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00:00 14 Jul 1994
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No one will even hazard a guess as to the realistic number of
working compressors in the UK. With an average life span of
approximately 15-17 years with maybe just one major overhaul, they
are the longest serving machines in the hire industry.
The situation is clouded by the fact that a number of hire companies have specialised in the compressed air market. Besides the ubiquitous one and two tool units that form the basis of many hire fleets, these companies have moved into trailer mounted silenced and super silenced machines for industry and refineries with outputs of 600- 900cfm.
From reciprocating to vane to screw - and you now have to add hydraulics as a completely new possibility - in the march forward. More than one hire company director has offered the suggestion, anonymously, that they are loss leaders. The rate of return is so low that in strict accounting terms, they will never earn enough for their replacement. 'I get tired of side line experts saying the rates must rise, but until 50% of the current population is eliminated, all compressors will continue to be a loss leader. Even companies that have spent huge sums on specialisation are now finding it difficult because the market is overcrowded. The economics of hiring compressors just doesn't add up, they are another sprat to catch the mackerel,' he insists.
ECONOMICS
HOW MANY
The theory that the more you hire out a machine the greater the profitability completely breaks down with compressors.
Utilisation figures have remained consistently high over the years, but the rates are abysmally low, and, worryingly, show no signs of improving in the immediate future. The saving grace, according to one hire company, is that the units have great inherent reliability and with units logging 1.600-2,000 hours per year, run forever with the minimum upkeep.
The reciprocating compressor is alive and well in the industrial sector.
The construction industry took firstly the vane, and later, screw air ends to their hearts and wallets. The story goes that screw air ends don't wear out because there are no metal to metal rubbing surfaces.
The former may be true, the latter is not. Working clearances between the screws are critical and gear wear after long hours can be the problem.
COMPRESSORS
TRACK RECORD
UTILISATION
The situation is clouded by the fact that a number of hire companies have specialised in the compressed air market. Besides the ubiquitous one and two tool units that form the basis of many hire fleets, these companies have moved into trailer mounted silenced and super silenced machines for industry and refineries with outputs of 600- 900cfm.
From reciprocating to vane to screw - and you now have to add hydraulics as a completely new possibility - in the march forward. More than one hire company director has offered the suggestion, anonymously, that they are loss leaders. The rate of return is so low that in strict accounting terms, they will never earn enough for their replacement. 'I get tired of side line experts saying the rates must rise, but until 50% of the current population is eliminated, all compressors will continue to be a loss leader. Even companies that have spent huge sums on specialisation are now finding it difficult because the market is overcrowded. The economics of hiring compressors just doesn't add up, they are another sprat to catch the mackerel,' he insists.
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ECONOMICS
HOW MANY
The theory that the more you hire out a machine the greater the profitability completely breaks down with compressors.
Utilisation figures have remained consistently high over the years, but the rates are abysmally low, and, worryingly, show no signs of improving in the immediate future. The saving grace, according to one hire company, is that the units have great inherent reliability and with units logging 1.600-2,000 hours per year, run forever with the minimum upkeep.
The reciprocating compressor is alive and well in the industrial sector.
The construction industry took firstly the vane, and later, screw air ends to their hearts and wallets. The story goes that screw air ends don't wear out because there are no metal to metal rubbing surfaces.
The former may be true, the latter is not. Working clearances between the screws are critical and gear wear after long hours can be the problem.
COMPRESSORS
TRACK RECORD
UTILISATION
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