Moba Refurbished: 30 years of high-quality, affordable solutions

Moba Refurbished recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of delivering high-quality, certified egg grading and packaging systems that combine reliability with affordability. We spoke with the manager of Moba Refurbished, Herbert van Ginkel, to gain insight into how the company turns refurbished equipment into smart, sustainable solutions for businesses, proving that second-hand doesn’t mean second-best.

Growing demand from customers for more accessible solutions led to the creation of Moba Refurbished in December 1995. “Customers were looking for ways to access high-quality grading and packaging equipment but couldn’t always afford new machines”, Herbert explains. “We wanted to offer them an additional option: expertly refurbished systems that retain Moba’s high-quality and reliability at a more accessible price. It wasn’t just about taking in old machines, it was about providing a fully certified, high-performance alternative for our customers.”

“In those early years, we operated under the name Second-hand Moba Systems (SMS)”, Herbert continues. “Last year, we changed our name to Moba Refurbished to better reflect the work we do today.”

The art of refurbishment
What makes Moba Refurbished truly unique is its complete refurbishment process. “Every customer has the option to trade in their old machines when purchasing a new one”, Herbert explains. “Most of the machines we refurbish have been in operation for ten to fifteen years, but age or total running hours are not the deciding factors. What really matters is how well the machine has been maintained and cleaned over the years. We carefully assess each machine’s condition, and if refurbishment is the right option, our team disassembles the machine on-site at the customer’s location. Throughout this process, we take care of everything, ensuring it is as smooth and worry-free as possible for the customer.”

Once the machines arrive at the Moba Refurbished facility in Barneveld, the real work begins. The refurbishment process starts with the complete disassembly of the module, followed by thorough cleaning. Components spend a full day and a half in a spray booth with chemicals and foam to ensure every corner is spotless. After this, the team performs meticulous hand-cleaning, inspecting every part and replacing worn or damaged components. All parts that come into contact with eggs, such as rollers, are replaced to guarantee the highest standards of hygiene and food safety. In addition, wear-prone components like chains and other critical elements are always replaced to ensure reliability and optimal performance.

Once the next destination of a machine is determined, it is adapted to meet the specific needs of that customer. “Depending on the requirements, we can adjust the machine’s configuration or other operational settings”, Herbert explains. “We replace the PCs and update the software to the latest versions to ensure optimal performance. The system is then reassembled so it can be fully tested. Every function is carefully checked, the electronics are tested and the machine is fully calibrated to ensure it operates exactly as intended. Once testing is complete, the modules are dismantled again and prepared for safe transport to the customer, ready for installation.”

A skilled team

The success of Moba Refurbished is ultimately a story of its people. The team is actively involved in every step of the process, from dismantling and cleaning to reassembly, loading, transport, installation and service support throughout the warranty period.

This hands-on involvement is made possible by a skilled, close-knit team. Moba Refurbished has grown to sixteen members, including four service technicians, seven refurbishment engineers, one logistics coordinator, two team leaders, one supply chain engineer and Herbert as manager. Together, they bring more than 147 years of Moba experience to the table. “Working here is incredibly rewarding because of the variety of systems we handle and the deep level of expertise required to refurbish them”, Herbert says. “Our team needs to understand every detail, from mechanical components to electronics and software and be able to solve problems quickly on the spot. It’s a tight-knit group with short lines of communication, which allows us to respond rapidly and efficiently to any challenge.”

Herbert emphasizes that the team’s work would not be possible without close collaboration across the wider Moba organization. “Coordination with other departments, such as Shipping and Sales at Moba HQ, as well as our international offices for service support, is essential to ensuring the entire process runs smoothly and that our customers can rely on us for complete peace of mind”, he adds.

Looking ahead

Moba Refurbished is unique within the egg industry, by offering complete refurbished grading and packaging machines. They handle seven to eight graders annually, along with around 30 to 35 additional projects, all from a dedicated 6,500-square-meter facility. The core business remains the Omnia egg graders, with a gradual shift from the Omnia FT to the Omnia PX models. In the early years, most customers were located in Europe and the United States, but demand has since expanded to markets in Asia, South Africa and beyond. As interest in refurbished machines continues to grow, Moba Refurbished expects demand to rise even further.

Managing this volume of projects while maintaining high standards makes efficiency a key priority for the team. “Our average turnaround time is currently four months”, Herbert explains. “By investing in better planning and processes, we aim to reduce that time without ever compromising the quality our customers expect.”

For Herbert and his team, the focus goes beyond numbers and efficiency: it is all about providing smart, sustainable and reliable solutions that make Moba technology more accessible. “For smaller operators and family-run businesses in particular, refurbished machines offer a practical and cost-effective alternative without compromising on Moba quality”, he says. “Refurbished doesn’t mean second-best. It means delivering equipment that is fully reliable and ready to perform from day one.”