The choice between a mobile or fixed-installation system affects the payback period: mobile systems pay for themselves in 8–18 months under fluctuating demand, whilst fixed-installation systems do so in 24–36 months under consistently high demand; making the right choice avoids unnecessary expenditure.
The choice between a mobile and a fixed-site system directly determines the speed at which the investment pays for itself: mobile options pay for themselves more quickly with a dynamic workload, whilst fixed systems do so with a consistently high volume of tasks at a single site; taking the specific nature of the business into account helps to avoid unnecessary expenditure.
Mobile units do not require capital expenditure on site construction, are ready for operation within a few days of delivery, and can be moved between sites as business needs change; and their average payback period is between 8 and 18 months, provided they are regularly utilised at a capacity of at least 60%.
Fixed-site facilities offer higher productivity and a long service life of up to 25 years, but they require substantial one-off investment in site preparation, utility connections and regulatory approvals; they pay for themselves within 24–36 months, provided there is a stable utilisation rate of at least 80% of capacity.
Where work is irregular in nature and frequent changes of location are required, mobile units should be the preferred option; whereas for long-term deployment at a single site with a guaranteed, stable volume of orders, purchasing a fixed-site option becomes economically viable; ignoring these factors increases the payback period by one and a half times or more.
