The hidden costs of operating your machinery

Heavy machinery is a huge investment for some. The costs involved can vary greatly depending on what type of machine you need and the country you’re buying from. But, to put it into perspective, the costs of maintaining heavy machinery are nothing compared to what it would cost to do the work with a horse, cart, and manpower like before engines existed. 

Either way, it would still be nice to know which parts of maintaining your fleet could be cheaper, skimming your expenses. 

Old machinery

Because heavy machinery is such a large investment, construction, agricultural, and other companies often run their fleet until it dies for good. They invest in maintenance teams to keep up to date with repairs, which only become more frequent as the machinery ages, even past its life expectancy date. There is the belief that by keeping old equipment in working condition, you’re saving money, but this isn’t always true.

Maintenance teams, especially full-time, can cost between £18,000 and £37,000 on average. A whole repair team adds up. Spare parts for heavy machinery can be expensive, and for old members of your fleet, buying replacement parts or fixing old ones can be more expensive than buying a brand new vehicle. It’s also no secret that newer equipment is more fuel-efficient. With fuel prices constantly fluctuating, it’s better to have an efficient engine so you can keep costs to a minimum. Old engines, or ‘gas guzzlers’, will cut into your bottom line.

SCR system breakdowns

With increasing environmental concern sweeping the world, and more agreements to live up to than ever, the EU has introduced a variety of regulations aimed at mitigating climate change and air pollution. One of these regulations comes in the form of Euro 6. It determines all new diesel engines must have a DPF and AdBlue system to remove harmful diesel particulates from the exhaust emissions. However, your AdBlue SCR system or DPF SCR is often prone to breakdowns.

DPF construction machinery and engines with an AdBlue system can be expensive to fix when something goes wrong. A replacement AdBlue filter can cost up to £1,500. When these breakdowns are frequent, the costs add up. On top of this, there’s the cost of lost business when machinery is in limp mode and out of use. Depending on how long this lasts, your business could lose thousands. For example, machine downtime costs UK manufacturers £180 billion each year. For construction, it could be even more considering the frequency of AdBlue and DPF system breakdowns. 

But there are ways you can reduce these hidden costs on your fleet. Recognise that your fleet has a limited lifespan and pay attention to new developments in efficiency. If your fleet is running on outdated technology, invest in updated, more efficient versions to keep that bottom line in check. Also, you can solve the problem of unreliable DPF and AdBlue systems altogether with one simple system. All you need is a kit specially designed to remove the need for AdBlue and a DPF system. You can install this in your vehicles, instantly making them more reliable and more resistant to breakdowns. This way, your business can save money.

DPF Doctor is a leading supplier of kits which bypass your DPF and AdBlue systems, meaning you won’t have to worry about SCR breakdowns again. You’re free to focus on your business instead of struggling to keep your machines going. For more information, or to request a kit, visit our website today.