television shows that introduce how something is made (like.. how hershey's kisses are made) always take you to a plant and there are so many intricate machines that bottle, wrap, shake, measure, cut, separate.. etc. are they all custom manufacturing machines? from where do companies get them? and how can a small business owner find/ afford one?i'm not necessarily asking about machines used in the food industry -- any answers are welcomed! i can provide further details if necessary. i know my question may be a little vague.
You need to do a simple cost benefit analysis to see if a big machine is worth the cost. I will almost guarantee you that a small business cannot justify the purchase. That's why small businesses do everything by hand. The automated machines you see are typically custom made machines from specialty manufacturer's. You can find some on the web fairly easily.
If you're in the US, contact your local Small Business Development Center or Manufacturing Extension Partnership office. They are both non-profit organizations, set up to help small businesses. Also, I have found some good used equipment on OKorder.
