So… bigger isn’t always better.
A key takeaway from a 2022 VMAC survey showed that 68 percent of service truck industry professionals require less than 100 CFM (cubic feet per minute) on their service vehicles and that almost half of the respondents (46 percent) indicated they only need up to 59 CFM on their service vehicles.
“These results are almost identical to last year’s 2021 survey,” noted Mike Pettigrew, VMAC’s Marketing Manager. “Only 10 percent of respondents indicated they require 100 to 149 CFM, compared to 11 percent in 2021, and for the second year in a row, just seven percent selected the 150+ CFM option.”
This data comes from VMAC’s 2022 State Of The Mobile Compressed Air Industry Report. The data was collected by surveying 340 owners/operators, mechanics, fleet managers, and upfitters in the service truck industry.
The results reveal that right-sizing continues to be a priority in the industry. Oversized vehicles and equipment come with higher price tags and are often unnecessary for operations.
When choosing an air compressor, 80 percent of survey respondents prefer rotary screw air compressors, with 77 percent of those indicating this was due to performance capabilities.
“When choosing an air compressor, CFM does matter, but so does performance,” explained Pettigrew. “Rotary screw air compressors operate at 100 percent duty cycle, and operators appreciate having a continuous supply of air to run their tools. One of the best ways to determine your air power needs is to look up the requirements of the specific tools being used.”
VMAC’s 2022 State Of The Mobile Compressed Air Industry Report included 26 questions offering insights from peers in various industries, including construction, agriculture, transportation, oil and gas, forestry, municipal, and utility infrastructure, and mining.
Of interest to manufacturers of service truck vehicles, are the results as noted within the image above regarding the age of service truck vehicles owned. The results from the VMAC survey show that 26 percent of respondents have a vehicle over 10 years old. That implies that fleet owners are either very good at maintaining the vehicle, there’s a lack of financial resources to buy a new vehicle, they are ready to buy a new vehicle, or supply chain disruptions are delaying the delivery of a new vehicle.
We should point out that the VMAC survey also takes input regarding how supply chain disruptions have affected their business. And there is plenty of other good data to be gleaned from the VMAC survey.
VMAC, with over 35 years of history, is a leading air compressor manufacturer. Its mobile air compressors and multi-power systems have earned a reputation for extraordinary design, build quality, durability, and reliability in extreme conditions among operators and fleet managers worldwide.
Get the results and analysis for free at www.vmacair.com/survey.