Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/374689
26 WET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2014 The challenge: Reducing capex while optimising assets INSIGHT M aximising the use of in- house equipment makes sound commer- cial sense where possible but, oen, it is more operationally ef- ficient for water companies to have a contingency hire plan in place, both for existing infra- structure and for upgrade pro- grammes. The lack of any standard terms and conditions for the water sector does not mean that negotiations for pump hire must be long-winded. Indeed, it is in the interests of both the supplier and the client to put arrange- ments in place to prevent unnec- essary delays. By working with a pump hire specialist on a framework or pre- ferred supplier basis, the terms and conditions issue can be ironed out in a single negotia- tion process, which makes sense for both the supplier and the cli- ent. Once that is out of the way, water companies can focus on reaping the benefits of hiring rather than making do with existing assets or purchasing new ones. Those benefits can be considerable. Working with a pump hire provider ensures that water companies can access an exten- sive, diverse and advanced fleet because hire specialists con- stantly invest in increasing and enhancing their range. With a quality supplier, that investment does not only involve new equip- ment to replace pumps that are going out of service, it should also be channelled into extend- The logistics of ensuring in-house equipment is transferred to where it is required may seem simple but in reality, there could be transport considerations or reliability issues The benefits can be considerable through hiring, rather than owning assets, says Sykes' pump development director Chris Graham. A solution: Contingency hire plans ensure asset availability PE pipe products that deliver, every time... just what you expect from a leading manufacturer. Comprehensive piping solutions for: • Water transportation • Gas transportation • Contaminated land • Hydro power schemes • Cable ducting • Many other applications www.gpsuk.com VALUE. OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. OVER 100-YEAR HERITAGE. ing the fleet to increase availa- bility, choice and use of the lat- est innovations. A pump specialist should also be able to offer fast delivery of equipment, even to remote sites. To answer this, Sykes Pumps has a national network of local depots with replacement pumps and two regional repair depots ideal for supporting major refurbishment schemes. Fault monitoring Maintenance is an integral part of fleet optimisation so working with a pump hire specialist can underpin optimum performance throughout the hire period. For example, Sykes Pumps has engineers based at all of their depots and service their pumps every 14 days while they are on hire. The company can also offer fault monitoring technology to provide early warning of any potential equipment failure or work with the client to devise a bespoke maintenance package that suits their requirements. The maintenance benefits of hir- ing a pump rather than using existing assets are not all about uptime either. Sharing the main- tenance burden with the in- house team can reduce the risk of downtime, preventing unnec- essary operational costs while ensuring services are carried out by specialists. Further costs can be saved by hiring pumps on a short-term basis for seasonal, project-based or emergency requirements, reducing the assets on the bal- ance sheet and ensuring that equipment is only on site on an "as needed" basis. Many sites only require additional pumps during upgrade programmes, for drainage purposes at certain times of the year or during planned maintenance activity, so hire compares very favoura- bly to purchase. Pump hire also offers the per- fect stop gap between removal of an existing fixed pump system and the installation of a new one, so, again, it makes sound commercial sense to address a temporary need with a tempo- rary solution. And where the need for addi- tional pumping capacity arises from an unanticipated or emer- gency situation, the fact a pump hire specialist can provide a fast and responsive service can be critical. This should include genuine 24/7 service for fleet availability, maintenance and technical sup- port, along with accurate sur- veys and technical advice from engineers with proven utility credentials. n