Emmtec: Efficiency Optimization with KLINGER Steam Traps

Steam Traps were 2.5 times more expensive, but of much higher quality and with a longer service life than the ones they currently had. With that projection, Richard de Haan approached management. “Invest in these, and we’ll recoup the cost within a month.” They went for it.

Anyone who works at Business Park Emmtec in Emmen, Drenthe, knows exactly who we are talking about. For they not only own and manage the infrastructure on the site, they are also the main provider of public utilities such as steam, electricity, various types of water, compressed air, nitrogen and natural gas. "Ever since 1954," begins Richard de Haan, asset manager Emmtec Service B.V. at Operations. "That stands for Industry Parc Operations," he explains.

In short: the fewer disruptions, the purer the supply. “But I noticed that we were putting in much more steam than was coming out on the other end. Some loss is acceptable—we’re talking about around 5%. But often it was 6 or 7, and sometimes as high as 8%. I started looking into what could be causing that.” He quickly pinpointed the variety of Steam Traps. “We had many different types Steam Traps the site, all of which were made up of numerous individual parts. On top of that, they often needed repairs. In short: a lot of inventory, high repair costs, and significant steam loss. Not exactly efficient.”

So Marc, along with a team of fellow product specialists, presented an analysis and a recommendation. “They clearly demonstrated Steam Trap a leaking Steam Trap —and the benefits of replacing them.” KLINGER a proposal to replace the Steam Traps. “About 2.5 times more expensive to purchase than we were used to, but of much higher quality. And better quality means less maintenance, which in turn means fewer safety risks.” Richard pauses for a moment. “It’s not just a Steam Trap. It’s the product, the research, the quality, the service, and the implementation by KLINGER. They aren’t focused on quick delivery, but on providing a good solution. From start to finish. And that’s what I call value!”

And so we’ve reached the moment when Richard went to see the management, with KLINGER study and figures KLINGER his arm. It didn’t take him long to convince them; it was immediately clear: an upfront investment and a return on investment down the line. “In multiple areas. If we measure now, we have a 1.2% loss between the inlet and outlet. That saves us tons! The approximately 100 Steam Traps were purchased—AB600 for high-pressure steam at 33 barg, 400 g, and AB3000 for low-pressure steam at 3 barg, 190 g—were delivered and installed in phases in 2014 and 2015. “Maintenance costs have plummeted, and we need far less inventory. Previously, the Steam Traps took up Steam Traps 10 meters of wall space; now, just a shelf.”