Forklift maintenance

[More Images]

In the complicated world of supply chain management, most will understand that day-to-day issues such as forklift maintenance are often pushed to the bottom of a company’s agenda. It seems ironic that warehouse managers are willing to invest thousands of dollars on the latest material handling products, but fail to implement a suitable programme for maintenance, making even the most sophisticated of forklifts vulnerable to breakdown as a result.

Ask one of the Middle East’s growing list of forklift suppliers about the importance of reliable maintenance programmes and the response will probably be remarkably similar. “We recommend that customers stick to the recommended programmes, as these are proven to significantly reduce costs, in addition to surprises,” explains Frank Ulbricht, managing director of Yale EMEA Materials Handling. “A visit from the technicians will often help customers deal with their most common issues.”

Most importantly, on top of reducing the downtime and repair costs of customers, an effective maintenance programme can extend the life-time and value of forklifts. “Service ability is amongst the most vital purchase criteria of customers. The concept of life cycle costs is becoming more and more common,” adds Ulbricht.

Fortunately for suppliers, warehouse managers in the region are beginning to understand the necessity of introducing such programmes into their supply chain operations. “With companies in the freight forwarding, logistics, courier, retail and manufacturing industries, its essential that forklifts are available and can be operated 24/7,” comments David Dronfield, divisional manager at another supplier, FAMCO (Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Company). “End users are becoming more interested in expanding their knowledge of the entire maintenance aspect from an early stage.”

So what has fuelled this new-found awareness of forklift maintenance in the Middle East? Dronfield believes that several companies have been forced to learn from bitter experience. “During the development years, warehouse managers were covering a growing range of responsibilities in the region and certain aspects of operations, such as forklift maintenance, had not always received their due value,” he says.

“Many companies were failing to place enough importance on this because the benefits were not immediate. This has become history now.”

Advertisement

FEATURED COMMENT Please click here to comment on this article

To have such an important and vital piece of machinery break down during operations can lead to serious delays and loss of income. Being seen as equipped with unreliable handling equipment can further batter a company’s reputation, regardless of its investment in the latest generation of forklift technology. With so much reliance on forklifts in the Middle East, it comes as no surprise that finding the best maintenance provider is rising to the top of the agenda.

At present, there are three major options available to companies looking for a suitable maintenance contract; either to outsource (via the supplier or a third party) or keep it in-house. For many, the advantages of using the supplier appear to outweigh the other options. According to statistics from Dronfield, only around 15-20% of companies’ maintenance programmes are carried out in-house, where the end user has its own qualified technical and engineering team. However, such users still rely on support for specialised jobs and outsource the parts and consumables required for those services. With the remainder preferring to outsource its maintenance services, Dronfield believes that at least two-thirds of users would still prefer using the supplier compared to a third party, mainly due to warranty and service exclusivity.

FAMCO’s own technicians come highly trained and knowledgeable of its entire product range – providing full support for its exported units. “We commit that 99% of all repairs will be completed right first time,” Dronfield emphasises. “We can also support our local clients with a variety of aftermarket products, which suit various operational needs.”

Choosing between a third party and supplier can also depend on the type of maintenance involved. Elias Najem, customer service manager for forklift supplier SPAN, identifies two types of maintenance programmes available –
preventative maintenance and corrective maintenance. The first involves preventing downtime of material handling solutions before it occurs, while the corrective option then resolves material handling stoppages when it happens. “If periodically done, maintenance routines will minimise the chances of breakdowns, thus nullifying the need for corrective maintenance. In addition, it can reduce the frequency of interruptions, extend the machine’s life, decrease the maintenance costs and keep the forklift in good condition,” he states.

In the past, companies have often relied upon third party maintenance providers to deal with corrective maintenance, having no preventative maintenance in place at all. However, as Najem points out, apart from the inconvenience of having a forklift out of use, the costs of reactive repair will nearly always be more expensive. “Some firms would rather wait until the machines breakdown to call for repair or have extra machines in its fleet to replace the out-of-service ones,” he adds critically.

SPAN has been promoting this concept in the region through its comprehensive maintenance programmes, which includes a full service with preventive maintenance for its Jungheinrich machines. “It’s about time the industry values the importance of such activities and realises that the cost involved falls behind the cost of repairs and interruption of production,” emphasises Najem.

Although the in-house option remains unworkable for many companies who may not have the resources or expertise in the technicalities of forklifts, there are many steps users can take themselves to adopt preventative maintenance practices.

---