Capital Equipment News August 2021

for instance, then the result may be the inadvertent reduction of machine life – or worse, early failure and unplanned downtime. “Driving down the total cost of ownership is a team effort, and everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction with an eye on the long term – rather than only prioritising daily savings in the here and now,” says Fox. “Fortunately, when it comes to sourcing quality parts, there is a solution that suits both the operational demands and the cost pressures that most businesses face.” Value-added designs Most companies wisely steer away from pirate parts, which are spares that may look like originals but simply do not deliver the longevity required. Their provenance or source is also often unclear, making it impossible for a responsible buyer to make an informed decision. “By contrast, the IPD range of heavy- duty engine parts are engineered from scratch and patented, delivering even added benefits over the OEM wear parts,” she says. “Based in the USA, IPD produces these parts in its own manufacturing facilities around the world, in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 standards.” This range of major parts includes pistons, conrods, valves, bearings and gaskets – all designs being thoroughly tested in laboratories and in the field before being released to the market. Fox says this provides customers with the level of confidence they need, to make important equipment maintenance decisions for the future. “Particularly with the rising cost of equipment replacement, there are many good financial reasons for owners to refurbish,” she says. “The decision needs to be carefully made, however, with an accurate prediction of how many more hours of production can be expected from a refurbished unit.” The highly competitive pricing of IDP spare parts makes them attractive in comparison to OEM parts, while the integrity of the design and manufacture ensures they will meet or exceed customer expectations and estimates of longevity. “This uncompromising solution provides the common ground to suit the priorities of both operations and procurement, while giving the company a firm foundation of equipment reliability and availability going forward,” she says. “Quality IPD parts allow costs to be controlled, ensuring that total cost of ownership is kept to a minimum.” b

It is certainly no secret that most equipment-owning companies struggle to balance the needs of efficient operation and cost effective procurement

Well-managed businesses are those whose leadership sees the big picture. This approach focuses on the cost of a machine’s ownership over its whole life cycle – as a function of what it contributes to the company’s bottom line

Ensuring availability and productivity of these assets means quality maintenance and even better quality remanufacture – which includes the integrity of the spare parts fitted

The IPD range of heavy-duty engine parts are engineered from scratch and patented, delivering even added benefits over the OEM wear parts

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An IPD gasket set for a CAT C13 engine.

and even better quality remanufacture – which includes the integrity of the spare parts fitted,” she says. “Equipment like large diesel engines are built for multiple lifespans, but can only deliver these if remanufactured to OEM specifications and with quality parts.” Here is where the tensions begin to show if a company has not strategically aligned its management mandates. If the procurement manager is incentivised to keep the cost of parts as low as possible,

IPD water pump for the CAT 3500 engine series.

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