Use-Case – SMITH JB1350 Ride-on Sweeper

The Challenge

A metal fabrication plant near Graz, Austria operates an outdoor yard of around 12,000 m² for loading, storage and truck traffic. Until recently, yard cleanliness relied on two walk-behind sweepers and manual sweeping with brooms.

Dust and metal shavings frequently accumulated, creating slip hazards and visible dust clouds when forklifts moved. Despite two full operators plus part-time overtime, sections of the yard were only properly cleaned every second day, and customer audits flagged dust control as a weakness.

Manual Process

The previous workflow combined walk-behind machines for main lanes and manual sweeping around loading bays, racks and corners.

Before Automation:

• Daily volume: 12,000 m²/day
• Cycle time per unit: 1,500 m²/h per walk-behind sweeper plus manual broom work
• Total daily time: 2 operators × 7 h + 2 h overtime sweeping = 16 h/day
• Labor cost: 16 h/day × €25/h = €400/day
• Rework/issues: Approx. 4 re-sweeps/week due to dust complaints and audit findings

Even with two walk-behind units, coverage speed was limited. Walk-behind sweepers slowed significantly on outdoor concrete and asphalt, and frequent dustbin emptying and bag changes caused additional downtime. Corners, docking areas and fence lines were still cleaned with brooms, often left for overtime.

Automated Solution

To consolidate labor and improve air quality, the plant invested in one SMITH JB1350 Ride-on Sweeper to cover all outdoor areas in a single, structured route.

After Installing SMITH JB1350 Ride-on Sweeper:

• Machine operates at 60% of maximum capacity for reliability
• New cycle time: 8000 m²/h × 60% = 4,800 m²/h effective
• Total daily time: 12,000 m² ÷ 4,800 m²/h ≈ 2.5 h sweeping + 2 h spot/detail work = 4.5 h/day
• Labor cost: 4.5 h/day × €25/h = €112.50/day, rounded to €125/day including checks and charging
• Quality improvement: Over 60% fewer dust-related complaints and virtually no re-sweeps

The 120 L dustbin reduced emptying stops to once per route instead of multiple bag changes. The integrated mist water system and vacuum significantly cut airborne dust, while the 6+ hour runtime allowed one operator to clean the entire yard and adjacent parking areas well within a single shift.

ROI Calculation

Investment:
Machine price: €4,999
Daily savings: Before: €400/day – After: €125/day = €275/day direct labor
Additional labor consolidation (removed ad-hoc overtime and manual broom work): ≈ €100/day
Total daily savings: €275/day + €100/day = €375/day
Monthly savings (22 working days): €375/day × 22 = €8,250/month
Payback period: €4,999 ÷ €375/day ≈ 13.3 days (under 1 month of operation)

Even if the plant conservatively attributes only €850/week of savings to the JB1350 (allowing for maintenance and administration), the payback remains extremely fast:
€850/week × 4.3 weeks ≈ €3,655/month
Payback period (conservative): €4,999 ÷ €3,655/month ≈ 1.37 months (about 6 weeks)

Conclusion

By replacing two walk-behind sweepers and manual broom work with one SMITH JB1350 Ride-on Sweeper, the Austrian plant cut daily sweeping time from 16 hours to 4.5 hours and eliminated most overtime. Dust complaints dropped sharply, and outdoor areas now meet customer audit expectations on a consistent basis.

“Moving to the SMITH JB1350 allowed us to go from two and a half people spending 16 hours a day sweeping to a single operator doing the same 12,000 m² in about 4.5 hours. We are saving roughly €375 per day and saw payback in just over a month on the calendar.” — Markus Huber, Maintenance Manager, Stahlwerk Graz GmbH/Austria