Manufacturing and Machinery

Rent Equipment for Your Next Manufacturing and Machinery Project

Boom Lift

Scissor Lift

Forklift & Material Handling

Telehandler

Current State of the Manufacturing and Machinery Industry

Manufacturing is the process of creating a product from raw materials and constituent parts. This work used to be done by hand. However, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the latter part of the 18th century, the production of goods and services in the U.S. shifted from human to machine labor. Even the machines responsible for making the vast array of products at our disposal today are themselves made by machines. In fact, the export of machines manufactured in the U.S. generated $166 billion in 2015.

Machinery manufacturing requires a highly skilled labor force. Jobs typical of this manufacturing subsector include mechanical engineers, tool and die makers, welders, engine assemblers, and computer-controlled, machine-tool operators. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 1.1 million workers were employed in some aspect of the machinery manufacturing industry in 2016. That figure is expected to drop slightly to 1 million by 2026. The average salary for machinery manufacturing employees is currently $29 per hour, and the unemployment rate is low, hovering at 1.6 percent.

The future of manufacturing, including machinery manufacturing, will be dominated by automation and artificial intelligence. Automation reduces manufacturing expenses and offers a safer working environment since much of the human element is removed from the production process. Artificial intelligence or robotics used in the manufacture of goods require even less human intervention. These machines are capable of performing highly complex tasks that it was once thought only humans could perform. In fact, some forecasters speculate that some production operations could be 100-percent automated in the near future.

Commonly Used Equipment in the Manufacturing and Machinery Industry

Using construction-like equipment can expedite the manufacture of many products, including machinery. The following list describes some of the more commonly used pieces of construction equipment that manufacturers in many industries take advantage of today.

• Forklifts are an ever-present sight in factories and warehouses. These highly maneuverable vehicles load, unload, and stack inventory, supplies, and materials used in the production and distribution of goods. Warehouse forklifts can be used to move lighter-weight materials through the production line of a processing plant. Industrial forklifts are capable of lifting loads that weigh up to 18 tons.
• Telehandlers are another type of lifting machine that consists of a telescopic or articulating boom that can be extended upward and forward. This ability to move forward makes them a lot more versatile than forklifts, which can only move a load up and down. Although telehandlers are used primarily to lift and place loads, the boom can be fitted with attachments such as pallet forks, buckets, and work platforms to extend the types of tasks they can perform.
• Carry Deck Cranes, with their 360-degree rotating boom, can maneuver around barriers and in spaces that may be difficult for forklifts to operate in. Heavy equipment manufacturers use them to lift, move, and place the various components needed to assemble the equipment they produce. These versatile machines are capable of lifting anywhere from 15 to 30 tons.
• Excavators play an important role in the manufacturing and machinery industry. Many of the products manufactured today require materials that can’t be artificially created or grown; they have to be mined. Open-pit mining operations make use of excavators to dig up raw materials such as coal. Mini excavators are invaluable in underground mining because of their ability to fit into tight spaces where larger excavators can’t go.
• Bulldozers are also used extensively in mining. Their primary function is to remove the excess soil and rubble that excavators have dug up so that the former can continue to operate. They are also used to transport raw materials to industrial machinery (see Industrial Trucks below) for transport to the production site.
• Air Compressors are extremely useful in manufacturing environments. The industry often uses them to power equipment by turning electricity into kinetic energy. This eliminates the need for motors which, in turn, lowers production costs. Air compressors can also be used to power air tools such as drills, wrenches, hammers, saws, and nail guns.
• Industrial Trucks transport equipment, raw materials, waste, and finished products to and from the production site. Cranes, forklifts, and excavators can be mounted on industrial trucks for ease of transportation to and from the production site. Water trucks are used in mining operations to keep dust from spreading in open pits and underground.

Benefits of Renting Manufacturing and Machinery Equipment

While large manufacturing companies have the financial resources to purchase some if not all of this equipment, smaller businesses may not be able to afford the cost. And even multi-national corporations may find that purchasing some pieces of heavy equipment isn’t cost-effective under certain circumstances. Renting construction equipment, on the other hand, is a viable option that more and more manufacturing companies are considering.

Even large manufacturing companies, with their immense financial resources, may decide to rent construction equipment that has just come on the market. Renting lets them try out the equipment before purchasing it to determine if it will be suitable for the work they regularly perform.

Smaller companies that have to count every penny may have no choice but to rent construction equipment if they want to compete for jobs that can’t be done without it. And we’ve already seen how using air compressors in place of motors can reduce costs. Renting this equipment would serve to lower costs even more.

Businesses can also rent construction equipment for use on manufacturing jobs they will only perform once or a few times a year. Purchasing this equipment would put an unnecessary drain on resources, both financial and human, and require time devoted to regular maintenance that could be spent on actual manufacturing tasks. Why pay $11,000 for a forklift, for example, when you can rent one for around $200 a day and deduct the fee as a business expense?

Renting construction equipment for use in the manufacturing and machinery industry is a business best practice that many companies are taking advantage of. Let BigRentz help you select the equipment that’s right for your company.