Lubrication is often described as
the lifeblood of machinery; without
it, systems seize up. In the face of
intense competitive pressures, no
equipment operator or contractor can
afford to let his kit become anemic.
A gap between intention and action is increasingly
evident in the sector, and too often maintenance only
receives proper attention after breakdowns have occurred.
Given the consequences of poor maintenance – break-downs
and the wait for replacement parts; subsequent
delays on site; and possible liquidated damages if the proj-ect
runs late – this is an approach with no long-term ben-efits.
It means worse Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for
equipment rental companies, and project disruption for
construction businesses.
Another issue contributing to sub-optimal maintenance
practices is a knowledge gap when it comes to the value
of lubrication. More than 43 per cent of equipment rental
breakdowns occur because of failure to lubricate, according
to a report by Shell Lubricants, based on a recent survey of
400 construction managers across Europe. Yet, many manag-ers
still appear unaware that regular lubrication can reduce
equipment downtime.
Lubrication is often described as the lifeblood of machin-ery;
without it, systems seize up. In the face of intense com-petitive
pressures, no equipment operator or contractor can
afford to let his kit become anemic.
It’s clear that a more planned approach to maintenance
could deliver significant output gains.
More attention to maintenance allows for long service
intervals, which can be planned in advance, and extends
equipment lifecycles – potentially even beyond OEM specifi-cation.
This means equipment rental companies get a lower
total cost of operation and a greater return on investment.
Industry forecasts tell us equipment rental is set to grow
over the next three years.
Yet none of this expected growth will be achieved eas-ily,
as competition continues to intensify in all construction
sectors and margins are set to remain wafer-thin. There are
many factors beyond the control of contractors – such as
the general state of the economy and client confidence. Yet
something firmly within contractors’ own grasp is efficient
machine maintenance and lubrication.
In these unpredictable times, this is one investment that
comes with a guaranteed payback. n
E Q U I P M E N T
Equipment rental has grown as an industry off the back
of this rationalization, because it offers multiple benefits to
contractors. Capital is not tied up for years and depreciation
is no longer an issue. Rental fees are assigned to the oper-ating
expenditure (opex) column of each project. Rented
equipment will tend to be new or recent generation, there-fore
more efficient and usually compliant with emissions
regulations. Contractors can also select from a diverse range
of machinery, tailored to suit specific job requirements, pre-cisely
as and when they need during a project. They can do
all this with assurance that all rented equipment is regulatory
compliant, meeting standards for health and safety, as well as
technical criteria.
Of course, equipment rental is every bit as competitive a
world as construction itself. It means contractors can factor
low rental fees into their tendering, driving down the costs
for clients and improving their own profitability.
Yet for all these upsides, equipment rental will only deliver
benefits if the machinery is operating at peak performance.
For this, a regular, smart maintenance regime is essential.
Machinery operatives say they place a high priority on
looking after equipment properly, knowing it will maximize
equipment lifespan, but maintenance teams are under pres-sure
to cut costs and are often under-staffed. As a result,
maintenance is being deprioritized.
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