Rental Solution:
Ready for a remanned compresser?
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| Even units totaled by the insurance company, such as this one that was destroyed by fire, may be eligible for a remanufactured air compressor replacement. |
Twelve questions to consider for air compressor replacement
by Brian Waldo
As an air compressor rental fleet owner, it is important to consider how to handle your aging machines. Keeping your current equipment in the best working order is ideal, but over time, the increasing maintenance can become time consuming and costly.
Should you continue to spend time and money servicing an older compressor or should you invest that money toward a like-new remanufactured machine?
There are a number of factors that contribute to that decision. Below is a list of questions to consider when you start to think about replacing your compressors with remanufactured units:
1. Are you spending more time and money working on the compressor than you are renting it?
2. Is your compressor approaching 7,000 to 10,000 work hours? As an example, Caterpillar recommends a full remanufacture of its
equipment at 10,000 hours.
3. Has your compressor seen better days? If the machine is not visually appealing, is that the image you want to portray to your customer base?
4. Do you have a compressor sitting in the yard that has been off rent for years? If it will not run and no one knows why, that is cash wasting away on your property.
5. Do you have a machine that can’t go anywhere without your mechanic in order to keep it running?
6. Has your compressor’s warranty run out and you would like to have a machine with a like-new warranty?
7. Are you thinking of just selling your old compressor and buying a new one?
If you do this, you could be selling your machine off to your next competitor in the air compressor rental market. Instead, return the core to the manufacturer. If they only sell to authorized dealer networks, they will not compete in your market.
8. Does your service team have the technical training on Tier 4 Final engines?
If not, a remanufactured compressor on which they have already been trained may be a better option.
9. Do you have an abundance of compressors that are either too big or too small for the new market in which you are selling and/or renting? Many manufacturers will allow you to trade in your old core machines for any model of remanufactured compressor.
10. Was your machine wrecked in an accident? If the insurance company has settled and now you have to do something with the machine, some manufacturers will buy them despite the damage.
11. Do you have an old version Tier 2 or Tier 3 machine? You can trade these in and get a new Tier 2 or Tier 3 engine with the latest upgrades of new compressors.
12. Would you like to replace an old compressor with no waiting, no rental downtime, like-new warranty and with the latest revisions?
There are always a variety of factors that play into the decision to have an older, damaged or unreliable air compressor remanufactured. Weighing the cost versus the benefits of receiving a like-new machine is the key to deciding whether to move forward with the investment.
Brian Waldo is the remanufacturing program manager at Sullair.
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