Spare Parts Logistics: Keeping Forestry Equipment Operational

Machine utilisation rates in the forestry sector hover around 80-89%. The rest of the time (the 20-11%) is downtime for repairs, maintenance and waiting for spare parts. If you have spare parts on site, minor repairs may take a few hours. But what if you don’t have the spare parts? Even minor repairs might take days or potentially weeks.

When a machine breaks down, it halts the flow of work, severely impacts productivity and increases costs. So getting it repaired as soon as possible becomes the priority. This is where specialised spare parts logistics becomes the crucial element in maintaining machinery and profits.

The unique challenge of forest logistics

Unlike typical urban deliveries, forest logistics faces severe geographical and environmental challenges. Remote work sites, often kilometres from paved roads, demand a robust and flexible logistics network capable of delivering every type of spare part and component, from small sensors to large hydraulic pumps and even trailers, to the exact point of need as quickly as possible.

Traditional logistics services can’t meet this need. It requires a logistics provider that understands the complexity of the wood industry supply chain. Having worked with the forestry sector for decades, we’ve built a reputation as the trusted partner that companies rely on to manage their most critical parts requirements.

Our solutions for time-critical spare parts logistics

In-night delivery

This is the ultimate tool for minimising lost operating hours. Critical spare parts are collected late in the day and delivered overnight to a designated location, before the start of the next business day. By receiving parts overnight (we call this by:NIGHT), your field technicians or engineers can access the spare part and begin repairs immediately at the start of their shift, preventing any more unneeded downtime and loss of productivity.

Final mile precision

In remote forest settings, a machine can break down far from any conventional delivery address. Final mile delivery is a flexible service that ensures that delivers spare parts to where other services can’t. 

 Delivery options include dropping the part directly into an engineer’s vehicle, a secure lock box on site, a PUDO point, or a pre-determined safe spot near the broken-down equipment. This service eliminates time wasted on fetching parts from a distant depot or a vague ‘delivery point,’ ensuring the mechanic is back on the job in the shortest time possible.

Forward stock locations (FSLs)

This proactive approach drastically cuts down on transport distances and response times. Instead of shipping a part from a central hub hundreds of km away, it’s moved to a forward stock location, turning a potential day-long wait into a matter of hours and lowering emergency transport costs. This is a strategic storage solution where key, fast-moving, or high-cost spare parts are pre-positioned in a network of smaller warehouses (FSLs) close to high-demand geographic areas.

Integrated inventory management

The ability to fully integrate DANX’s storage and inventory systems with your own provides you with real-time visibility and control over your remote spare parts inventory. We manage the stock of both common and infrequently requested components in our network of FSLs and warehouses. This integration removes the need to manage and stock spare parts far from the central warehouse, ensuring the right part is always available in the right location to address unexpected events.

Flexible and speedy transport

We handle any size part, any time, anywhere. This flexibility ensures that whether it’s a small sensor or a massive pump, we have the appropriate vehicle ready for immediate dispatch, guaranteeing the necessary speed for time-critical demands. We have an all-purpose fleet, including fast vans, specialised trucks (for large parts like trailers), and air transport, capable of moving components of all sizes across the Nordic, Baltic, and Polish regions.

These services do not operate in isolation. We tailor our approach to ensure the efficient movement of all spare parts and machinery to provide a comprehensive network of services best suited to your needs.

Optimising logistics in demanding rural environments

When machinery breaks down in a remote environment, the principles of time-critical logistics remain the same, whether you’re harvesting timber or managing a dairy farm.

DeLaval, a global leader in dairy and farming solutions, faced the challenge of ensuring the continuous operation of its critical machinery across the vast, often remote, agricultural landscape of Finland. Downtime for their equipment directly impacts the welfare of livestock and the profitability of their customers.

We have implemented an optimised logistics solution focused on speed and reliability. By strategically pre-positioning essential parts across Finland using our Forward stock locations (FSLs) and guaranteeing in-night delivery, we ensure that parts reach technicians quickly, often before they start their shift. This solution drives consistent production and increases customer satisfaction, even in the most rural environments.

More than just moving parts

Our logistics solutions are holistic. We help our clients explore and implement flexible solutions that drive down costs associated with emergency transport and extended downtime, and increase productivity and customer satisfaction.

Our goal is to consistently meet your evolving business requirements, turning a disruptive machine-breaking event into a quickly resolved issue. Get in touch with our team to build a reliable and on-time delivery service for your business.