Although it reports a quieter time of late for new machine orders, Sprayranger manufacturer Alanco says the level of enquiries it’s experiencing for its refurb service has risen considerably in recent months. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of existing sprayer owners seeking to upgrade their machines to keep them running for longer than they might have originally planned,” says the company’s Keith Wood. “We’re being asked for everything from a serious service to a full nut-and-bolt refit and upgrade, incorporating many of the updates introduced since the machine was new, and bringing used machines up to the latest spec, at considerably less than the cost of a new machine.” While engine or gearbox upgrades are generally uneconomic on a self-propelled sprayer, Mr Wood suggests pretty much every other component can be renewed for reasonable cost. “Our most common requests are for boom and pump rebuilds. Booms cost around £2,000 to refurbish and £5,000 to replace.” Mr Wood says some owners want their machines completely stripped down and subjected to a full rebuild and repaint, with new parts where required. “For this it’s possible to spend anything from £5-30,000,” he says. At the upper end of that scale, the machine is taken almost completely apart, removing the spraypack, engine and cab and renewing every critical element of the machine, right down to a repaint and even re-carpeting the cab. “Ultimately, the owner gets back a sprayer that’s pretty much how it was when it left the factory, and is supplied with a full report on what’s been done. “We’ve seen a doubling in bookings this winter for this sort of service.”