Rhys Davies is an independent spare parts specialist. He has worked for over 16 years in the forklift, warehousing and logistics industries, supplying every possible type of spare part, sourcing direct from the actual manufacturer of the part. He operates as a consultant to the industry, offering tailored services to help companies understand their inventories better and helping them save money on parts spend. To contact Rhys, visit his website.
Forklift users will all inevitably have to replace parts- and this involves a choice between "genuine parts" and the growing range of "aftermarket" offerings. Consultant Rhys Davies looks at some of the issues to consider.
Looking at the contentious debate over the relative merits of genuine spare parts and aftermarket spare parts certainly raises the hackles of the forklift manufacturers (OEMs ) and provides a profitable hunting ground for the spare parts suppliers. But, at what cost? Is there a compromise between quality and price or can we have our cake and eat it too?
Genuine spare parts are available from a variety of sources and this choice of supplier provides an opportunity for savings without any compromise on quality. Obviously, the OEMs are the source for all genuine spare parts and they show little flexibility on price as this is one of their main income streams. However, you can negotiate some half-decent discounts if you order regularly and pay on time.
There are, however, more and more independent parts suppliers supplying the same genuine parts as the OEMs. They do this by using the same component manufacturers the OEMs use and this market is opening up every week. Hungry for increased sales, the component manufacturers are looking to sell their products long after the production runs have stopped. So more than 50% of spare parts for any brand are available for purchase direct from the component manufacturer. These offer savings of up to 70% off the OEM list price.
By asking your supplier for genuine parts sourced directly from component manufacturers, you can have your cake and eat it.
Aftermarket parts or pattern/copy parts are infiltrating our industry from manufacturers all over the world and they represent massive savings off the OEM price, but we need to take care because cheap isn't always best.
Let's take a look at some of the reasons we might consider aftermarket parts:
Price: Possibly the strongest argument. We all know the OEMs' price bears little relation to the actual cost of the part, and this leads to a general presumption that aftermarket parts must be cheaper by default. There are more copy parts coming onto the market and that is a real concern. Parts are being manufactured in Asia and South America and being sold around the world at unbelievably low prices. Yes, this offers options. Yes, this offers savings. But what should we buy and what should we avoid?
To be fair to the OEMs, they spend a lot of money in R&D and work closely with their suppliers to design the components they need. So when a product designed and made in Germany appears in the aftermarket with a "Made in China" label, caution is clearly needed.
Experience has taught me to avoid using aftermarket parts for any critical function, or where part failure could cause a major expensive repair, especially as we have found that there is generally a cheaper "genuine" option available anyway. Take care when buying products such as brake parts, mast rollers, filters, electrical/electronic parts and engineered/machined parts. It's easy to be motivated by cheap prices, but that's not the whole picture.
Quality: Genuine parts offer you built-in guarantees, one being quality. For aftermarket parts, this is not always the case. If you are buying a part that appears cheap, there will be a reason. Some of these are visible to the eye, some only visible after they have failed. Again, use your instinct.
First-time fix:One should also consider the durability of aftermarket parts. What is the cost of buying the part a second or third time? It is a false economy to buy the cheapest part possible if it is not going to last or be difficult to fit. It may look good on paper, but your engineers will soon start to tell you a different story.
Availability: This is getting better for both aftermarket and genuine parts. Depending on your location and how good your buyers are, this should not be a factor either way.
Warranty: Genuine parts again come with the knowledge the part has been designed and chosen exactly for the job. The OEM warranty is typically six months or 1,000 hours. Now, what if your aftermarket part fails? The part you have purchased will likely not have been expensive, so how hard will your supplier work now? Who investigates the warranty claim? How do you get replacement parts? What if you now realise the part is not up to the job and you want to revert back to genuine? How do you get your refund? Ask before you buy about conformity and warranty.
There is, however, a "silver lining ". Buy your genuine spare part through an independent supplier and you get the Component Manufacturer's warranty, not the OEMs warranty. This is usually 12 months, and they have a regimented and professional returns procedure.
So who wins: genuine or aftermarket?
As I see it, we can have our cake and eat it. With the increase in independent suppliers offering genuine spare parts at realistic prices, there is genuine choice. For critical parts not yet available to these independents, you've got to go OEM. For other parts, battery connectors, seats, forks, beacons and all consumables, the aftermarket definitely has a lot to offer.