In the current economic climate, many companies are looking to reduce costs where possible to remain competitive. For mechanical devices to operate effectively and remain in good working order, efficient lubrication of all working parts is essential. Oils, greases and fluids seal and protect equipment from wear and contaminants, while ensuring all components move freely and easily to deliver optimum performance.
Cut your lubrication range down to size
Although some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will demand that a specific lubricant is used for the machinery they produce, this is not true in all cases. You will often find that many multi-purpose lubricants can be used in conjunction with an extensive array of machinery on your site. Despite this fact, many firms are still using a diverse range of lubricants to service equipment, and this unnecessary variety adds up to extra costs that aren’t easily seen.
The wider selection of oils, greases and fluids you employ onsite, the more of your workforce’s time and energy will be needed to manage them. From the handling of purchase orders, accepting goods and checking off what is received to managing invoices and stores, all work necessary is multiplied by how many different lubrication products you use.
Both the labour involved and the time taken to deal with each lubrication order increases the price of every lubricant, as it is all time and energy that could be better spent on other work for your firm.
To this end, run a complete inventory of all equipment onsite and any commonalities between the lubricants they can use to reduce the number of products you purchase.
Select your supplier wisely
Equally important is studying where you buy these lubrication products from. Every supplier that you deal with will also take up your time and energy, costing you money in the same way as mentioned earlier.
Dealing with people can be even more involved and time consuming than managing stock. Hours spent in meetings, communications and negotiations all adds up. There are also administrative tasks associated with each supplier, from completing contracts and finalising agreements to making price adjustments.
The less suppliers you interact with, the simpler and swifter this process will be, freeing up your staff’s time to focus on productivity. Work out which products you can obtain from each of your suppliers and shortlist them based on the key lubricants you use on site. Make the number of suppliers you deal with as minimal as possible, and make the most of the products they are able to provide.
Shop smart
It might seem like a smart move to buy cheaper lubricants on the surface, but this isn’t always the case. By investing in high-quality lubrication options that have been engineered to deliver enhanced performance, you can enjoy many cost-saving benefits.
Finished to a premium technical standard, such oils and greases will last longer, which means more time between change intervals. Top performance lubricants can also offer better protection levels for machine parts, making pricey repairs and operational downtime a less frequent occurrence.
