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World Pumps Users Conference
conference preview
World Pumps Users Conference 23-24 September 2003, Amsterdam, Holland
T
he World Pumps Users Conference on Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th September has been hailed as an unqualified success by organisers and attendees. The conference opened to a packed theatre at the Barbizon Palace in central Amsterdam. The conference programme has been well previewed in World Pumps; suffice to say that it was put together to address the key issues faced by users. All of the speakers brought with them a rich and varied range of experiences and there was no attempt to 'sell' any products or company to the audience. All the speakers spoke from the perspective of users and this was clearly welcomed by an audience used to being 'sold to'. The format across the two days was the same, with two speakers in the morning delivering a subject in around half an hour to 45 minutes followed by the opportunity for delegates to ask questions. This pattern was repeated in the afternoon, but with a panel session made up of speakers to which delegates could ask general questions. It soon became obvious that there was no division between the speakers and delegates because at times the auditorium resembled the floor of a debating society. Questions were answered and topics discussed as delegates and speakers shared their experience while offering advice and suggestions. Throughout the conference a number of topics emerged as favourites and these were the ones that users wanted to discuss, not from some imposed agenda. For example, Life Cycle Costs (LCC) brought a lively debate. There was no fudging any of the issues; direct questions such as "How much do companies themselves take life cycle costs seriously?" and "Are companies really putting their money where their mouth is and implementing these measures?" were addressed. Speaker Stephen Weatherly, who delivered a paper entitled 'Thinking whole life value', believed that the issues were getting worse, not better and there was a diminishing number of people who really understood the complex technical issues. The people who understood the technology and potential savings, the engineers, found it difficult to explain the LCC issues to the commercial people who authorised the buying decisions. Many delegates confessed to having experience of this communication problem. An example of this was illustrated in the question: "Why do suppliers rarely recommend systems that have good LCC benefits?" One suggestion was simply that the supplier (often a contractor brought in to install a system to a budget) believes efficient systems demand extra budget. One delegate remarked that in his experience even if the client is dealing with the pump manufacturer directly, the pump manufacturer does not recommend variable speed motors because if he did you may not be able to afford his pump. The lesson here is that you have to protect yourself: pump manufacturers will not do your thinking for you and there is too much reliance on vendors.
30
www.worldpumps.com
Another pertinent question was, "As manufacturers are not aware of the maintenance costs, is it their responsibility to calculate life cycle costs? Or is it the contractor's responsibility?" By way of reply, Judy Hodgson, a speaker from DuPont in the US, said, "When large companies specify high spec pumps these include LCC specifications." However, Speaker Ross MacKay observed that the phrase 'Life Cycle Costs' did not come up in smaller companies and felt that one of the purposes behind conferences like this was to spread the word. The topic of globalisation also had a lively airing. "Do pump users lose out in the globalisation process?" One of the consequences of globalisation is looking for economies and duplication of resources and many of the delegates were only too aware that older and more experienced people are walking out of the industry, as they become too expensive to keep. Their replacements lacked the experience and didn't stay long before they moved off into 'management' positions. Another delegate asked what the panel's view was about outsourcing maintenance and was that a feature of globalisation? Speaker Paul C Barnhard took the question and felt that outsourcing loses rapport between fitters and machinery, and is a retrograde step. Like many of the other speakers at the conference he also backed this up with a tale of his own experience. Many felt that the splitting up of departments, constant reorganisations and use of outside contractors were some of the main reasons why adhering to a LCC policy was difficult. Participants agreed that in this 'new world order' contract and contractors and users should work closer together. Steve Schofield of the British Pump Manufacturers Association in the UK was the final speaker and he gave the room an insight into European initiatives in the area of existing and future legislation. It may be a dry subject, but it is one that was very important to all the participants. There was a small exhibition hosted by sponsors of the conference NSK Europe, Teikoku Electric Manufacturing Company Limited, Sterling Fluid Systems, Belzona Polymerics Limited and Aker Kvaerner, ITT Industries Fluid Business, Concepts NREC, Ingersoll-Rand and Greene, Tweed & Co Benelux BV - in a room to one side where attendees took an opportunity to circulate during coffee breaks. It was always the aim of the conference to put pump users in contact with those with a wide experience of the practical side of pump installations and the final word must belong to one of the delegates. In his closing speech, Mark Purvis, publisher of World Pumps, asked the delegates what was the most important thing they think about when choosing a pump system? The answer came straight back: 'Saving money'. It is hoped that some of the advice and experience shared over the two days will help the delegates to do just that.
WORLD PUMPS November 2003
World Pumps Users Conference 23-24 September 2003, Amsterdam, Holland
T
he World Pumps Users Conference on Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th September has been hailed as an unqualified success by organisers and attendees. The conference opened to a packed theatre at the Barbizon Palace in central Amsterdam. The conference programme has been well previewed in World Pumps; suffice to say that it was put together to address the key issues faced by users. All of the speakers brought with them a rich and varied range of experiences and there was no attempt to 'sell' any products or company to the audience. All the speakers spoke from the perspective of users and this was clearly welcomed by an audience used to being 'sold to'. The format across the two days was the same, with two speakers in the morning delivering a subject in around half an hour to 45 minutes followed by the opportunity for delegates to ask questions. This pattern was repeated in the afternoon, but with a panel session made up of speakers to which delegates could ask general questions. It soon became obvious that there was no division between the speakers and delegates because at times the auditorium resembled the floor of a debating society. Questions were answered and topics discussed as delegates and speakers shared their experience while offering advice and suggestions. Throughout the conference a number of topics emerged as favourites and these were the ones that users wanted to discuss, not from some imposed agenda. For example, Life Cycle Costs (LCC) brought a lively debate. There was no fudging any of the issues; direct questions such as "How much do companies themselves take life cycle costs seriously?" and "Are companies really putting their money where their mouth is and implementing these measures?" were addressed. Speaker Stephen Weatherly, who delivered a paper entitled 'Thinking whole life value', believed that the issues were getting worse, not better and there was a diminishing number of people who really understood the complex technical issues. The people who understood the technology and potential savings, the engineers, found it difficult to explain the LCC issues to the commercial people who authorised the buying decisions. Many delegates confessed to having experience of this communication problem. An example of this was illustrated in the question: "Why do suppliers rarely recommend systems that have good LCC benefits?" One suggestion was simply that the supplier (often a contractor brought in to install a system to a budget) believes efficient systems demand extra budget. One delegate remarked that in his experience even if the client is dealing with the pump manufacturer directly, the pump manufacturer does not recommend variable speed motors because if he did you may not be able to afford his pump. The lesson here is that you have to protect yourself: pump manufacturers will not do your thinking for you and there is too much reliance on vendors.
30
www.worldpumps.com
Another pertinent question was, "As manufacturers are not aware of the maintenance costs, is it their responsibility to calculate life cycle costs? Or is it the contractor's responsibility?" By way of reply, Judy Hodgson, a speaker from DuPont in the US, said, "When large companies specify high spec pumps these include LCC specifications." However, Speaker Ross MacKay observed that the phrase 'Life Cycle Costs' did not come up in smaller companies and felt that one of the purposes behind conferences like this was to spread the word. The topic of globalisation also had a lively airing. "Do pump users lose out in the globalisation process?" One of the consequences of globalisation is looking for economies and duplication of resources and many of the delegates were only too aware that older and more experienced people are walking out of the industry, as they become too expensive to keep. Their replacements lacked the experience and didn't stay long before they moved off into 'management' positions. Another delegate asked what the panel's view was about outsourcing maintenance and was that a feature of globalisation? Speaker Paul C Barnhard took the question and felt that outsourcing loses rapport between fitters and machinery, and is a retrograde step. Like many of the other speakers at the conference he also backed this up with a tale of his own experience. Many felt that the splitting up of departments, constant reorganisations and use of outside contractors were some of the main reasons why adhering to a LCC policy was difficult. Participants agreed that in this 'new world order' contract and contractors and users should work closer together. Steve Schofield of the British Pump Manufacturers Association in the UK was the final speaker and he gave the room an insight into European initiatives in the area of existing and future legislation. It may be a dry subject, but it is one that was very important to all the participants. There was a small exhibition hosted by sponsors of the conference NSK Europe, Teikoku Electric Manufacturing Company Limited, Sterling Fluid Systems, Belzona Polymerics Limited and Aker Kvaerner, ITT Industries Fluid Business, Concepts NREC, Ingersoll-Rand and Greene, Tweed & Co Benelux BV - in a room to one side where attendees took an opportunity to circulate during coffee breaks. It was always the aim of the conference to put pump users in contact with those with a wide experience of the practical side of pump installations and the final word must belong to one of the delegates. In his closing speech, Mark Purvis, publisher of World Pumps, asked the delegates what was the most important thing they think about when choosing a pump system? The answer came straight back: 'Saving money'. It is hoped that some of the advice and experience shared over the two days will help the delegates to do just that.
WORLD PUMPS November 2003