What is Asset Lifecycle Cost?
Asset Lifecycle Cost is a methodology that provides an estimate of the total capital, operating, and maintenance costs of an asset over its operating life.
This includes planning, design, acquisition, installation, maintenance, rehabilitation, financing, retirement/decommissioning/disposal, and any other costs directly attributable to operating or using an asset.
TL;DR
Asset Lifecycle Cost estimates the total costs associated with an asset over its entire operating life, encompassing capital, operational, and maintenance expenses.
It is essential in asset management as it promotes a holistic, long-term approach to cost optimization, ensuring that organizations consider more than just the initial purchase price of assets.
Implementing involves systematically managing an asset from planning and design to construction, operation, maintenance, repair, and eventual decommissioning, while also factoring in data and historical information.
Calculating requires a formula that considers the initial cost, present value of recurring expenses, and the present value of the asset’s residual value.
Importance of Asset Lifecycle Cost
Asset Lifecycle Costing is a critical concept in asset management because it allows organizations to take a holistic, long-range view of costs associated with their assets. By considering the entire lifecycle of an asset, organizations can optimize decision-making beyond just the initial purchase cost. Ignoring operating expenses (opex) while focusing only on capital expenses (capex) can compromise the ability to fully understand and manage costs that arise during an asset’s service life.
Implementing Asset Lifecycle Cost
Implementing Asset Lifecycle Cost requires a systematic approach and the use of historical data, including condition, performance, maintenance, risk, and cost.
It involves various phases of an asset’s life cycle, starting from planning and design to construction, operation, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, replacement, and ultimately decommissioning or disposal.
Strategic asset management, where decisions are made collectively about a set of assets, intersects with managing individual assets.
Calculating Asset Lifecycle Cost
Asset Lifecycle Cost is calculated by considering all cost components related to an asset and discounting them to their present value. The formula for calculating Asset Lifecycle Cost is as follows:
Asset Lifecycle Cost = Initial Cost + Present Value of All Recurring Costs – Present Value of Residual Value
Where:
- Initial Cost: The purchase price or setup cost.
- Present Value of All Recurring Costs: Costs incurred during the asset’s life, including operating and maintenance expenses, discounted to their present value.
- Present Value of Residual Value: The future value of the asset at the end of its useful life, discounted to its present value.
Benefits of Asset Barcoding in Asset Lifecycle Cost
Asset barcoding, when integrated with Asset Lifecycle Costing, offers several real-time benefits:
- Improved Asset Tracking: Barcoding enables organizations to track assets accurately throughout their lifecycle. Each asset is assigned a unique barcode, making it easy to identify, locate, and monitor.
- Efficient Maintenance: Barcoding allows for streamlined maintenance processes. Technicians can scan barcodes to access asset information, maintenance history, and repair instructions, reducing downtime and improving asset reliability.
- Cost Reduction: Accurate asset tracking and proactive maintenance through barcoding can lead to cost reductions. Preventive maintenance can extend asset lifespans, reducing the need for premature replacements.
- Data-Driven Decision-Making: Barcoding systems generate valuable data on asset usage, maintenance needs, and performance. This data can be used to make informed decisions regarding asset investments and replacements, aligning with the principles of Asset Lifecycle Costing.