Are you in the market for ground protection mats? Ground mats cross every line of work, from crane operation, to government work, to mining and the electrical utility industry. Ground mats are essential for keeping the equipment operating as it should and maintaining stability, the workers who are operating the machinery safely, and the area in which the equipment is being used does not incur damage in the process. Ground mats, such as AlturnaMATS which are made out of a the sturdy polyurethane, are worth their weight in gold.
Some purchasers think there is no need to purchase ground protection mats like AlturnaMATS because a sheet of plywood or a big piece of steel could do the same thing, but for less money. We’re here to bust that myth. Here are a few reasons you want to make sure the ground of your work site is only protected with a ground mat like AlturnaMATS:
- Ground mats are cheaper in the long run.
It is true, ground mats cost more upfront than your company would have to pay if you used a sheet of plywood to protect your ground and your equipment. However, plywood sheets have to be replaced far, far more often than your plastic mats, and over the long haul, this costs far, far more. Let’s crunch the numbers, shall we:- The going rate for a standard, run-of-the-mill piece of plywood will set you back approximately $20.
- A sheet of plywood can be used as a ground mat approximately ten times before it needs to be replaced.
- Let’s say that you use 12 sheets about twice a week for your job. With regular replacement costs, over the course or six years, this add up to a cost of nearly $15,000.
- Meanwhile, if you purchased 12 high quality ground protection mats instead, you’d probably pay about $235 a piece for them, for a total cost of $2,820. If you go with AlturnaMATS or a similar level of quality, your mats have a lifetime warranty. In six years, if your mats are worn out, they are replaced at no charge. That means the $2,820 is actually the total cost you’d ever pay for ground mats. Done.
- You just saved yourself more than $13,000 on ground mats.
(If you are wondering, our calculations are coming from here. But we dare you to put the numbers in yourself and see how much you’d save!)
- Plastic ground mats can take a beating and keep on ticking.
We talked about the financial aspect of why you want to invest in heavy duty ground mats that don’t have to be replaced constantly, but lets talk about the practicality of it. Regardless of what industry you need your ground mats for, you have deadlines. You have to get the job done in a certain amount of time. Every time you are held up because of something inconvenient, like a broken sheet of plywood, that deadline gets a little closer.
While plywood is known to splinter and crack when you drive over it with several thousand pounds of heavy machinery, your plastic ground mats are not impacted at all whatsoever. No matter how much life throws at your plastic ground mats, they keep on truckin’. They will not delay your job or make things inconvenient. That’s plywood you’re thinking of. - Ground mats are more convenient to move, store, and use than their alternatives.
Maybe you’re thinking you can dodge a bullet by investing in steel sheets instead of finicky plywood. That might help you in regards of constant replacement (although steel still has to be replaced more often than never), and the risk of breaking under the weight. However, steel sheets are heavy. They (like plywood) are bulky and cumbersome to transport. They’re a hassle to install. All of the things we just mentioned do not apply to plastic ground mats. Ground mats are light and convenient to transport, and so easy to install that a child could do it (this claim is untested, but we think it is true). - Plastic mats are safer.
Ultimately, safety is everything. When wood sheets or steel plates get wet, they become slick and become dangerous. Plastic ground mats are far safer. Ground mats provide traction to prevent slips or vehicles from hydroplaning when wet.
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