Every maintenance manager has his or her own set of maintenance guidelines for vehicles and equipment that inform their approach to day-to-day work and the way they manage their team. Some believe a preventive strategy makes the most sense, while others strive to set up a predictive program. But any well-rounded organization realizes that success is maximized when several different maintenance approaches work together, rather than choosing just one.
With that in mind, let’s explore two maintenance approaches commonly used today: proactive and reactive maintenance.
Proactive Maintenance
What is proactive maintenance? The terms “proactive” and “preventive” are often used interchangeably, but in fact, there are more than a few degrees of separation between them. A preventive maintenance program would schedule work based on time or usage-based triggers. For example, an oil change will be performed every X number of vehicle miles, regardless of whether the maintenance is actually needed. Proactive maintenance takes a more focused approach, using historical data to identify the root causes(s) of equipment failure in order to avoid breakdowns. This approach makes it possible to perform maintenance only when necessary.
Carrying out a proactive maintenance program successfully often hinges on the quality of resources that an organization has at its disposal—a skilled workforce, the ability to track machine health, and the software required to gather data and schedule work. This can be a challenge, especially for smaller companies, and it helps to have a partner in your corner to help troubleshoot any issues.
Reactive Maintenance
Conversely, reactive maintenance occurs once a piece of machinery has already failed. In contrast to proactive maintenance, no analysis, tracking, or anticipation is required to carry it out. As the name implies, work is only completed in reaction to a breakdown.
Reactive maintenance tends to carry some negative associations with it, and for good reason. It is usually more costly to fix equipment vs. maintaining it, and it can be very expensive to have unplanned downtime while equipment is out of service. For many organizations, being in a state of reactive maintenance is usually the result of not being able to anticipate failures, rather than being a strategy the organization has actively chosen to embrace. Again, having an experienced partner in your corner can help companies deal more effectively with equipment breakdowns and can help them move to a more proactive (and cheaper) approach to maintenance.
How Can Woodford Help?
Lubricants play a big role in keeping vehicles and equipment in top condition—and out of the repair shop. Lubricants are the lifeblood of any piece of equipment. The type of lubricant you use and how you manage your lubrication program can prolong the life of equipment, optimize performance, and minimize any downtime. That’s why it’s important to use the right lubricants for your equipment and have the right lubrication program in place. Woodford can help.
Woodford is a Chevron 1st Source Elite Lubrication Marketer and a CITGO Lubricants VEKTOR Partner. This means that Woodford offers a comprehensive line of both Chevron and CITGO commercial lubricants and industrial lubricants for all industries and all types of customers.
Woodford also provides professional-grade lubricants for the oilfield services industry as well as specialty brands and products including diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), natural gas engine and compressor oils, triethylene glycol (TEG), and other glycols and chemicals.
Equipment Loan Program
Woodford’s Commercial Lubricants Equipment Loan Program provides on-site storage tanks to make sure your business never runs out of critical lubricants. Woodford takes care of getting you the right equipment for your needs, transports it to your job site, and delivers the lubricants as needed.
Woodford On-Site Lube Van
Lubrication management for multiple heavy vehicles and equipment can be a daunting task if the job site moves. That’s why Woodford has an On-site Lube Van, specifically designed for customers in industries such as infrastructure development, transportation, civil construction, and oil & gas.
It is like having your own on-site bulk plant—but it’s mobile, to easily and quickly move to the next site. It’s the best solution for large site development, such as roads, highways, bridges, dams, and airports, as well as excavation, water infrastructure, landfills, stone quarries, and a host of other projects.
On-Staff Experts Excel at Problem-Solving
Perhaps Woodford’s most unique characteristic is its ability to tap the professional expertise of its staff to help customers solve their equipment maintenance issues and troubleshoot any technical problems.
Woodford’s expert staff, including Fuel Technicians, Chemical Engineers, Certified Lubrication Specialists (STLE-CLS) and Certified Oil Monitoring Analysts (STLE-OMA-1) are trained to help customers cut their operating costs, minimize equipment downtime, extend the life of their equipment, and keep their entire operation running smoothly.
Woodford Is Your Single Source For Fuels, Lubricants, Propane, And Unmatched Service—24/7. Contact Woodford Today!
Since 1947, Woodford has been your trusted local fuel and lubricants provider, delivering to residential, commercial and industrial, and agriculture customers in a six-state region that includes West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
When it comes to solving your toughest equipment maintenance problems, people know to call Woodford.
Contact us for more information on our range of commercial lubricants, on-site storage, pricing, and delivery options, or request a quote online!
