How to effectively boost transport company profits in 2022?

What are the main costs of a transport company?

Managing a transport company is no easy nut to crack and anyone with experience in the industry will sign up with two hands. The amount of costs incurred by transport companies is a factor in determining business success. The lower the costs, the higher the profits. The priority, therefore, is to look for savings in every sector of the company in order to leave as much as possible in the account. Reducing expenditure on so-called fixed and variable costs will guarantee an increase in transport company profits.

The main source of income for a shipping company is the fleet and it is the maintenance of this fleet that generates the most expenditure. The responsibility of delivering goods on time to destinations hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away generates costs. They are related to drivers’ salaries, fuel purchases, keeping the fleet in impeccable technical condition, repairs, including those unexpected along the route, which are often very expensive. Undeniably, the main cost that every transport company has to bear is fuel. Reducing fuel consumption, even slightly, contributes to unquestionable savings and therefore higher profits.

How to reduce costs in transport industry?

1. Route optimisation – choosing the shortest, fastest routes and avoiding toll roads. This is where GPS telematics is helpful, tracking the lorry’s driving and allowing the most optimal variant to be selected and empty runs to be eliminated.
2. Economical driving style – this is another important factor that has a not insignificant impact on fuel consumption. By analysing the data collected by the GPS and comparing it with the vehicle’s standards, it is possible to deduce whether the driver has a ‘heavy leg’ or drives eco.
3. Correct tyre pressure – it turns out that rolling resistance contributes to an increase in combustion, too little air in the wheels can result in higher combustion of 1 to 4%, referring to data from the German technical supervisory association GTU.
4. Low pressure in the exhaust aftertreatment system – it is worth ensuring that the exhaust is clear. Restricted exhaust flow causes the engine and its components to work under load, which is not conducive to their condition and affects combustion rates.

Why does the exhaust system become clogged?

A running engine produces exhaust gases that are dangerous to health and have to be cleaned of hazardous substances. They go to the catalytic converter and the DPF. The former is designed to reduce and oxidise harmful compounds through catalytic reactions, while the latter traps particles such as soot, heavy metals, carbon build-up, cerium oxides and ash in the rough channels of the particulate filter monolith, where they are reduced by combustion.

What is the danger of a clogged DPF?

Although the pollutants in the DPF are post-combusted in the course of driving, ash accumulates in the monolith, which is not oxidised and gradually reduces the DPF’s capacity. This phenomenon has a number of consequences, from stress on the powertrain, injection system and turbocharger, higher combustion, to engine and component failures.

How to properly maintain the exhaust system and DPF?

Replacing the particulate filter with a new one is a huge cost in the order of several. Therefore, it is worth taking care of this element so as not to cause irreversible damage due to excessive amount of impurities accumulated inside, and its failure is not a consequence of other damage under the bonnet. A much cheaper solution is regeneration.

Regular DPF servicing is a guarantee of trouble-free driving and optimum combustion levels.

With preventive regeneration carried out every 200,000 km, the life of the injectors is doubled and fuel consumption levels can be reduced by up to 8% in mixed mode (depending on driving style, load weight and type of route). In addition, it minimises the possibility of a fault occurring en route, resulting in unexpected foreign service costs and delay penalties.

How to clean the DPF effectively and cheaply?

The cheapest and most effective regeneration method is hydrodynamic regeneration carried out after the filter has been disassembled in a special machine. After the process, the filter regains its factory parameters and can be used again.

What is the best device for cleaning DPF, EURO5, EURO6?

The DPF Master Flash series equipment is the best solution on the market to restore the filter to its factory condition. The regeneration process is safe for the monolith and the precious metals contained in it. The method is cheap and effective.

Why is it worth having a DPF machine in-house to increase transport company profits?

Shipping companies with large fleets and their own service should have a DPF, SCR, EURO5 and EURO6 filter regeneration machine in their equipment park. The reason is simple and contained in clear terms.

1. It puts €200-€400 in the pocket of the owners, which they would have to spend each time to regenerate one filter in an external workshop;
2. Operating costs are low – about €10 when regenerating 1 filter;
3. The DPF in fleet cars can be regenerated at any time, so the downtime is shorter;
4. The company avoids unpleasant situations related to incorrectly performed repairs outside its own service centre;
5. In addition, the machine can work to fulfil other orders and public orders generating revenue;
6. Operation of the machine is simple, no specialist knowledge is required, processes are automated and there is no need for another employee.