Have you been looking into buying cement mixers? Are you unsure whether it is more cost-effective to own a mixer compared to renting one? Continue reading to find out which option is more cost-effective.

 

If you decide to buy cement mixers, B&S Commercial Power has a few mixers for you to choose from. We import and manufacture high-performance equipment that may be used in many different industries.

 

 

Owning Vs. Renting Cement Mixers

 

If you own your own construction business or would like to start one, a major consideration is the cost of equipment. You will need to purchase everything from mixers to safety equipment. Concrete construction requires heavy-duty equipment to meet the baseline when it comes to providing services. This makes it challenging for new construction companies to get a foot in the door. How is anyone supposed to buy all the necessary equipment to get started?

 

On the other hand, new businesses may not need to buy equipment at all. Renting equipment continues to grow in popularity, this has started a debate about whether people should buy or rent equipment. First looking at why businesses may benefit from renting instead of buying includes the upfront cost. Not many people or businesses can afford to pay such a large amount right at the beginning.

 

Depending on the equipment that you may need, you may end up paying hundreds of thousands of rands for one piece of equipment. For example, many people or businesses cannot afford to equip a fleet of vehicles with mixers for one large job.

 

Despite renting only allowing you to use the equipment for a certain amount of time, you only need to pay a fraction of the cost. Many mixer rental companies offer different rental periods, this includes daily weekly or monthly rentals.

 

Renting equipment also allows companies to be versatile. For example, if you buy one specific type of equipment you will be less likely to buy another one of those pieces of equipment. This means that the services your business can offer are limited by the type of equipment you own. If you rent, however, you can rent equipment as you need it and you will be able to offer a bigger variety of services.

 

This also means that you will be a bit more financially flexible. This will allow you to rent a specific piece of equipment to complete a unique job for clients. Renting will also allow businesses to have the newest equipment at their disposal.

 

Many companies must turn down some jobs because their equipment will not be able to handle the task. Now looking at the other side, despite not having any upfront costs when it comes to renting, you can save money in the long term by buying equipment instead of renting.

 

 

On average the amount you will need to pay per month for an equipment rental will be more than a loan payment to buy the equipment. Furthermore, when you buy equipment, you have full control over how the equipment can be used.

 

Some rental companies have restrictions in place on how you are allowed to use the equipment, for how long and what jobs they may be used for. These restrictions are put in place to protect the investments they have made by buying the equipment.

 

However, if you buy the equipment yourself, you can use the machinery in whatever way you need to. What many people do not know is that there are tax benefits for buying your construction equipment.

 

This will be based on what type of company you own and the tax regulations on your financial books. Business deductions can sometimes be made for buying equipment. If you decide to rent, you may not get these deductions, or they will be a lot less.

 

Advantages Of Renting Vs. Owning Cement Mixers

 

As mentioned, there are a few benefits to renting mixers instead of owning them. Continue reading to find out a few different advantages of renting vs. owning equipment.

 

 

• No steep upfront costs. Equipment like cement mixers can be expensive to buy upfront and when you buy a piece of equipment your money is tied up in it until you can sell it. You probably will not get as much money back when you sell it.
• Reduce long-term expenses. Rental companies are typically in charge of the maintenance of mixers. This is one less major expense for you, and you will not have to worry about regular maintenance as it will not be your responsibility.
• No storage or transport costs. If you buy cement mixers you will need to have a storage plan but if you are just renting them, this is not your problem. Rental companies will take care of the storage and transportation of equipment for you.
• Save on taxes. Rental expenses are deductible expenses while if you buy equipment, it will be taxed. Rental expenses are often more financially flexible compared to large purchases.
• Minimise waiting and associated losses. If you purchase mixers, you may have to wait a while before you receive them. This can be frustrating for business owners as waiting can mean that you are losing money.
• No long-term commitment. The thought of buying large equipment may be anxiety provoking for some business owners. Regularly maintaining these mixers may be too big of a commitment for some people. These machines have long-term obligations.
• Flexible options. Renting equipment allows businesses to take on unique jobs. It also allows businesses to save money, if there are busy periods equipment can be rented more often while during slow periods money may be saved by not renting
• Latest and greatest. Construction equipment like mixers is constantly developing. Renting this equipment means that you can always use the latest and greatest equipment available.
• Extra convenience. Managing equipment can take up a lot of time. When renting equipment management is no longer your problem. The rental company should take care of everything.

 

 

Just like renting, there are many advantages to buying equipment. In some cases, renting is just the better option. It is up to you to decide whether renting or owning will be the better option for your business.

 

Common Uses Of Cement Mixers In Various Construction Projects

 

Before the invention of mixers, concrete was mixed manually which took a lot of time and the mixtures produced were not consistent. With the increased demand for concrete and the advances in technology, concrete mixers are used even in small-scale productions.

 

Concrete mixers are machines used for preparing consistent concrete mixtures and the strength of the concrete produced can be adjusted. There are also concrete mixers that can dispense concrete directly wherever needed.

 

There are various cement mixers available for different application requirements. Portable mixers are commonly used for small and medium-sized applications. For large construction sites concrete batch plants can be built on the construction site.

 

There are a few different cement mixers that are commonly used in various construction projects. These different mixers are divided into two categories. These categories are batch mixers and continuous mixers.

 

Batch mixers only produce a single batch at a time. These mixers either have a drum or a pan and consist of blades. These blades rotate to efficiently mix concrete. The speed of the blade rotation, the angle of the blades, and the angle of inclination of the drum can be adjusted. These types of mixers are commonly used and are the preferred option for small and medium-sized projects.

 

Batch mixers are divided into additional two categories, which include drum mixers and pan mixers. Drum mixers include the tilting drum, non-tilting drum, and reversing drum mixers. Drum mixers have double conical frustum-shaped drums. Depending on the type of mixer, the drum either has one set of blades or multiple sets. Tilting drum mixers can tilt upwards or downwards, this allows mixers to produce concrete efficiently by tilting and this also allows the mixer to pour concrete out.

 

This type of mixer is perfect for producing concrete that has low workability as well as large size of aggregates. Tilting drum mixers are commonly used on large construction sites or applications where the construction work needed is intense. Non-tilting drum mixers do not have tilting drums, but they do rotate on a horizontal axis to produce concrete. These drums have openings at both ends. The ingredients needed to produce concrete are put in one end and the mixture is collected from the other end.

 

The concrete is collected by attaching a chute to the main opening of the mixer drum. The blades in these drums also play a role in removing the concrete. These mixers do not work well with producing concrete that has large pieces of aggregate. These mixers are not commonly used on construction sites that require concrete to be produced quickly. They are commonly used on small construction sites.

 

Lastly, reversing drum mixers also have two openings and the dry concrete mixtures were placed in one end and the final product was collected from the other end. These mixers have two sets of blades. One set is used to facilitate the mixing process as the drum is rotating and the other set facilitates the removal of the concrete mixture. These blades rotate in the opposite direction of one another. These mixers are often used for dry mix concrete preparation.

 

What Are the Responsibilities Of A Concrete Mixer

 

On any construction site, being one of the people who produce concrete is important. There are a few important skills that any concrete mixer operator or mixer truck driver should have. The skills that are required include:

 

 

• Active listening. Operators must give their full attention to what people on the construction site are saying, take the time to understand the instructions being given and ask questions when needed.
• Service orientation. Actively look for different ways to satisfy customers. Operators must ensure that the concrete being produced is suitable for the specific jobs being done.
• Critical thinking. Use reasoning and logic to find the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, approaches, or conclusions to different problems. Operators must be able to react appropriately to problems that may occur.
• Judgement and decision-making. Concrete mixer operators must take into account the relative costs and benefits of possible actions so that they can choose the most appropriate options.
• Monitoring. Operators must monitor concrete product characteristics as well as take appropriate restorative action to meet the expectations of the customers. The products used can affect the quality of the concrete produced.
• Personal interaction. As a concrete mixer operator, you will work with drivers, dispatchers, the public, or external customers. This may require you to deal with unpleasant situations.
• Organising, planning, and prioritising work. Operators will need to ensure that all deadlines for concrete production are met.