A specialty chemical company at its UK processing facility were desperately trying to get spare parts for the mechanical seal on one of its critical reactors.
Chemical Producer Saves Over £1.7 Million in Plant Downtime
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Case Studies Q&A
Was this an existing customer? If so, what kind of contracts had AESSEAL® carried out for them up to this time?
This was not an existing customer. Until they approached us to resolve this problem, the company had used one of our competitors for the supply of mechanical seals. However, I had been on site on a number of occasions to discuss bearing protection, mechanical seals, and to offer our support if ever it should be needed. That was why they turned to us when they were faced with a major problem. It had become clear that an attempt by our competitor to repair a faulty seal had only resulted in further damage. The company was forced to shut down the plant, and they were facing a delay of several days while they waited for the delivery of replacement parts. They came to us on the eve of a long weekend, but even so, we offered to build a replacement SCMS seal, and to deliver it to them in 24 hours.
Can you give an idea of the difficulties in meeting their request, particularly at short notice, and over a bank holiday weekend?
It was an amazing effort by our people. We assembled a team of engineers who were prepared to rearrange their plans at very short notice so that the seal could be built and tested. It was a case of all hands on deck. We realised the importance of delivering the seal as quickly as possible so that they could get the reactor back up and running. It was a great team effort. Our engineers went above and beyond, and in the process they demonstrated the exceptional standard of our customer service. The seal was delivered to the company within 24 hours, and myself and two technical support engineers were there to offer our support during the course of the installation.
What effect did this have on the relationship with the client? Apart from being impressed by the speed and quality of service, did it lead to more business?
It made a huge difference to our relationship. After the SCMS was installed, the company gave AESSEAL® the opportunity to fix another problematic seal/pump. The result is that we are now the preferred supplier of mechanical seals, and I visit their site on a regular basis to offer support.
More generally, what would you say is the key selling point of AESSEAL® products and services?
We are the only UK manufacturer of mechanical seals capable of delivering seals the same day if needed. From our global headquarters in Rotherham, we offer free on-site technical support to all of our UK customers. We are also one of the biggest providers of apprenticeships in the UK, as well as being very conscious of our impact on the environment and on how we might make a positive contribution to the future of our planet.
Has this contract led to enquiries from other companies in this sector?
Yes, of course. People talk to each other and move jobs from site to site and they know who the best seal supplier is. The standards we set in this instance, and in many similar cases, ensure that we have many advocates.