The Bottom Line
How we helped a major automotive parts manufacturer get more life out of every device on the floor.
An Ohio-based automotive parts manufacturer had reached the end of the line with their legacy devices. Failure rates were climbing and costs were piling up.
TRG came in as a maintenance provider to squeeze the last bit of life out of these legacy devices. We also got familiar with the operation and started showing the client options for the future.
These options included a custom-built forklift terminal that not only saved roughly $1,000 per unit, but also a standard seven-year factory maintenance plan that, to this day, almost nobody else in the industry offers.
The result: when this company finally decided to start upgrading, we kept their new devices running for more than a decade on continuous factory-level support. Across the account, we’ve since extended the same approach to tablets, scanners and other hardware, giving a cost-conscious manufacturer the ability to get maximum value from every technology dollar.
The Client
An Ohio-based manufacturer with four facilities that produces the metal stampings and welded assemblies found inside vehicles from Honda, Tesla, Mercedes and other major automotive brands.
Stamped metal parts can often look nearly identical to the naked eye. That makes barcode scanning and device-driven tracking essential at every stage, from receiving raw materials through production, storage and shipment.
The operation runs 24 hours a day to meet supply demands from their automotive customers. Downtime isn’t an inconvenience. It’s a breach of contract. Every device on the floor, on every forklift and at the end of every production line has to work, every shift.
This is also a company that takes a conservative approach to technology spending. They don’t replace equipment because something shinier comes along; they replace it when it dies, not a day before.
/ T H E C H A L L E N G E
The Challenge
When we first connected with this client, the situation was straightforward: they were running older handheld scanners that were failing at an unsustainable rate. The devices had been in service for years and the failure rate reflected it.
The client needed help keeping those devices alive a little longer. That was our opening.
But they also needed a plan for the future — and since they clearly valued longevity, we evaluated their operation and recommended a series of smarter hardware choices along with extended service options that could stretch their technology investment further.
What We Did
We came in as a maintenance provider to keep the aging scanners running while the client figured out next steps. It was basic, unglamorous work. But it got us inside the facilities, and familiar with how the operation actually ran.
From there, we did something the client’s previous vendors hadn’t done: showed them some things they’d never seen before.
A custom-built forklift terminal.
We worked with OEM partners to pair a standard scan engine with a special cradle to deliver a purpose-built mini forklift terminal at roughly $1,000 less per unit than a traditional mounted computer. The client got a device tailored for how their operators work, at a lower price point than the off-the-shelf alternatives.
Seven-year standard maintenance plans.
We also negotiated extended maintenance agreements through the OEM that provided factory-level repair and support well beyond the standard warranty window. As the device platform changed hands through acquisitions over the years, we successfully carried the maintenance agreements forward each time, ensuring the client never lost coverage. Only a handful of companies have ever been able to access these seven-year plans.
11 years of continuous support.
When it was all said and done, the longest-running device from this deployment actually ended up lasting 11 years on extended factory support. That’s well beyond what anyone would expect from a rugged handheld in a manufacturing environment.
The Outcome
For a client that wants to run their equipment until the wheels fall off, we built a support model that makes that possible — without the spiraling failure rates and unplanned downtime that usually accompany aging hardware.
The client gets maximum lifecycle value from every device. We manage the maintenance agreements, advise on when repair still makes sense versus when it’s time to invest in something new, and keep the client informed about emerging hardware that could fit their operation.
The combination of creative hardware configurations, extended service plans and honest advisory on lifecycle decisions has kept this relationship running for more than 15 years. And it’s continued to expand. We now manage endpoint devices across all four of the client’s manufacturing facilities and have recently taken on a major UEM migration and a 500+ PC deployment to support the client’s evolving manufacturing systems.
Read that story in our companion case study: 400 Devices. Zero Downtime.
The Big Picture
Some technology partners are all about selling you the next device ASAP. At TRG we’re just as comfortable helping you get everything you can out of the ones you already have, then helping you make a smarter decision when it’s genuinely time to move on.
For manufacturers running devices in harsh, high-volume environments where every hour of uptime counts, this is what working with us looks like. Longer device lifecycles, lower total cost of ownership and a partner who understands that the smartest technology decision isn’t always the shiniest one.
/ F A Q
Frequently asked questions.
How can manufacturers extend the lifespan of rugged handheld devices?
By pairing the right hardware with extended factory-level service plans and honest repair-versus-replace advice. We started as a maintenance provider keeping aging scanners alive, then layered on custom hardware and multi-year maintenance agreements that kept devices running far beyond their typical lifecycle.
What is a seven-year device maintenance plan?
It’s an extended maintenance agreement, negotiated through the OEM, that provides factory-level repair and support well beyond the standard warranty window. Only a handful of companies have ever accessed these seven-year plans, and we carried the agreements forward each time the device platform changed hands through acquisitions, so the client never lost coverage.
What is a custom forklift terminal and why use one?
We worked with OEM partners to pair a standard scan engine with a special cradle, creating a purpose-built mini forklift terminal at roughly $1,000 less per unit than a traditional mounted computer. The result was a device tailored to how operators actually work, at a lower price point than off-the-shelf alternatives.
How long can a rugged handheld last with extended support?
In this deployment, the longest-running device lasted 11 years on extended factory support — well beyond what anyone would expect from a rugged handheld in a manufacturing environment. The broader relationship has run for more than 15 years and now spans all four of the client’s facilities.
/ T H E C A S E I N O N E L I N E
A cost-conscious manufacturer wanted to run hardware until it died. We built a support model that made that profitable — one device ran 11 years.
/ B Y T H E N U M B E R S
~$1,000 saved per forklift terminal. 7-year factory maintenance plans. 11 years on the longest-running device. 15+ years and counting on the account.
/ T H E M O D E L
Custom hardware + extended factory service + honest repair-versus-replace advice = maximum lifecycle value from every device.
/ T H E T A K E A W A Y
The smartest technology decision isn’t always the shiniest one. Longer lifecycles, lower total cost of ownership, and a partner who’ll tell you when to wait.