE RIDE LOG BOOK
by Enrico Fabbri
 
Many operators need to sell their used rides in order to buy another new or used one. This operation is becoming increasingly complex, as the attraction need to be accompanied by a whole series of information that the future owner requires for the first inspection in their home country.  The first inspection procedure is based on a series of checks described in standards EN-13814 and ISO-17842. Depending on the regulations issued in each country, the procedure may be simple or even very complex, and indeed quite expensive. We have already examined this topic in previous articles, and therefore we will not go over the various requirements again here.  Here, on the other hand, I would like to point out that many Italian operators believe that the book they receive when obtaining their ride’s identification code in Italy is sufficient to meet the needs described above. However this is NOT the case.

Even when having bought a new ride just a few years ago, a purchaser who wants to take the ride into countries such as Dubai, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the USA requires a series of additional documents that manufacturers do not normally provide to the original purchaser. Consequently, the negotiations for the sale of such rides depend on whether the original manufacturer cooperates with the potential purchaser to provide the extra information needed.  Technically, this involves handing over a copy of the documents that the manufacturer already possesses, and therefore the cost to the manufacturer is generally quite low, however not always. There are some manufacturers who also deal in used rides, and show reluctance in handing over the documents with the aim of taking over the sale, or simply charging a high price for the service.  In the several months I have been working in the used ride market, I have seen that 99% of operators in Europe (and therefore in Italy too) are unclear about the documents they may require or receive when purchasing a new ride, and do not understand the purpose of each individual document and consequently its importance.

I decided to write this article with the aim of drafting a booklet in the future with detailed explanations of all these aspects, which currently only a very few people are aware of. Even many manufacturers are not clear about the documents they need to provide.  The issue is becoming an important one, because inspections of used rides that cross borders are getting stricter and more precise, at times creating difficulties for the operator who purchased the ride and who perhaps took out a big loan to finance the cost.  This aspect is even more important for operators that buy a new ride, at times very costly, and have the right to receive all the documentation they need to be able to easily resell it later or certify it in other countries if they decide to move. Although I realise that these issues are not easy to explain and not all of the suggestions may apply equally to all rides, I believe this helps to start informing operators on some important concepts.

 

 

 

Written by Mr. Enrico Fabbri enrico@fabbrirides.com
Article originally published in Games Industry (Italy) magazine
Original date: August 2016

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