It is of no use to approach the Club Manager or Director with a request to replace a machine,“because it is knackered”
iii.Multiply cost (i) by number used (ii)
Add up the costs for oils and grease to determine the total cost of lubricants. 3. Maintenance
Calculate the cost of parts used during regular servicing as listed in the Service Manual, e.g. cylinder grinding, replacement bottom blades and filters.
4. Repairs
This section should include the cost of parts and materials used in carrying out repairs caused by misuse or accidents, e.g. burst hydraulic pipes, welding, punctures etc.
5. Labour
Cost of labour per hour of the person who carries out maintenance and repairs, multiplied by the number of hours spent maintaining and repairing the machine.
Useful websites
The following is a guide to the manufacturer’s sites that offer full access to Operator and Service Manuals. Be aware that some manufacturers allow full access to information for machines sold only in the United States. They may be slightly different to the machine you use, even though it is the same model. Type in the web address in the browser address bar and follow the links:
www.deere.com • Worldwide sites • UK/Ireland • Golf & Turf • Servicing and support • Operator’s Manuals • Golf & Turf Equipment • Select a category and follow the links to your machine
www.ransomesjacobsen.com • Customer Care • Technical Manuals • Scroll down and click on correct machine
• You have a choice of manuals Fuel
Servicing Repairs
Lubricants Labour
Year Total
www.toro.com • Make sure you are in the UK/English section
• Golf Course Management • Customer Care • Use the links to find and download the required manuals
www.hayter.co.uk • Mowers for Commercial Use • Operator’s/Parts Manuals • Select the correct machine • Download the required manual
(this is not a comprehensive list and does not imply that any other sites are of less value)
How can these figures be used?
Keeping a record of all these costs requires discipline, but is worth the effort. The following uses can be made of the figures:
• By comparing the costs year to year, an assessment can be made on the efficiency of the machine
• Budgets can be accurately forecast
• A turf manager can show they are requesting funds based on financial evidence
The last point is crucial to the professional standing of Turfgrass Managers. It is of no use to approach the Club Manager or Director with a request to replace a machine, “because it is knackered”. A professional manager needs to learn to speak the language of the person who signs the cheque. Worksheet 1 (below) is an example of comparing figures over three years. The figure are clearly set out and the hourly cost to operate the machine is shown to be increasing. Further presentations of the figures could include a graph to show the past three years and future projections of costs. Worksheet 2 shows another use of the
figures. This time a comparison is being made against the first year use of a new
2005 2006 2007 Cumulative £1157 £1198 £1212 £3567 £658 £680 £696 £2034 £150 £130 £255 £80 £85 £90 £115 £115 £197
£535 £255 £427
Hour use per year 1157 1160 1150 Cost per hour
WORKSHEET 1 -T
£2160 £2208 £2450 £6818 3467
£1.87 £1.90 £2.13 £1.96 Toro™ 5200D
(courtesy of Jamie Wilkinson, NVQ 3 candidate Warwickshire College)
machine. The figures will be estimates based on the servicing schedule in the manual and costs of part from the supplier. An estimated figure is inserted in the repairs section to cover accidental damage.
How can we use these figures to justify the cost of purchasing a new machine?
Turf managers need to understand that most of the people who sign the cheques need to be happy that the company or organisation is going to benefit from spending a large amount of cash. They need to be sure that this money is an investment, not a cost.
In my first Head Greenkeeper job, the
greens mower was costing a total of £3,500 to maintain and repair. A new machine was calculated to cost about £850 per year to operate, the difference between the two figures being £2,650. In other words, it would cost the company £2,650 less to operate a new machine, and that figure would appear as extra profit on the Profit and Loss account. If £18,000 was spent on a new machine (early 1990s prices) the percentage return on the money spent would be 14.7%.
If the company was to invest £18,000 in an interest earning bank account it
Fuel
Servicing Repairs
Lubricants Labour
Year Total
2005 2006 2007 Cumulative New Machine £1157 £1198 £1212 £3567 £658 £680 £696 £2034 £150 £130 £255 £80
£85 £90 £115 £115 £197
Hour use per year 1157 1160 1150 Cost per hour
£535 £255 £427
£2160 £2208 £2450 £6818 3467
£1.87 £1.90 £2.13 £1.96 WORKSHEET 2
£848 £715 £150 £90
£100
£1903 1160 £1.64
Comparison of past costs of a Toro™ 5200D and a new machine 37
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