{"id":13850,"date":"2022-06-05T11:04:18","date_gmt":"2022-06-05T09:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=13850"},"modified":"2022-06-05T11:04:52","modified_gmt":"2022-06-05T09:04:52","slug":"parts-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2022\/06\/05\/parts-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting creative with parts management"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
To offset higher equipment prices, commercial truck fleets are employing new approaches to choosing and sourcing the right replacement parts.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

When American Trucking Associations\u2019 Technology & Maintenance Council reported during its 2022 annual meeting that parts costs are on the rise, it wasn\u2019t much of a surprise to fleets. According to the latest quarterly Decisiv\/TMC North American Service Event Benchmark Report, between the third quarter and Q4 2021 average parts costs rose 2.7%<\/a>. Comparing Q4 2021 with data from Q4 2020, parts costs jumped 8.8%.<\/p>\n

The reasons behind those increases were hardly surprising. Not only is the North American economy experiencing record inflation, supply chain issues are driving up parts prices as well. And perhaps impacting the need for more parts quite significantly is the need to keep vehicles in service longer as fleets await production of new and replacement equipment<\/a> to return to pre-pandemic levels.<\/p>\n

To offset higher prices, fleets are employing new approaches to choosing and sourcing the right replacement parts. One alternative, for example, is remanufactured and rebuilt components from manufacturers.<\/p>\n

However, in a commercial vehicle parts aftermarket with a large number of suppliers, making decisions can be confusing and fraught with pitfalls. The wrong choice comes with the risk of premature part failure, leading to high costs for roadside assistance, potential vehicle damage, and increased downtime that impacts carrier revenue and profitability.<\/p>\n

Reman vs. rebuild<\/h3>\n

If choosing the right replacement part is important at all times, it is especially so when selecting remanufactured and rebuilt components. To assist fleets in that market, the Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems\u2019<\/a> Tech Tips series offers guidance on what to ask suppliers and information on the differences between remanufacturing and rebuilding.<\/p>\n

Understanding the distinction between remanufacturing and rebuilding is key, according to Bendix. A remanufacturer always replaces or repairs a core\u2019s components to bring the part up to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specs. In addition, remanufacturers always replace certain components\u2014referred to as wear components\u2014with new versions.<\/p>\n

\u201cDelivering quality along with a reduced replacement cost is what genuine remanufacturing is ultimately about,\u201d noted Richard Nagel, Bendix director of marketing and customer solutions, Aftermarket and Air Supply. \u201cBy comparison, when a rebuilder disassembles the core of a product for reuse, they don\u2019t necessarily replace the components with new ones or bring the product back to OEM specs. Rebuilders may simply clean or repaint components, and even if they do replace them, they may not have full access to OEM-quality parts, so you\u2019re rolling the dice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Photo: FleetPride<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\"FleetPride<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
FleetPride distributes truck and trailer parts and service for the independent heavy-duty aftermarket.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n