Ivor Searle: cutting fleet costs with DPF cleaning
With issues such as sustainability and cost reduction high on the agenda for businesses, it’s no surprise that operators are looking closely at ways to minimise the running costs of their LCV fleets, according to diesel particulate filter (DPF) cleaning specialist Ivor Searle.
“Among the major companies that Ivor Searle is helping to bring about positive change is one of the world’s largest fleet management companies,” the firm explained.
“Aligning with the remanufacturer’s thinking on the benefits of a circular economy, which promotes the sustainability and cost benefits of remanufacturing, rather than replacement of OE major units such as engines and gearboxes, this fleet provider operates a proactive ‘predict and prevent’ approach.
“Upturning the traditional ‘break and fix’ model of fleet maintenance, its preventive maintenance programme enables fleet customers to control costs and minimise vehicle downtime. The use of data helps to identify trends in specific component failures, so that the company can work with customers to navigate potential failures across similar vehicles.”
While the idea of preventive maintenance may be seen by some LCV users as optional, Ivor Searle says it has helped to prove that, by investing in this approach as a commercial necessity, operators can not only cut their costs but also contribute to reducing their carbon footprint.
“Although more obvious services such as regular oil changes will extend the life of a vehicle, for diesel-powered vans that make up the majority of the UK’s LCV parc, DPF maintenance is a major contributor to extending vehicle lifespan,” said the company.
“Alongside an all-makes programme of engines and manual gearboxes for LCVs, Ivor Searle also offers a professional DPF cleaning service for workshops.
“During an 18-month period, just one of its major fleet customers has saved its van user customers almost £77,000 by using Ivor Searle’s DPF cleaning service. The saving is based on an average DPF replacement price of £772 per vehicle, the majority of which are fitted to vans.
“DPFs work by trapping soot particles from incomplete combustion in the exhaust system. The DPF is structured like a series of honeycomb filters that prevent the soot passing all the way through the filter into the atmosphere.
“Although DPFs are designed to effectively self-clean in a process called ‘regeneration’ where the soot is burnt off the filter at a high temperature of around 650°C, this is only effective when travelling at moderate to high engine speeds.
“However, if a vehicle is frequently used to travel short distances and then switch off, such as delivery vans, then it is unlikely to produce the exhaust temperature required to enable regeneration, resulting in excessive soot build up and a continual reduction in engine performance.”
Utilising Flash Cleaning technology, Ivor Searle says its environmentally-friendly process delivers industry-leading levels of cleanliness by removing all soot deposits, including PM10 particles, cerium oxide deposits and oil residues from the DPF.
More information on Ivor Searle’s professional DPF cleaning service, which is covered by a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty, can be found at the website.
