Operating a fleet of construction plants is expensive and many fleet managers may look to cut corners to reduce the costs of maintaining these machines. This guide will present five methods that will allow you to reduce your construction machine costs without sacrificing your fleet’s efficiency.

1. The effect of keeping your machine idle

For most construction machine fleet operators, fuel usage is the number one cost incurred on an average day. While fuel usage is an unavoidable cost associated with a productive work site, it is something that can easily be reduced. If your machine sits idle for 20% of the time it is being used, this will cost you around $1500 extra per year in fuel. This is just a baseline figure as many machines are idle much more than 20% of their use.

Not only are there excess fuel costs when your construction machine is idling, but you are also putting the engine to unnecessary use which can mean that the resale value of your machine will fall. You will require maintenance more regularly as idling often does not create enough heat in the engine, which will result in deposits and debris building up. These deposits will create more friction in the engine and in turn, wear down engine parts more quickly.

Some machine manufacturers, such as Volvo, have introduced technology in their plants that will shut off the engine after it has idled for a certain period. For machines that don’t have this technology, operators and site managers must pay attention and monitor how long a machine has idled to ensure fuel is not wasted.

2. Training to Boost Productivity

The efficiency at which your construction machine operates can differ by up to 40% depending on the training and expertise of your operator. Most machine operators have to get a licence or undertake competency training to be qualified to work on construction machines. Once machine operators on your site have obtained the relevant qualifications, this is no time to be complacent. Regular training and upskilling can help your workers become more efficient and help you reduce labour and machine costs.

3. Check your oil as often as possible

It is easy to be complacent with your construction machines, but regularly checking your machine’s oil is an essential way of keeping on top of your fleet’s health. If you notice the quality of oil in your machine is low, then this gives you the ability to replace it before damage is done to the engine. Staying on top of your machine’s oil quality will help you avoid the potential maintenance costs that would come with poor oil quality.

There is now technology that will monitor the quality of your machine’s oil for you. Oil quality sensors will monitor oil for deterioration and contamination with high accuracy. Installing one of these sensors will reduce your machine upkeep times and ensure that you can keep your fleet operating efficiently.

4. Consider Electric Machines

While electric machinery is not yet completely mainstream in the construction industry, its benefits are hard to argue with. These machines can help reduce operation costs by up to 25% and cut back on emissions by upwards of 90%. Electric construction machines are also less noisy than diesel-powered machinery, which is particularly useful if you are working in a residential setting. Although, there is the added obligation of recharging these machines at the end of each workday and forgetting to do so would cost you a large portion of the next day.

Currently, as these machines are relatively new, the initial costs of acquiring them are higher than regular diesel-powered machines. Only early adopters of electric machines will wear these costs as is common with most technology. As electrical machines go into mass production the overall costs will decline. So, if you are willing to pay a higher price for the benefits outlined above, electrical machinery may be a good fit for you. For the majority of fleet owners, electrical machinery will make more sense to acquire once the cost of these machines declines.

5. Monitor the Age of your Fleet

The older your machine gets, the more maintenance it will require. Monitoring your fleet and selling aging machines before the cost of maintenance gets too high is an effective strategy of fleet management. A common rule of thumb is to sell your machine once the cost of maintenance has reached 50% of what you paid for it. Of course, there is no hard and fast rule for when to upgrade your fleet and it is up to you, but updating your fleet will allow you to have the most efficient machines available.

If the upfront cost of upgrading your fleet is too high, then hiring machinery might be an option for you. At iseekplant, we put you in touch with equipment suppliers who will offer you competitive rental prices. Visit our website today or give us a call at 1300 691 912, we are more than happy to help.