How I Audit Epiroc Equipment Purchases: A 12-Point Checklist (After Getting Burned on the MB750)

Why I Built This Checklist (and What It Cost Me to Learn)

When I first started managing procurement for our drilling operations, I assumed the lowest quote was always the smartest move. That assumption cost us about $4,200 in hidden fees on a single Epiroc MB750 rebuild kit order back in early 2023. The vendor's base price was 12% lower than the Epiroc-authorized distributor, but their 'processing' and 'expedited shipping' charges ate up the savings.

Since then, I've tracked every single order—over 180 at this point—in our cost system. This checklist is the result of that tracking. It's for anyone who needs to purchase Epiroc equipment, from the MB750 jumbo drill to Fordia exploration rigs, and wants to avoid the mistakes I made. There are 12 checks here. Don't skip any.

Check 1: Verify the Part Number Against the Serial Number

This sounds obvious, but it's the most common error I see. Epiroc updates parts frequently. The part number for a seal kit on a 2019 MB750 might not fit a 2022 model. Get the serial number off the machine's data plate—not from memory or the previous order's paperwork.

Checklist item: Have you confirmed the serial number today and matched it to the Epiroc parts catalog (epiroc.com/en-za/service/parts)? Don't just assume the old number is still correct.

A Quick Aside on the MB750's Common Pain Points

The MB750 is a workhorse, but I've noticed (and this is just from our fleet) that the water separator assembly and the feed cable wear out faster than you'd expect. If you're ordering for an MB750, check those two items proactively. It's cheaper to stock them than to wait for a rush shipment when one fails.

Check 2: Separate the Base Price from the 'Fine Print' Fees

I once compared two quotes for a Fordia DX800 starter kit. Vendor A quoted $11,200. Vendor B quoted $10,500. I almost went with B until I calculated the total: B charged $350 for 'documentation,' $190 for 'shrink wrap,' and $275 for 'inspection.' Total: $11,315. Vendor A's $11,200 included everything.

Checklist item: Have you asked every vendor for a line-item breakdown of all fees (packaging, handling, documentation, inspection)? If they won't provide it, that's a red flag.

Check 3: Ask for the 'Hungry' Price on Slow-Moving Items

This is a weird one, but it's saved us money. Some components—like specific seal kits for older Fordia rigs—might have been sitting on a distributor's shelf for months. I call this the 'hungry' price. If you call a smaller Epiroc dealer and ask, 'I need this part from the 2020 catalog; is it gathering dust?', they'll sometimes knock off 10-15% just to move it.

Checklist item: For older or niche parts (not the high-volume consumables like drill bits), have you asked if the distributor has surplus stock they'd discount?

Check 4: Don't Trust 'Genuine Epiroc' on eBay (or Amazon)

I know this shouldn't need saying. But in Q4 2024, one of our junior buyers ordered a hydraulic breaker seal kit from a marketplace seller. It came in an Epiroc-like box. It wasn't Epiroc. The seals failed within a month, and the rework cost us about $1,200 in labor and fluid. The original 'savings' on the part was maybe $80.

Checklist item: Are you sourcing from an authorized Epiroc distributor? You can verify this on epiroc.com. If you're using a third party, are they willing to provide their purchase receipt from Epiroc?

Check 5: Compare 'Rebuild' vs. 'New' with a TCO Mindset

For big-ticket items—like a rebuilt MB750 feed beam assembly versus new—the math isn't always obvious. A rebuilt unit might be 40% cheaper but have a shorter warranty (say, 6 months vs. 24 months). If you're running a 24/7 operation, that downtime risk might not be worth the upfront savings.

Checklist item: Did you calculate the total cost of ownership: (Price of item) + (Expected cost of maintenance during its life) + (Cost of potential downtime)? The 'cheap' option often loses here.

Check 6: Don't Assume 'Expedited' Means the Fastest Option

Once, we had a critical pump failure on a Fordia exploration rig. We paid for 'expedited' shipping. It arrived in 3 days. Our competitor, who used a different distributor, got his part in 2 days because he called the local rep directly and arranged a courier pickup. The 'expedited' button in the order system isn't always the best path.

Checklist item: For emergency parts, have you called the local Epiroc service team to ask, 'What's the physically fastest way to get this part to site, regardless of the standard shipping method?'

Check 7: Audit Your 'Consumables' Tracking (The Lewis vs. Francis Ngannou Problem)

Hear me out. I'm not a fight analyst, but the Lewis vs. Francis Ngannou fight from a few years back is a perfect metaphor here. Everyone analyzed Ngannou's power (his 'frame'), but they underestimated Lewis's durability and game planning (the 'consumables' and 'maintenance' of a fighter). In procurement, everyone analyzes the big machine purchase (the frame), but they overlook the drill bits, the greases, the seals—the consumables. That's where the budget bleeds out.

Checklist item: Do you have a system (even a spreadsheet) that tracks your consumption rate on high-wear items? If you can't tell me how many MB750 drill bits you went through last quarter, you're bleeding money somewhere.

Check 8: Check the Warranty Registration Immediately

I have a policy: the day the invoice is paid, someone on my team registers the warranty on the Epiroc portal. We missed a 3-day window once on a Fordia parts kit, and when a component failed, we were out of luck. The policy change cost us nothing and has saved us thousands.

Checklist item: Is the warranty registered within 24 hours of the invoice being paid? If you're waiting for a 'quiet period' to do it, you're going to forget.

Check 9: Look for the 'Grove' or 'Packaging' Optimization Opportunity

This is a minor thing, but it adds up. Sometimes, distributors ship Epiroc parts in oversized boxes with tons of void fill. I started tracking what I call the 'grove'—the wasted space in a shipment. In one case, we combined three small orders from the same distributor into a single box and saved $180 in freight costs. Distributors often use automated systems. If you ask, 'Can you consolidate my orders into fewer boxes?', they usually can.

Checklist item: Can you consolidate any pending small orders into a single shipment to save on freight?

Check 10: Ask About the 'Core Return' Before You Buy

For items like hydraulic pumps or motors, Epiroc often has a core return program. If you send your old (failed) part back, the price of the new one drops. My first year, I bought three replacement pumps and didn't ask about the core return. I left about $1,100 on the table.

Checklist item: Did you ask, 'Is there a core charge, and how do I get the core deposit back?'

Check 11: Verify the 'Freight Terms' in Detail

I ordered a Fordia drill head from a distributor in a different state. The quote said 'FOB Origin.' I didn't think much of it. Then, the shipment was delayed and damaged. The distributor said 'tough luck,' because FOB Origin means the risk transfers to the buyer once it leaves their dock. I ate that cost.

Checklist item: Are your orders FOB Origin or FOB Destination? If Origin, do you have insurance on the shipment? And have you explicitly discussed who owns the risk during transport?

Check 12: Do a Quarterly 'Post-Mortem' on Your Top 5 Mistakes

This is the meta-check. Every quarter, I sit down with our procurement log and ask: 'What are the 5 stupidest things we did in the last 90 days?' Usually, they involve rushing, trusting memory, or not checking the serial number. Writing them down publicly (to my team) has been humiliating but effective.

Checklist item: When was the last time you formally reviewed your procurement mistakes and changed a process as a result?

A Few Closing Notes on 'Hungry' and 'Groves'

Two quick things I've learned that don't fit neatly into a step:

• On 'Hungry': A hungry sales rep is a good sales rep. At the end of the quarter (typically March, June, September, December), they're more likely to cut a deal or waive a fee. Time your larger purchases for these periods.
• On 'Groves' (The Inventory Hole): I use 'groves' to describe the gaps in inventory that always catch us off guard. Like, we'll have 50 drill bits but no seals. Keep a simple list of parts you always run out of unexpectedly, and set a minimum stock level for them. It's basic, but most operations don't do it.

That checklist is my operating manual. It didn't come from a textbook—it came from getting burned, tracking the data, and fixing the process. If you implement even half of these checks, your total cost for Epiroc equipment (including that MB750 rebuild or Fordia rig) will drop 10-15% in the first year. It's not sexy work, but neither is having a machine down because you ordered the wrong seal kit.