How should a fleet stock filters? By downtime cost, not by usage volume
Many fleets stock by historical usage and end up short on the parts that fail often and overstocked on the ones that do not. Ranking by downtime cost times stock-out probability puts money where it actually matters.
The usual approach is to stock what you used last year. The flaw is that it treats high usage as high importance, whereas the real question is how much a day of downtime costs and how likely a stock-out is.
Classify on three dimensions
| Class | Characteristics | Stocking policy |
|---|---|---|
| A — critical | High downtime cost, steady usage | Hold 1–2 service intervals, with a reorder point |
| B — routine | Moderate downtime cost, steady usage | Quarterly replenishment, 3–5 days acceptable |
| C — long tail | Low usage or single-machine | Do not stock; rely on supplier stock and fast transfer |
| D — emergency | Very high downtime cost, low stock-out chance | Hold a small buffer — better idle than absent |
Two costs that get overlooked
- Capital tie-up and ageing: filters have a shelf life, especially where rubber seals are involved. Overstock goes to waste. Rotate first-in-first-out and mark the receipt date on the box.
- Emergency premium: sourcing at short notice typically costs 20–50% more plus expedited freight. Budget that into the cost of not stocking, and many C-class parts suddenly justify a small buffer.
Dividing the work with your supplier
Keep A and D in your own store, let the supplier hold B with monthly deliveries, and rely entirely on supplier stock for C. It is the combination that ties up the least capital while staying safe — provided the supplier genuinely holds stock and can ship within 24 hours. That is exactly the standard we set ourselves: 3,000+ numbers on the shelf, same-day dispatch for orders confirmed before 16:00 on a working day.
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Commonly ordered in Air Compressor Filters
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