"Michael Daly" wrote in message
...

On 28-Feb-2006, "PipeDown" wrote:

Unfortunately, repair parts do not enjoy the same economy of mass
production
and distribution that the equipment they go in do.

Are you suggesting that the parts are somehow different than what the
original
equipment is made from? If not, they come off the same production lines
and
enjoy the same economy of scale.

Yes and no. My company used to supply a few parts to Frigidaire. We
shipped in bulk to the assembly pant for normal production. We also shipped
the same part to a parts distribution center, however, it was handled
differently. They had to be packaged different, they were shipped LTL
rather than the more economical TL, and shipped about 500 miles further.
All of this added to the cost, of course.

That said, most companies still operate spare parts as a profit center and
make a good profit. I also buy spare parts for our machines. If I buy a
part from normal industrial suppliers, it is anywhere from 10% to 200%
cheaper than buying it from the machine maker. Normal sources often have
extended lead times while the machine maker may have it in stock for
shipment that day. Some times it is cheaper to pay 200% more to get a
machine running rather that sit idle for 2 or 3 weeks.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/