Purchasing a large paper cutter is a serious investment for businesses. That is why price is, perhaps surprisingly, not the most important thing to look at. Instead, value should be the deciding factor. Compare depreciation, safety certifications, real market value, and more to learn about the Challenge Machinery difference.

Long-Term Value vs. Upfront Cost:

With Challenge Machinery industrial paper cutters, the value you get becomes obvious after only about a year of use. Just take these real-world examples, all of which were obtained directly from customer discussions...

Cutter USA-made Challenge Titan 200 Comparable Chinese-made Duplo Cutter
Retail Sold-Price $15,000 $10,000
Average Lifespan 15 years 5 years
Price per Year (Based on Lifespan) $1,000 / year $2,000 / year


Safety Standards & Certifications:

In addition to the actual financial value the cutter offers long-term, not just in upfront costs, you should also always be sure you are purchasing a properly safety-certified paper cutter. Let's be honest; these giant cutters can easily take off a finger, which is not only a risk to your workers, but also a liability for you as the business owner. The most important safety regulations you want your cutter to have include CE, UL, CUL, and ANSI certification. It may surprise you to know that many imported, commonly sold brands of cutters do not have the ANSI certification, even though that particular label is the standard for industrial use. Challenge Machinery ensures all of their cutting machines pass each of these tests, offering safer operation and reduced liability risk.

Real Market Value:

Let's also look at the real market value of some popular large paper cutters, so you can see how their value depreciates over time, and keep that big picture in mind.

Cutter Challenge Titan 200m Triumph 5255 Chinese 20" Import
List Price $9,250 (2005) $10,999 (2014) $9,950 (2010)
Current Value (2019) $5,495 $6,000 $0
Depreciation in Value - 40% (over 14 years) - 45% (over 5 years) - 100% (over 9 years)
Cutter was broken/scrap.
Parts & service not available.
Cost per Year $268 $1,000 $5,000

Features often unique to Challenge Machinery cutters:

Adjustable Clamp Pressure - Typically this feature is described as a benefit for those who work with sensitive or fragile paper stocks, but that it not the only benefit it offers. A cutter with a clamp that has adjustable pressure also puts the power in your hands to eliminate draw, which is when the top of the stack is cut to a different dimension than the bottom, due to paper shift and the blade-applied pressure.

Hydraulic truly means hydraulic everything - Many brands will label their cutters as hydraulic when one function (most often the blade) is powered as such. But that doesn't cover the clamp, which is often electric or manually controlled. When you see a pneumatic Challenge cutter, however, both the clamp and the blade will always actually be be pneumatic.

Built-In Calculator - Challenge cutters have calculators built into the controllers. This may seem minor, but customers often keep a calculator by the machine for this very reason. You can get rid of that, as the Challenge cutters have them built-in.

Most experience in the industry - Challenge Machinery has been manufacturing top-quality paper cutting machines since the 1870s, which makes them the longest-running electric cutter manufacturer.

Helpful Tips:

Wondering how to know if your business would do well with an electric cutter, or if you need to upgrade to pneumatic? It is recommended that users who cut for about an hour or so per day go with an electric paper cutter, while those who cut several hours a day invest in a pneumatic paper cutter instead.

When maintained and used properly, Challenge industrial cutting machines last an average of 15-20 years in-use. Always remember to refer to your cutter's user manual for proper maintenance steps and frequency.

Did you know that the model number for Challenge cutters indicates the cutter width? Unlike other models out there where the name seems irrelevant to the machine itself, you can figure out the width of any Challenge cutter by the model name. For example, a Spartan 150 is 15" while a Spartan 200 is 20".

Many Challenge cutters are available with an optional TC Controlled color touch-screen that is large and incredibly easy to read with simple walk-through's of jobs, making it easy for novices and experts alike. This extra large screen option also has a USB storage port, micro back gauge override, plus has the ability to ass an optional barcode reader and generator software.



For more information or a quote, call us at (866) 537-2244 (866) 537-2244 or email info@buy101.com


Mallory Morsa, Binding101 Product Expert About the Author • Mallory Morsa has been part of Binding101 since 2008 and she is the primary content creator for BUY101® information. She began in customer service and sales where she honed in her skills to provide the customer with professional, fast, and accurate information. Shortly after, she was promoted to sales supervisor and also took on the role of product expert, training the team on new products. Throughout this time, she also wrote content for the site, as well as contributed stock photography and videography. As the team grew, she moved to an official position as the content specialist and social media manager. Her skills in these variety of areas give her the unique expertise to not just create content for the web, but to create content for you, the customer. She has a Bachelor's degree in business management and marketing, was on the Dean's List each year, and graduated Summa Cum Laude. In her free time, Mallory's favorite things to do include volunteering at the animal shelter by bottle feeding neonatal kittens, reading at the park, cooking plant-based meals, playing board games, hiking, and binge streaming TV shows with her furbabies and family beside her.