Investing in high-quality power solutions for industrial equipment is crucial, and a comprehensive view of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is essential for long-term profitability. Premium engines or batteries can prove to be significantly more cost-effective power solutions over the entire lifecycle as supposed to low cost, frequently replaced engines.

Understanding TCO, is a long-term way of thinking, as it is an estimation of the expenses associated with purchasing, deploying, using and retiring a product or piece of equipment. TCO provides a ‘real-life’ understanding of the quantifiable financial impact a piece of equipment has on a business across its entire lifecycle.

Investing time in research to understand the implications of the equipment you require is vital. Every purchasing decision is unique and requires insights and education to inform a commercially viable decision.

Commercial grade power solutions need to be durable, long-lasting and reliable. TCO takes into account the need to keep equipment on the jobsite for longer, increasing productivity and return on investment.

Expertise and experience are required to advise, design and deliver a power solution that will suit your individual requirements. Power suppliers like Vanguard, Briggs & Stratton’s commercial power brand, offer solutions for unique commercial applications and innovative products. Vanguard supports the entire process and provides an end-to-end solution that positively impacts the TCO.

Product development and innovation is another important contributing factor for TCO. For power solution providers at the forefront of technological development, new features can have a big impact, such as these examples from Vanguard engine and battery technology:

• Extended maintenance intervals: The Oil Guard™ System extends oil change intervals from 100 to 500 hours.
• Optimising performance: Electric Fuel Injection (EFI) fine-tunes the engine’s performance, while the Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) maintains stable engine speed.
• Avoid malfunction: TransportGuard™ integrates a single action fuel and ignition shut-off during transport.
• Interchangeability & Standardisation: The 48V 1,5kWh swappable commercial battery pack (Si1.5) can be easily moved between applications.
• Advanced protection: Integrated Battery Management Systems (BMS) continuously monitor battery performance, detect faults, and shut down in case of overload.
• Alerting failures: Vanguard batteries and EFI engines support CAN-bus communication, simplifying their integration into applications using this system. In addition, this enables users to consistently monitor key power source checkpoints, ensuring the system remains operational.

TCO is a fundamental consideration for the transition to battery power. Questions around extending product lifecycle are at the forefront of many business agendas which contribute to a reduced TCO.

When researching electrification and investing in batteries, it is worth comparing different battery technologies and like-for-like technology. While one battery may have a lower upfront cost compared to another battery, the reality of deployment on-site could see a dramatically shorter runtime.

Sjoerd van de Velde, Managing Director at Briggs & Stratton, said: “Taking the time to consider the TCO is always worthwhile as it creates a much more realistic understanding of a product’s true cost. Selecting high-performance engines and battery solutions is a strategic investment. Briggs & Stratton’s commercial brand Vanguard is the go-to provider for tough, long-lasting commercial grade power solutions, whilst our expertise ensures operators are getting the most out of their engines during their lifecycle.”