How can you minimise the costs arising from forklift downtime? At Cat® Lift Trucks we have the answer, with our common component strategy and industry-leading first-time fix rate (FTFR).

The principle is simple. Modular design concepts allow a high level of component sharing between our model ranges. It means that the number of different spare parts we need to keep fleets in action is much smaller. That’s why Cat® service vans can carry enough stock to fix just about anything. When your lift truck needs attention, there’s a much higher chance of repairing it in just one visit.

This gives you a great advantage over competitors whose service providers have a lower FTFR. Each time a first-time fix proves impossible, they must request the missing parts and make a second visit. It usually adds at least an extra day of forklift downtime. The lift truck user’s business loses productivity – or has to spend extra money on back-up trucks.

Through our common component strategy and high FTFR, we can:

• Lower your mean time to repair (MTTR)
• Lower your vehicle off road (VOR) downtime
• Maximise your fleet utilisation, uptime and output

Save on lift truck parts, labour, fuel and carbon too

For anyone maintaining stocks of lift truck parts, our common component strategy is great news. It dramatically reduces the investment needed to hold enough stock to ensure high levels of service and uptime.

With fewer service van trips, our dealers also save on labour and fuel costs. This allows them to serve your business even more cost-effectively.

Common components give the additional benefit of greater familiarity. Lift truck engineers come to know them well and can replace them very quickly and easily. Meanwhile, the familiar look and behaviour of common controls and systems helps your operators to use trucks productively and safely. You can expect better work rates, with less accident-related damage and downtime.

Last but not least, our common component strategy shrinks your carbon footprint. Think of all the fuel and emissions saved by cutting the number of service van and parts delivery journeys. These are highly repetitive activities, in which savings accumulate hugely over the course of days, weeks, months and years.

Part sharing in Cat warehouse equipment

Continuing development of our common component strategy is especially important in the Cat warehouse equipment ranges. With such a diversity of lift trucks, for so many varying roles, achieving commonality of parts is a great challenge. Our most recent reach trucks and high-level order pickers (HLOPs) offer unprecedented levels of component sharing. The same is true for our entire stacker and power pallet truck portfolio.

For instance, most essential components of our platform stackers, platform power pallets and platform double pallet handlers are shared. That includes their machine housing and chassis. Those with masts share their mast systems with our stand-in and sit-on stackers. One very obvious shared item is the emPower tiller head. It’s now found on all Cat pedestrian and platform stackers, power pallets and double pallet handlers.

Further forklift time savings

On occasions when we don’t have the necessary part in our service van, we can get it – fast. Our dealers’ depots are always well stocked. We also run a Cat parts supply operation with market-leading levels of availability.

Remember, also, that Cat lift trucks are famous for their quality, durability and dependability. With those characteristics, the need to replace worn or damaged parts is less frequent. Our trucks are also designed for quick, easy and ergonomic engineer access. This speeds up both routine maintenance and repairs.

Click here for more information on how our cost-effective support can keep your forklifts in action.