How to Choose an Industrial Repair Company: A 10-Point Checklist

To choose an industrial repair company, check ten things before you send a part: that it repairs your brand in your category, how it diagnoses and tests, the warranty in writing, the confirmed repair time, whether it offers express repair or exchange units, how it handles parts it cannot repair, the documentation you get back, its pricing model, its experience with discontinued parts, and how easy it is to reach. The checklist below explains what to ask for each point and what a good answer looks like. Automa.Net lists more than 120 repair companies worldwide, each with the categories and brands it repairs, its usual repair time and its warranty on the company card (October 2026).

Why the Choice Matters More Than the Price

A cheap repair that fails after three weeks costs a second stoppage, a second shipment and often a damaged machine component. The difference between repair companies is rarely visible in the quote. It is in how they diagnose, which components they replace beyond the one that failed, and how they test before shipping. Those are the questions this checklist is built on. For the repair process itself, from diagnosis to warranty, see how industrial electronics repair works.

The 10-Point Checklist

1. It repairs your brand in your category

A workshop that repairs Siemens drives every week has the schematics, the test equipment and the spare components for them. One that mostly repairs another brand will learn on your part. Ask for the brands it repairs per category, not in general: many companies repair one brand's drives and another brand's HMI panels.

2. It diagnoses before it quotes the repair

A firm quote for a complex fault without seeing the part is a guess. Expect either a diagnosis fee with a quote afterwards, or a price range that is confirmed after diagnosis. Ask whether the diagnosis fee is credited against the repair and whether you pay it when the part cannot be repaired.

3. It tests the repaired unit properly

This is the most important question. Ask how the company tests your type of part: a drive powered up on a bench is not tested; a drive run with a motor under load is. For PLC modules, ask whether inputs, outputs and communication are tested. For HMI panels, whether touch, display and communication are checked over a full test cycle.

4. The warranty is stated in writing

Repair warranties are given in months and differ between companies. Ask what is covered (the whole unit or only the replaced components), when it starts, and who pays shipping on a warranty claim.

5. The repair time is confirmed for your part

A usual repair time is a guide; a confirmed date for your part is a commitment. Repair companies on Automa.Net show their usual repair time in ranges, from up to 3 days to a month or more, and confirm the time for your part when they reply.

6. It offers express repair or exchange units

For a stopped line, an express repair or an exchange unit (a repaired unit of the same part number shipped straight away, with your failed unit repaired afterwards) can matter more than the price. Ask which of the two the company offers for your part.

7. It tells you when a repair does not make sense

A good repair company will say when a unit is beyond economical repair, or when a surplus unit would be cheaper. Our repair or replace decision guide covers how to weigh the two. Ask what happens to a part it cannot repair: returned, scrapped with your consent, or used for components.

8. You get a repair report

Ask for a short report with each repair: the fault found, the components replaced and the tests passed. It helps when the same part fails again, and it is often needed for maintenance records in regulated plants.

9. It still repairs discontinued parts

Manufacturers often stop repairing a product line after it is phased out. Independent repair companies often keep repairing long after. If your machine runs on discontinued hardware, ask about the specific series, not about the brand in general. Our guide on how to source obsolete industrial components covers the buying side of the same problem.

10. It answers quickly and clearly

How a company answers your first request is a fair preview of how it will handle the repair. A specific reply with questions about your fault is a good sign; a generic price list is not.

Questions to Ask, in One Table

Manufacturer Repair or Independent Repair Company?

Manufacturer repair services know their own products best and are often required in regulated plants, but they repair only their own brand and may stop repairing discontinued series. Independent repair companies often repair several brands per category, keep repairing older parts and frequently offer express repair. The same logic applies as for buying parts: we compare the two channels in independent brokers vs authorized distributors.

Many plants also outsource more than repairs. If you are weighing that broader decision, see in-house vs outsourced industrial maintenance.

How to Compare Several Repair Companies at Once

Comparing companies is easier when they all answer the same request. Send identical information to each: the part number from the nameplate, the number of units, the fault code and description, what you have checked and photos. Then compare the replies on price, confirmed repair time, warranty and testing method, in that order of importance for a stopped machine.

Automa.Net repair services does this in one step. You filter repair companies by category and brand, see each company's usual repair time, warranty and service options (diagnostics and testing, express repair, on-site service) on its card, and send one request to up to 100 of them. Each company replies directly to your email, and the price and the repair are agreed with the company you choose. Sending requests is free and there is no commission.

To browse companies by country instead, use the service providers in the business directory. The same checks apply to any supplier you buy from; see how to verify industrial spare parts suppliers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I look for in an industrial repair company?

Experience with your brand and category, diagnosis before a firm quote, testing under load, a written warranty, a confirmed repair time, express or exchange options, and a repair report with each job.

How do I know whether a repair company tests parts properly?

Ask how it tests your specific type of part. A good answer describes a load test or a test rig that simulates the machine. A unit that was only powered up on a bench has not really been tested.

What warranty should I expect on a repaired part?

Repair companies state their warranty in months, and the length differs between them. Compare it next to the price, and check what is covered and who pays shipping for a warranty claim.

Is a manufacturer repair better than an independent repair company?

Not always. A manufacturer repair suits current parts and regulated plants. Independent companies often repair several brands, keep repairing discontinued series and offer faster turnaround.

How can I get quotes from several repair companies at once?

Send the same request, with part number, fault description and photos, to several companies that repair your brand. On Automa.Net one repair request can go to up to 100 matching companies, and each replies to your email.

Who sees my repair request?

On Automa.Net, only the companies you select. Each receives the part details, your description, your files and your contact details.