Taking Time for Preventive Maintenance: An Update for Genie Scissor Lift and Telehandler Owners and Users

I came across this handy piece of advice from the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based on-line magazine Utility Products.  While their respective focus is power, telecom and cable tv product solutions, they recently came out with updated guidance on aerial lift safety-specifically Genie Scissor and Telehandlers.  The writer noted that maintenance time and costs are being reduced with a consolidated maintenance protocol for all Genie GS-scissor lift models and Genie GTH-telehandler models in North America. It appears that following updated procedures and simplified intervals, new Genie maintenance instructions now provide rental companies, including those here in the Western Pacific, the flexibility needed to keep their equipment on rent longer while making routine tasks a priority.

With rental equipment constantly going out and coming in, the streamlined maintenance procedures reduces the number of visits a Genie scissor lift or telehandler needs to make to the shop for preventive care. That means that less time in a lift shop translates to more time out on rent, lowering customers’ total cost of ownership and driving a higher rental return on invested capital. 

With this maintenance protocol, Genie has condensed six separate maintenance manuals into one easy-to-use manual. This one-stop maintenance manual contains complete performance specifications, as well as a streamlined list of maintenance tasks to complete. And it is available in hard copy or digital format for easy integration into custom electronic systems.

Designed to save and simplify, the protocol also includes recommendations for extended service intervals opportunities; for example, many periodic procedures for scissor lifts have moved from quarterly and semi-annually to annually. 

Commissioning has changed, too. Rather than perform some of the tasks at the 30-hour mark and some at 50 hours or longer, now all of the commissioning assignments for scissor lifts and telehandlers sold in 2016 and beyond are set for 50 hours and 150 hours.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

Metal Roofs-The Right Choice

There are two facts that cannot be disputed relative to the usage of metal for the roof of your home or business.  The first is that The Metal Roofing Association (MRA) has reported that non-metal roofs last 17 years on average, but metal roofs can last a lifetime. Though higher in initial costs, they can boost homes’ resale value and cut homeowners’ insurance premiums in some states by up to 35 percent.  The second is The Metal Construction Association (MCA) has produced a study that found that certain metal roof systems can last at least 60 years, meaning they do not require replacement during a commercial building’s service life.

What do we know about metal roofs?  Metal roofing systems do not rot, warp, crack or break. They are also superior to conventional roofing systems in standing up to extreme weather with great finish warranties and guarantees to warranty in high winds-an important factor of roofing systems in Micronesia.  Metal roofs last two to three times longer than ordinary roofs, meaning they can last 40 to 60 years or longer, according to both the MRA and MCA.

The MCA holds that  the expected service life of an unpainted 55% Al-Zn coated steel (known by many trade names throughout the world, principally GALVALUME® and Zincalume® in the United States) standing seam roof constructed today in a wide range of environments using best practices can be expected to be in excess of 60 years, a value that equals the assumed building service life as described in the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building rating program, Version 4. The study also confirmed that these types of metal roofs resist corrosion even in "weak" spots, such as sheared edges and panel profile bends. Inspections showed an absence of significant red rust after up to 35 years, indicating exceptional corrosion resistance in areas susceptible to exhibiting the first signs of corrosion.

While we would be the first to ask you to make the switch, it is clear that one thing needs to be done to protect these investments over time-maintenance.  All roof systems require a regular maintenance program to annually clean off debris and to inspect the condition of the roof in order to achieve the kind of service lives reported in this blog post.  While  steel standing seam roof systems were projected to last up to 60 years, components such as fasteners may need to be replaced during the roof life, but this represents significantly less than 20% of a total roof replacement cost.

To find out more about how GET, LLC, through our metal building partner Fabral can help with your next steel building or aluminum roofing project, give us a call at 671-483-0789 or our website at www.get-guam.com for more information.    

Benefits of LED Lighting at Fast Food Restaurants-A Case Study

Independence LED Lighting has done much over the past year to be the number one choice in the LED Tube Lighting marketplace.  With a 10 year warranty that is second to none, GET, LLC is so very proud and excited to be their partner in Guam and the Western Pacific.  Recently the Independence LED Lighting team put out a case study on a busy New Jersey Franchise Restaurant-the results of which will surprise you.

Lighting consumes a significant  amount of electricity for Quick Serve Restaurants (QSRs), especially for ones running 24/7 such as a sample Burger King location in Carteret, New Jersey. Like many similar Burger Kings across the country and Guam that are about 2,400 sq. ft., this one has 35 troffer fixtures that are 2’x4’ with four 32 watt fluorescent tubes, totaling 128 watts per fixture. At 8,760 h/year the fixtures each used 1,121 kWh/year. With an electricity rate of $.083/kWh, the lighting cost was $93  per fixture per year and $3,257 for all 35 fixtures.  

Independence LED provided a 44 watt LED Retrofit Kit solution that saves 84 watts per fixture for over 65% savings. 

Each fixture delivers 4,400 directional lumens, at bright white 5000K for the kitchen areas and 4000K warmer lights to enhance the dining areas.  Independence LED also provided Smart Control enabled external drivers, to automatically dim the lights on bright sunny days, if Burger King chooses to activate the system.  

By reducing the fixture wattage from 128 to 44, the annual savings is 735 kWh and $61 per fixture. With 35 fixtures, the annual savings is $2,137. Over the 60,000 hour 7 year life of the LEDs at 24/7, the lifetime energy savings is almost $15,000. With historical 3% average annual increases in energy cost and reduced bulb replacement and maintenance labor, the savings is over $18,000 per location. With 46 locations, the lifetime savings for this franchise owner exceeds $828,000.  This project set the QSR efficiency benchmark in 2014.

Does the energy savings and the kit costs have your attention?

To learn more about the lighting products that GET, LLC provides, including the LED lines of our partners, Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc., please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us at 671-483-0789 to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-All Made in America!!!

What Is The True Cost of Ownership-a Furniture Tip

Our friends at Savoy Contract Furniture shared with us recently a couple of things to think about when looking at the cost of ownership of the furniture in your office, dorm or retail outlet. 

Maintaining furniture can be exactly like having a leaky pipe.  There is no question that you can patch the leaks, but the problem will continue to grow.  They ask us to consider the following when calculating the true cost of your furniture:

• How many maintenance hours are spent on furniture repair calls?
• Number of furniture items replaced during the calendar year?
• How long is your furniture lasing-seven, 10 or 15 years?

Keeping with the comparison, time and again the purchase of low price furniture leads to a leaky pipe.  Calculating the total expenses over a seven year period is usually enough to see how much profit is lost to maintenance.  Look for value added and quality furniture and you should be OK.

For more on how GET,LLC through our friends at Savoy Contract Furniture and teaming partner American Hotel Register can assist you with your specific FF&E needs- please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-483-0789 to discuss the best solution for your facility.  All the solutions are Made in America!