None of the uncertainty, none of the pressure and none of the risk. In a nutshell, that’s exactly what external servicing and technical support can offer, but do these value-added extras have any tangible benefit to your business’s bottom line? Mathew King, our Business Development Manager, explains why bringing in the experts from time to time will prove to be a sound investment.
As a steam system user, there’s one thing you’re likely to have in common with countless plant managers and operators around the world – like so many others, steam probably isn’t your core area of expertise. With so many different process technologies to get your head around in a typical plant, that’s perfectly understandable.
The frequently debated engineering skills gap is affecting many businesses. The fact the nation doesn’t seem to be training enough engineers means estates and maintenance personnel like you are facing increasing pressure on your time.
Quite frankly, if you work in one of these positions, you don’t have the time to be a steam specialist. Thankfully for you though, you don’t need to be.
Why hire help?
Calling in external specialists to provide service and support for your steam system can prove to be the most realistic and cost effective way to keep your system running like a dream.
By bringing in external expertise you have none of the uncertainty, none of the pressure and none of the risk you may have had if you’d attempted to carry out maintenance procedures yourself. Better still, most of these service or maintenance engineers will have “been there, done that, and got the T-shirt” as far as steam systems are concerned, so there’s no reason to doubt that you’re in completely safe hands.
Boost your bottom line
I’ve seen cases where the decision to invest in an external service or maintenance agreement has made an immediate impact. Take for example a well-known diversified food group whose steam trap management contract aimed to achieve savings of 236 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum for a period of three years. Our specialists carried out steam trap surveys and follow up maintenance on the site’s steam trap population every six months – an investment which they were projecting would pay for itself in energy savings in just eight months. That’s pretty significant.
Where regular maintenance really comes into its own is when it allows you to pinpoint trends over time and even help you to highlight particular ‘problem’ areas that would otherwise cause persistent issues. These can then be addressed proactively, so unscheduled downtime is completely eliminated.
Believe me when I say there really is no need to add to your already hefty workload when outside expertise can act as a seamless – and results-driven – extension of your team. The results really do speak for themselves.
To find out about our full range of service contracts, visit: http://www.spiraxsarco.com/global/uk/Services/Pages/Service-and-Maintenance.aspx
