Equipment hire
Hire or buy? Choosing the right option for mining equipment
25 September 2026 · 5 min read
When equipment hire makes more sense than buying for Zambian mines and contractors — wet vs dry hire, utilisation, and total cost.
Look at utilisation first
If a machine will only be needed for a short contract or a seasonal peak, hire usually wins. If it will run most shifts for years, ownership often costs less over time.
Wet hire vs dry hire
Wet hire includes an operator (and often fuel and maintenance). Dry hire is the machine only. Wet hire reduces your staffing and training burden; dry hire gives more control and is usually cheaper per hour.
Always confirm in writing who is responsible for fuel, servicing, breakdowns, insurance and site transport.
Count the full cost of ownership
Ownership includes finance, insurance, maintenance, parts, downtime, operator costs and resale value. Hire rates should be compared against that full figure, not just the purchase price.