Outdoor Vending Solutions
There are a range of outdoor vending solutions for clients who wish to locate machines in the open air. These machines can greatly extend sales possibilities and provide sales 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.
Changing weather conditions, and exposure to rain, wind, snow (and occasionally significant heat!) mean that outdoor vending machines must be specifically designed, or adapted, for this purpose, with added protection. Most machines will also need access to a suitable IP rated power supply with an isolation point, which should be in close proximity to where the machine will be located. Outdoor vending machines must be IP (Ingress Protection) rated, and in some circumstances (particularly where there is a significant environment impact, or where there is environmental sensitivity) may require the agreement of the local planning authority. This would need to be checked out prior to any purchase being made. In certain environments (i.e. minus 40 degrees etc) significant modification or re-design of the actual base machine may be required. If the budget is available and the numbers are there, this can be achieved via our extensive global contact base, many of which have their own manufacturing capabilities.
Location of vending machines outside also presents potential security problems, particularly where the site is not constantly supervised. The main risks are vandalism and attempted theft from machines. While no machine on the market is wholly resistant to a determined or professional attack, there are a number of ways in which a machine can be protected. Supervision of the site, either directly by employees or through CCTV is the best deterrent but, where this is not possible, there are a number of measures that can be taken to greatly increase protection. Secure cages are available that are bespoke to a particular machine. While these add bulk (and weight) to the machine, they are designed to be attractive and do not significantly detract in terms of overall appearance. In addition, machines typically have provision to be bolted to a concrete base and/or to the wall immediately behind it.
Consideration of an outside vending solution involves more detailed consideration of a wider range of issues than locating the same machine indoors. Intelligent Vending has considerable expertise in this area, and the best advice we could give is that you ring one of our sales staff for further advice and a more detailed assessment of your needs.