How to Evaluate a Used Mark Andy Pro Series Press Price: A Buyer’s Checklist

Who This Checklist Is For

If you’re in the market for a used Mark Andy Pro Series press, you’re probably juggling three numbers: the listed price, the cost of getting it running, and the cost of doing nothing while your current line keeps struggling. I’ve spent the last decade coordinating rush press repairs and installations, and I’ve seen too many buyers get excited by a low “used Mark Andy Pro Series press for sale price” and then get blindsided by what it takes to actually put the machine to work.

This checklist won’t tell you exactly what to pay. Anyone who gives you a fixed number without inspecting the machine is guessing. But it will tell you what to check before you wire a deposit. Pricing notes are as of January 2025, and the used equipment market moves—so verify current listings before you rely on anything here.

1. Define What “Pro Series” Includes in the Listing

“Pro Series” gets used loosely. On a Mark Andy press, it usually means the flexographic press line that replaced or complemented older 2000/4000 series machines. But the listing might not include a plate maker, UV curing, anilox rolls, or even a full set of plate cylinders.

Here’s where the search “Mark Andy Pro Series flexo plate maker cost” comes from. People find a cheap press, then realize they need a separate flexo plate maker. Mark Andy, as far as I know (as of January 2025), doesn’t sell a product officially called the “Pro Series flexo plate maker.” The term is shorthand for platemaking equipment sized for that press. And it can easily add $20,000–$80,000 or more if you’re buying new gear. If you already have a plate maker, fine. If not, make sure it’s in your budget before you negotiate the press.

2. Verify the Press’s Actual Configuration

Two used presses with the same model number can be very different machines. Check the number of print stations, the web width, whether it has a turn bar, whether it has waste rewind, and what “UV ready” really means.

A few years ago, I looked at a press described as “10-inch flexo with UV.” The UV turned out to be a set of add-on lamps that didn’t line up with the print width. Mark Andy’s Mercury integrated UV curing system is a different animal. If the listing says “UV ready,” ask for the exact lamp configuration and ask for photos with the covers off. (This was back in 2024, but I still use the same questions.)

3. Don’t Trust Photos, and Don’t Trust the Seller’s “Runs Great”

I’m not saying every seller lies. I’m saying it’s easy to photograph a press from the good side. In my first year of doing this, I almost signed off on a press based on a video walkthrough. The video never showed the gearbox side. When we finally visited, the gearbox housing had a hairline crack and there was oil residue all over the idler bearings.

If the machine is more than 100 miles away, hire a third-party inspector who knows flexo presses. It’ll cost somewhere in the $1,500 to $4,000 range, depending on location and machine size. That’s not a huge expense compared to a $6,000 freight charge and a $15,000 surprise repair.

4. Calculate the Total Cost to Production, Not the List Price

The total cost is what matters. Based on my own installation logs, not a public survey, I tell buyers to add 15–25% on top of the purchase price for a used flexo press. That covers rigging, getting the old machine out, new electrical drops, training, and initial spare parts.

Don’t forget the less obvious line items:

• Anilox rolls that match your print jobs
• Plate cylinders and sleeves
• Ink pumps if they’re not included
• UV curing source or parts if applicable
• Freight and insurance

One buyer I worked with saved $40,000 on the press by buying from a disorganized seller, then spent $22,000 on shipping and rigging because the seller had no documentation for the machine’s disassembly. I’m not saying that’s typical, but it happens.

5. Ask Yourself Whether You Need a Flexo Press at All

This is the part where I’m going to tell you something that might seem against my own interest. If your work is mostly short-run labels under 5,000 linear feet, a used Mark Andy Pro Series press might be the wrong tool. A digital label printer could be a better fit.

For small runs and prototypes, I’ve seen converters do well with a Polono label printer. I’ve also seen GHS label printers in shops that need quick, reliable short-run color. I don’t spec digital label printers myself—that’s not my area of expertise—but I’d rather send you to someone who does than tell you every job needs a flexo press. The vendor who says “this isn’t our strength” is more trustworthy for the jobs that are.

6. Check Parts Availability Before You Fall in Love

A used Mark Andy press can be 10, 15, or 25 years old. Some parts are still on the shelf; others have to be made. Before you make an offer, ask the seller for a list of recently replaced parts and the machine’s serial number. Then call a service provider and ask: “Can you get a specific part for this model?”

Roughly speaking, if a machine is from the 1990s, expect longer lead times for certain electrical components. This is a “don’t hold me to it” estimate, but I’ve seen a controller board take five weeks to source. If your goal is to replace a current press, that’s fine. If you need it running in three weeks, that timeline changes everything.

7. Don’t Confuse a Desktop Printer with a Production Tool

One search term that keeps coming up is “is Canon TS3500 an inkjet printer.” Yes, it is. The Canon TS3500 is a desktop inkjet printer designed for documents and photos. It is not a label printer, and it is not a flexo plate maker. I’ve had more than one conversation with someone who thought they could “try out” label printing with one. You can print a label-sized piece of paper on it, but it won’t handle roll stock, won’t hold registration for a real label run, and the ink isn’t meant for production.

If you need a digital label printer, that’s where Polono or GHS or similar machines come in. If you need to make flexo plates, you need a real plate making system. A $100 inkjet printer can’t do either.

8. Make the Deal Contingent on Inspection and Documentation

The “as-is, where-is” listing is fine if you’ve already inspected the machine. If you haven’t, don’t sign anything that says you can’t do one.

Your purchase agreement should include: the serial number, a statement that the machine is the one you inspected, a payment schedule tied to inspection results, and a clear list of included accessories. I know that sounds basic. But I’ve seen a purchase order reference “the press” and the seller later say anilox rolls weren’t included.

Common Mistakes That Turn a Deal into a Money Pit

Here’s the list I wish someone had handed me before my first press purchase:

• Bidding before you know the setup. A 10” press can be a different machine from a 7” press in terms of substrate capabilities, even if both are “Pro Series.”
• Assuming the plate maker is included. Ask specifically about Mark Andy Pro Series flexo plate maker cost and whether the seller’s asking price includes platemaking equipment. Often it doesn’t.
• Skipping the inspection contingency. If the press isn’t what you expected, what happens? The best sellers have a clear process.
• Forgetting the one-time costs. Every machine needs a service call eventually. Even a well-maintained Mark Andy press needs new gaskets, rollers, and calibration after a move.

Bottom Line

A used Mark Andy Pro Series press can be a solid long-term investment. The “used Mark Andy Pro Series press for sale price” is the starting point, not the final number. Check the actual configuration, inspect the machine, price the plate maker, and be honest about whether a flexo press fits your work.

And if you’re not sure, ask someone who’s done this more times than you have. I’ve made mistakes that cost money so you don’t have to. At least, that’s how I justify the tuition.