“Competition in the compressed air treatment market is the fiercest that I have seen in 40 years in the industry,” says Cockfield.
“Compressed air is a source of motive power, as are electricity, gas, water and steam. However, only steam and compressed air are produced onsite, and these are often the most contaminated forms of power on a plant. Any product that is purchased in order to clean and treat compressed air should be of the highest quality. It should also be selected correctly for the plant and environment and be supported by an experienced organisation with a good track record. A 200 kW air compressor will consume more electricity in the first year than its capital purchase price.”
He asks what a purchaser should look for in this complicated market. A few suppliers have an in-depth understanding of compressed air treatment. Fewer still offer information on the wide range of air dryers and ancillary products available. Only a handful provide a comprehensive aftercare support structure.
Less still can offer leak detection and air audit services that monitor compressed air flow and dewpoint oil carryover, as well as assisting with airline and compressor house design.
Are you comparing apples with oranges?
He adds that many purchasers make decisions based solely on price only to find that the air treatment equipment has been poorly selected for the environment. Many clients find out to their cost that there is no comprehensive aftercare support. “Sadly many end users buy themselves into this situation by dealing with companies that are only interested in getting an order,” he says.
Cockfield proposes that prospective buyers should ask the following questions:
* What is the pedigree of the supply company, how many years have they been in the air treatment industry?
* Are they a specialised supply chain or is air treatment a minor portion of their total business?
* What is the after-sales support structure?
* How many units are sold per annum?
* How long has the product offering been in the South African market?
* How deep is the product range, how deep is the product knowledge?
* What is the investment in stock?
* How deeply is the company committed to the market, what is their financial commitment and investment?
The price tag should be one of the smaller factors.
The rising cost of power will eat into profits of a company if the wrong product is installed. Compressed air is already an expensive source of energy, and this cost will rise even further over the next few years. Contaminated compressed air costs even more, silently eroding company profits, and eventually costing market share.
An accident waiting to ....
Clients should make a full audit of their supply chain and ensure that any potential supplier is able to provide a full support structure backed with long-term experience. Price should not be the defining issue. Ultra low pricing is often an indicator of product undersizing, poorly trained sales staff, or low quality.
In-depth questioning and self education on the product offered and the supplying company will lead to a solid return on investment and lower production downtimes, ultimately leading to an increase in profits.
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