November 2021 Newsletter

It is that time of year again, it’s budget planning time!

This process is usually a challenging time for leaders of companies. Nothing will blow a budget quicker than an unexpected repair bill or a large unplanned expense. If you’re currently relying solely on reactive maintenance, then your company is probably wasting thousands of dollars every year due to a lack of a consistent preventive maintenance plan. In an era where more than 80% of companies have experienced an unexpected outage in the last three years, having a clear, defined, and well thought-out maintenance plan is a crucial first step for setting up a business for long-term success. The good news is that starting a preventive maintenance program isn’t complicated when you have a clear idea of the steps you need to take.

Step #1: Decide which electrical equipment goes on the preventative maintenance schedule

If this is your first time making a preventive maintenance plan, we suggest that you start by scheduling preventive maintenance on your most critical assets. When trying to determine which assets to select for your preventive maintenance plan, ask yourself the following questions: Which machines are most important to production/organizational success? Is regular maintenance required for this piece of equipment? Are the repair and replacement costs high? You’ll want to select machines that require regular maintenance and have higher replacement/repair costs as this will provide your company with the greatest returns. You’ll also want to steer clear of assets that are reaching the end of their rope, don’t pick equipment that will need to be replaced soon.

Step # 2: Preventive maintenance plan cost

The cost of preventive maintenance will boil down to labor costs and ultimately to the number of machines and utilities you need improved or protected. It’s important not to break your business’s budget just to implement preventive maintenance. To determine how much of your budget should be allocated to preventive maintenance, you should add up the total cost of your reactive maintenance for the past year and consider the value of all your equipment. This will give you a good idea of how much you can potentially save in the way of reactive maintenance. No matter your cost restraints, there’s usually something you can do to better protect your business and your employees that won’t break the bank getting it done!

Step # 3: Sit down with your commercial electrician

Plan and schedule your maintenance, which will involve selecting the most convenient day for the repairs, upgrades, etc. Pick a day or time that is least likely to interfere with your business’s productivity.

Step #4: Share information with staff

Finally, if any of the preventive maintenance performed results in new processes or important information, train your staff to manage equipment and handle all machinery or technology effectively and safely. Taking the time to educate your staff will result in higher productivity and increased efficiency for your business.

These steps establish a baseline for your preventive maintenance program. Preventive maintenance is crucial to any business looking to reduce maintenance costs and the number of issues.

Gray Connective is a commercial and industrial electrical contractor serving the greater Lehigh Valley and western New Jersey for over three decades. We offer companies the ability to work with confidence and peace of mind through our electrical solutions and competitive prices.

Gray Connective will implement a preventive maintenance plan for your business that will extend the life of your critical equipment, reduce operating costs, increase workplace safety and significantly improve your overall maintenance operations.

 

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