They say “You Live and Learn” and for us what we have learnt in recent years of managing grease manufacturing plant projects, is that the client’s major issue is often a lack of knowledge, rather than the lack of equipment. This was backed up by a recent customer who said the main reason they chose us was because we could help them on the process as well as the equipment. They said our knowledge was the most valuable part of our service.
Historically, our proposals showcased our equipment capability but underplayed our ability to provide the knowledge you need to manufacture the way that suits you.
The main problem is that model does not work so well nowadays and it didn’t provide enough assistance where you really needed it.
The new priorities:
- Surveying – finding out what the client had, lacked and needed to add, to enable them to achieve their goals.
- Troubleshooting existing processes to find out the issues that clients faced and dependable ways to address them.
- The process plant design, ranging from equipment selection and where needed, design, our recommendation concerning infrastructure (storage tanks, mezzanine floor, etc.) to the process flow diagram.
- Supporting our client through the project, particularly specifying what they needed to buy as part of their scope of supply.
- Supporting our client on the product know-how and formulation side. A single line and figure in our proposal was not expressing the long work sometimes required to help the client find the right raw materials and to adjust the process to suit them.
The equipment won’t disappear from our proposals, particularly where their designs and engineering are unique to us and our prime contractors. However, they will be put in context of the whole project.
How will this benefit you?
- You will have a better understanding of the project before it starts
- You will have greater flexibility on where your equipment comes from
- You will have better knowledge about where you are heading before you start your major equipment investment
- You will have a better sense of control
- We will be primarily there to guide you through the project, rather than being limited to the role of equipment supplier