Having both a speedy and effective crane servicing team helps prevent accidents and reduces the costs of downtime.
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In the construction industry, periods of downtime are inevitable. They may be the result of bad weather, personnel issues, or breaks for maintenance.
Cranes are a type of construction machinery that builders rely on. Large-scale projects would be impossible without them. Crews have to inspect them regularly to ensure that they are safe and operating efficiently.
Downtime can be expensive, so companies try to keep it to a minimum while still ensuring safety.
It’s essential to understand what’s behind crane servicing costs. It explains why maintenance downtime can be so expensive. Here’s a brief overview, including what you can do to reduce downtime.
What Is the Cost of Downtime for Crane Servicing?
Construction companies tend to lose money when their equipment undergoes repairs or maintenance. If they own a crane, they will likely pay more in labor costs.
In contrast, renting usually means extra daily fees and sometimes storage charges. Here’s a look at the characteristics of planned and unplanned crane downtime.
Planned Downtime
Many companies follow specific maintenance timelines. This helps them predict precisely when a crane will be out of service. Another way of describing planned downtime is to call it preventive maintenance.
Preventive maintenance involves checking each system, whether it’s electrical, computer, or mechanical. During a maintenance check, technicians follow specific quality standards. They look for signs of strain and replace any parts that look worn or broken.
Sometimes this can include upgrading a crane’s parts or replacing old systems. A total overhaul can go a long way towards preventing breakdowns.
The goal of planned downtime is to prevent unplanned downtime.
Unplanned Downtime
Unplanned crane downtime is most often the result of something breaking or malfunctioning. Unplanned downtime can be as high as 20-30% in the construction industry.
Construction managers prefer to avoid it but always allow for it in their time estimates. Unfortunately, operational costs can skyrocket in this scenario. For every minute of downtime, money evaporates.
Waiting around for crane repairs means that the entire building project has to stop. This results in all kinds of hidden costs.
Hidden costs include shipping fees for parts, labor, extra rental fees, and storage charges. Another problem is unhappy clients. They rarely understand when a project gets behind schedule.
How to Reduce Your Downtime Costs
It is possible to control crane servicing costs with the right type of preparation. If a crane operator has a specialist maintenance company on standby, they can cut the downtime for repairs.
We can create custom parts in-house, and we’re experts in servicing many of the crane brands in use today.
Our experience comes from working in a variety of industries. These include oil and gas, wind power, maritime, agriculture, steel and iron, mining, etc.
To request a quote or find out more about what we can do for you, contact us today!