APE September 2022 | Page 16

FEATURE
Photos courtesy of kminternational . com
not necessarily better for infrared repair equipment , then how large should a contractor go when selecting equipment ?
“ There are many factors to consider when choosing the right infrared repair equipment ,” stated Daniel Martin , inside sales with Kasi Infrared , a division of Reed International Company , Claremont , New Hampshire . “ if you are working on small driveway repairs or correcting pavement oil spots , these are six- to 10-inch repairs , versus two- to three-foot repairs which will be more extensive . We offer what we call an infrared asphalt repair business on wheels ! Portable equipment with a hydraulic lift 48 sq . ft . infrared chamber that features eight rows of patented converters . With this size chamber – you can heat as small of an area as 24 sq . ft . or do full heats at 48 sq . ft . in multiple succession to cover much larger areas . The converters heat the existing asphalt to plant temperatures and allow it to be raked , new asphalt added and luted , then compacted for a seamless repair unlike traditional cut and replace methods , at a fraction of the cost .”
This leads to what is the best infrared repair equipment that a contractor should own ? There is portable , trailer mounted , and truck mounted to choose from .
“ The answer is all of them based on the work parameters ,” LeClair said . “ Each contractor offers unique services and many times the best answer is in having multiple crews who focus on specific work and in that way , each crew has the best equipment for the bulk of their work . Having said this , every asphalt contractor ( regardless of the company size and number of infrared units owned ) can also benefit from having one of the many walk-behind units to correct ‘ new ’ paving mishaps , Infrared is the perfect solution for such mishaps because it can be corrected flawlessly . Again , the best equipment solution for you can be determined by talking with your equipment supplier .”
LeClair continued : “ A key factor in choosing an infrared unit in terms of initial price , costs to operate and maintain is its ROI , return on investment . In a sense , ROI should be the only factor to consider ! This means the highest productivity , when considering initial cost , maintenance , downtime and crew cost , etc . Those who focus on initial purchase cost are not considering the enormous production difference that can exist in a cheaper-priced machine . For example , when a two-person crew with a 100K initial machine cost brings in revenue of $ 2000 a day compared to another crew who bought a machine for half that initial cost but only produces $ 1000 a day in revenue . With all other factors being the same , one has the better ROI . Of course , the higher priced machine not only paid off the initial machine cost but still brought in more profit . Over ten years the difference in revenue and profit beyond the initial cost can be in the millions .”
There are other factors to consider when choosing the best infrared equipment for a paving contractor ’ s business .
“ Product quality and the manufacturer ’ s service and support backing up the equipment are key ,” Martin said . “ Was it made in the USA with the highest quality materials using the most advanced manufacturing techniques ? Is the manufacturer able to provide service and support to ensure you have minimum downtime and maximum ROI on your investment ?”
When evaluating the pros and cons in selecting the best infrared repair unit for a contractor ’ s needs there is always the issue of money .
“ There is a significant investment cost difference between the large trailer mounted / truck mounted unit and the portable stand-alone units ,” Blake said . “ Which means a contractor needs to consider what their purpose for the infrared machine will be to determine which unit will work best for them . A couple other things as far as maintenance or just general operational cost go are the fuel consumption , heating system , and the estimated annual maintenance cost .
“ Additionally , the contractor needs to ask themselves before adding a new infrared unit to a business , how do you plan to sell infrared repair services ? Is the machine going to be used to set up a whole separate crew to perform infrared asphalt repairs only or are you only buying an infrared machine for spot repairs ? Do you have the staff / labor force to adequately sustain a separate crew to perform infrared rehab services ? Do you have a hotbox to have HMA on site and at the correct temperature while performing IR repairs ? Questions and concerns .”
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