The world of construction is changing rapidly. On a journey to decarbonise their operations, businesses are quickly adapting to new ways of working. It helps that construction is a sector set to be in high demand during 2023. Many governments have identified the positive impact construction can have on global economies and are ramping up their investments in infrastructure projects.
For example, in the US, construction spending is expected to increase by 5.5% in 2023 with the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act driving increased demand.1 China put even more money behind infrastructure projects in 2022, boosting construction with its own $2.3 trillion plan2 – and the country is set to invest further during 2023.3
Elsewhere, the energy crisis has inspired governments to invest in long-term alternatives to oil and gas. This is the case in the UK, which plans to accelerate the development of new nuclear, wind, solar and hydrogen power.4 Similarly, India faces the need to invest around $840 billion in urban infrastructure over the next 15 years to meet the needs of its rapidly growing population.5
All this investment creates a vital opportunity for the construction industry to drive growth – for the businesses themselves and the communities they operate in. From new housing to families to sustainable infrastructure, construction companies can help to build a better economic and environmental future for people everywhere.
The big question now is: how can construction businesses make the most of this opportunity?
To realise the potential of increased global investments in infrastructure, companies need the ability to take on a range of new projects on top of their current workloads. This means getting themselves set up for success by optimising their processes and maximising equipment uptime.
There are several reasons why these two areas are important. Across multiple industries, there’s a shortage of skilled workers. Construction is one of the worst affected, with hundreds of thousands of unfilled vacancies worldwide.6 So, companies need to make the most of the skilled teams they have and equip them with the right tools and processes.
Also, with rising material, fuel and labour costs companies need to find as many efficiency savings as possible to protect their margins. A vital place to look for these savings is in equipment operations, where breakdowns contribute to missed deadlines and account for roughly 40% of the industry’s cost overruns.7
Viva Energy Australia, the Shell Lubricant Macro Distributor in Australia offers a range of lubricants, oil and greases that can help extend equipment lifespan, prevent breakdowns and provide solutions for effective maintenance plans.
“Shell invest significantly in technical collaboration and has over 350 product application specialists that work closely with OEM and customers to develop innovative lubricant solutions to optimise equipment uptime,” says Silvana Farrugia, Technical Expert from Viva Energy. “Our lubricants products can deliver value but also improve business outcomes.”
Making sure your equipment can work as hard as you do
As construction companies take on more projects, the reliability of their equipment and process will be critical in delivering on time and to budget. Shell Lubricants have a wide variety of lubricants, tools, technologies and initiatives available to businesses that they can use to maximise equipment uptime and drive efficiency across site operations. Here are some of the solutions that companies can explore:
- Predictive maintenance & modelling
So much equipment damage can go unnoticed until it’s too late. Unplanned downtime can easily come from previously unnoticed equipment damage. With predictive maintenance practices (including oil condition monitoring), construction crews can spot and fix issues before they escalate – preventing avoidable breakdowns and unplanned downtime. Sensors play a vital role in this, creating a valuable new source of data for companies to generate actionable insights from. - Preventative maintenance
Ineffective lubrication has caused breakdowns for four out of ten companies.9High-performance lubricants for engines, hydraulics, gears and transmission systems are an essential part of avoiding unplanned downtime and maximising equipment productivity. That’s why regular ongoing maintenance from on-site assessments and services like Shell LubeAnalyst optimise lubrication practices can make a huge difference to delivering projects on time and on budget. Viva Energy Australia’s local technical helpdesk is also a great resource in providing the best lubricant solutions for your equipment: [email protected] - Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The use of AI in construction is expected to grow 183% over the next two years, so how can it help companies improve efficiency?10In the initial stages of a project, it can aid planning to prevent cost overruns and missed deadlines. Out on the site, autonomous equipment can free up workers for more valuable tasks – helping teams to streamline operations and increase productivity while mitigating the issues caused by the labour shortage.
Work with an expert partner to drive efficient construction projects
Construction businesses have a huge opportunity ahead of them and collaboration will be crucial in setting them up for success. Working closely with a partner like Viva Energy, Shell Lubricants Macro Distributor can help businesses select the solutions that meet their specific needs and take advantage of the opportunities that increased investment in construction will bring.
For more information about Viva Energy and our lubricant product range for your machinery or equipment visit www.vivaenergy.com.au/shoplubricants and for product information contact our Technical Helpdesk Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm AEST:
Call 1300 134 205 | Email [email protected]
Disclaimers:
1 GEP. “US Infrastructure Bill and its Impact on the Construction Industry
.” 2022.
2 Bloomberg. “China’s $2.3 Trillion Infrastructure Plan Puts America’s to Shame
.” 2022.
3 Global Times. “China to allocate more funding to support key new basic infrastructure projects
.” 2023.
4 Construction News. “Everything you need to know about the UK’s new energy strategy
.” 2022.
5 The World Bank. “India’s Urban Infrastructure Needs to Cross $840 Billion Over Next 15 Years: New World Bank Report
.” 2022.
6 4castplus. “Global Labor Shortage in Construction: Challenges and Solutions
.” 2022.
7 Construction Review Online. “Top 5 reasons why preventive construction machinery maintenance matters
.” 2022.
8 Shell. “Shell Lubricant Solutions COVID-19 TCO Business Case (Construction) Whitepaper.” N.D.
9 Shell. “Predictive and Preventive Maintenance.” N.D.
10 Salesforce. “Construction Trends 2023: 5 Things Shaping the Future of the Industry” 2022.
