To ensure heavy equipment functions effectively,
regular checks and maintenance must be carried out
Since construction projects involve huge investments and are always time-bound, it is imperative to keep related machinery running to meet deadlines. To ensure heavy equipment runs effectively, regular checks and maintenance must be carried out.
Al-Futtaim Auto and Machinery Company (Famco), a member of the Al-Futtaim Group, and a pioneer in a range of industries covering construction, transport, manufacturing and warehousing, also deals with maintenance of heavy equipment.
Famco's central parts warehouse is located at its extensive complex in Dubai where more than 40,000 line items of the company's genuine spare parts are stocked.
Jaweed Iqbal, Sales Manager, Construction Equipment Division, Famco, says, "We concentrate on supporting and maintaining machines. We do complete maintenance. We also have a mobile workshop to reach a customer's site immediately. So down-time is less and the customer doesn't waste time bringing the machine to us."
Maintenance also extends the life cycle of the machinery and enhances safety. Several companies in Dubai provide regular maintenance. Jengan Est's round-the-clock service ensures that customers do not have to deal with loss of productivity or delays on important projects.
"Jengan's engineering products are backed by an efficient and well-trained team of professionals," says Abdulla Jengan, Managing Director, Jengan Est.
Jengan's engineering services include a large team of professionals trained by the company's principal partners and who attend to customers' every need, advising them on the use of the products they buy, helping them utilise the products to the maximum and rushing to their aid in cases of emergency.
Customers can use on-site services or request the service team to pick up their equipment for maintenance or repair, if required. State-of-the-art facilities at the service section allows for quick and efficient servicing and maintenance of products.
Only original spare parts and accessories are used for the maintenance of equipment so as to ensure continued quality and reliability.
Joseph Mathias, General Manager, Al Hamid Group, says, "It's important to maintain the equipment and to follow periodic maintenance schedule as stipulated in the operation manual provided to the customer at the time of vehicle delivery.
"It is important to maintain heavy and moving equipment for better performance, optimum usage, durability and satisfactory service besides better resale value," he says.
Rafatullah, Senior Manager at Zenath General Land Transport Co. LLC, says, "Maintenance is the backbone of any construction company, which is why we have a separate workshop for maintenance at Al Qusais. It is the main hub where maintenance records are kept.
"One should carry out timely maintenance and cannot compromise on the quality of lubricants or the spare parts being replaced. This will definitely tell on the performance and productivity of the machine in the long run."
Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar represents Caterpillar and provides customer service support and maintenance, inspection, diagnostics, training and complete field repairs as part of its normal field operations.
Ashfaque Azad, Area Manager, Al-Bahar, says, "We have some of the largest workshops with more than 162 productive technicians. We also have maintenance and repair contracts to support the machines once they are sold.
"We have a separate spare parts division, where more than 41,000 different types of parts are sold, giving Al-Bahar the enviable position of the highest first-pick parts provider in the region. The inventory control is completely computerised and non-stock emergency orders are air-freighted from Caterpillar distribution centres around the world and delivered to customers normally within 48 hours."
The company's Custom Track Service programme lets customers know in advance when to rebuild or replace tracks or their components so that repairs can be scheduled with minimum downtime.
A key feature of Caterpillar and Al-Bahar's services is the ability not only to design and deliver complete systems but also to support them through training, maintenance, parts and service to help customers achieve maximum return on their investment.
"We are one of the few companies that provides customers with total solutions. We don't just sell a machine, we offer it on rent with or without an operator and we also offer leasing and buy-back options," says Azad.
An agency can also be contacted to handle maintenance and repairs. "Opting for agency repairs has its own benefits as the use of genuine parts is guaranteed and so are services for a certain period of time.
"Agency repairs save the main dealer from building a separate workshop space, which is a concern for most people with rising rents. If you have agency contracts, the agency will deal with the problem directly," adds Rafatullah.
"There's a slightly different procedure for each piece of equipment though the system is more or less the same. In many cases, it is the number of hours the equipment is used and the kilometres run that matters. The golden rule is to clearly follow the respective operation and maintenance manuals to enjoy the benefits of supreme performance," says Mathias.
Iqbal's advice is simple. "Always go to a reputed dealer. We provide regular maintenance training to all operators. We have a 24-hour helpline that is constantly manned, so our customers will never get a taped message when they call."
Maintenance and providing quality service seem to go hand in hand.
