Facilities across the globe are finding themselves face to face with a hyper-competitive industrial landscape, making it more critical than ever to have an organized, intentional strategy to keep their machinery running as efficiently and reliably as possible. 

 

By preventing costly downtime, minimizing equipment failures, and extending the useful life of machines, a precisely designed and well-executed lubrication program is a crucial component of that strategy. To do this, technicians must be provided with the right tools at the right time to perform their lubrication and maintenance jobs correctly. 

 

 

However, this task has proven more complex than ever in recent years. This is due to a rapidly expanding market that has been inundated with new tools and equipment, all proclaiming them to be the greatest and best performing option on the market. 

 

While Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) having pride in their product is not inherently bad, it can create challenges for technicians and managers in separating the truly effective tools and equipment from those being boosted by effective marketing strategies. Like a diner trying to choose from an extensive menu, being spoiled for choice makes it difficult to determine what the best options are for their unique needs. 

 

So, in a world with seemingly endless options and information, how are decision makers to compare thousands of products from a range of vendors to find the best tools for their team’s needs? 

 

One solution lies in centralized e-commerce marketplaces that use their expertise to vet a variety of lubrication solutions before providing the best options to decision-makers. This type of system allows purchasers to acquire tools, hardware and supplies from across the spectrum of manufacturers, all in a single streamlined transaction. 

 

Finding the best products for a host of maintenance and lubrication tasks can be challenging. Purchasing for varied needs like contamination control, condition monitoring, and lubricant storage and handling can often lead to guesswork, which in turn can lead to overspending.

 

This is where a well-built e-commerce marketplace can shine. Instead of sifting through countless brand sites and decoding marketing, decision-makers can turn to a single site that specializes in sourcing lubrication tools and equipment from across the industry. 

 

More than just another open-ended marketplace, solutions-driven resources like this are designed with a specific end-user in mind. This means putting critical information at the forefront of the experience and inspiring confidence in the purchasing process.

 

Quality marketplaces evaluate and recommend products based on the highest and most current industry standards, not marketing promises and tactics. This allows end users to trust that their decisions are made based on accurate and relevant information, and that their investment is going to the right tools for the job. 

 

In addition, a good site provides the added benefit of procurement simplicity. End users no longer need to manage multiple vendors or deal with last minute product quality or compatibility issues on an individual basis. Everything a technician needs in their toolbelt to create a world-class lubrication program is all housed in a single place and can be bought and managed as a single transaction. 

 

The consequences of poor lubrication tools and practices can be shocking, and they become especially apparent when considering the compounding effects of reactive maintenance, unplanned downtime, and equipment failures. In fact, at least 10% of a plant’s entire annual maintenance costs can be saved or redirected to other initiatives when a proper lubrication program is in place. 

 

By sourcing the appropriate tools from a centralized e-commerce platform that actively vets products for quality and effectiveness, industrial facilities can optimize their maintenance and lubrication budgets, confidently make their investments, and achieve a greater level of operational success and efficiency. 

 

Additionally, by avoiding the second-guessing and buyer’s remorse, end users and technicians can focus solely on keeping operations running at maximum efficiency, avoiding expensive breakdowns and failures, and defining more unique “big picture” projects to help increase the success of the entire department and facility. 

 

In an oversaturated market bursting with new tools and technologies, the right choice is not always obvious. It also isn’t a “one size fits all” approach. By leveraging a centralized e-commerce marketplace that makes finding the best and most appropriate tools and supplies easy, end users can eliminate uncertainty, streamline their lubrication programs, and set their facilities up for success. 

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