It’s an age-old dilemma for tissue converters: OEM spare parts or non-OEM spare parts? Cost often drives manufacturers to decide upon the latter and, just as often, they usually come to regret it.Why? Non-OEM spare parts tend to underperform, so any upfront cost savings are offset — and usually surpassed — by how those parts impact the total cost of ownership (TCO), particularly:
- Warranty Coverage: Will using non-OEM parts void equipment warranties?
- Maintenance: Will using non-OEM parts translate to more required maintenance and costly production delays or line shutdowns?
- Spare Parts/Inventory: What is the likelihood that replacing one non-OEM part with another will be a long-term solution instead of a quick fix?
Unlike non-OEM “best fits,” genuine OEM parts are designed to the precise specifications of tissue converting equipment. Using them as replacements, then, ensures:
- Performance that isn’t “comparable” to the original, but rather a perfect fit that works exactly like it.
- Suitability for tissue converting equipment, in general, as well as for specific applications and operating conditions — no guesswork, no misaligned parts that wear out prematurely, incur more frequent repair and present a greater risk to production.
- Longevity bolstered by using the appropriate materials, design and engineering to maximize durability and promote long-term, efficient operation.
- Quality that is unparalleled because there is no deviation between the original OEM part to the replacement — a key consideration when stocking your spare parts inventory.
Taken in the aggregate, the advantages genuine OEM parts provide to a tissue converting line and to TCO are not mutually exclusive. The investment “pays for itself” in savings over time, including the convenience of being able to order genuine OEM spare parts online.
Contact Fabio Perini North America to learn more about our STAD electronic spare part documentation and exclusive Spares On Line interface that enables instant information flow, one-time data entry and online tracking.
