It’s a ritual that many organisations go through during every Christmas and New Year period. In so many cases, the same fundamentals let you down every time, even if you have the best planning and anticipation. If your suppliers do not match your capabilities and enthusiasm, then it’s going to end in tears!

So, when you are doing the hard yards to plan your shutdowns and maintenance outages, you need to ensure that your suppliers and service providers conform to the following high standards:

Planning and Pre-ordering-Ensuring that the right skills, resources and materials are lined up and allocated to your project. 

Relationships with local contractors and suppliers-This ensures quick lead and turn around times and the necessary support throughout the project. 

Have Knowledge and Experience-Wow, where to start; It’s rare to find a supplier who has this covered! Specialist equipment requires specialist capabilities including:

• Engineering and Trades-to design the project work to the right standards, regulations and requirements and then be able to actually do the work correctly, in house, on time, on budget and here in Australia

• Plant, equipment and facilities-to be able to design, manufacture, repair, upgrade, fatigue test, heat test, stress test and asses, all in house, all in Australia.

• Project and Process management-To pull it all together at or above expectations, on time, on budget.

• Certifications and Accreditations-know, live and breathe the necessary standards and regulations, have the necessary accreditations plus knowledge of the Industry, Product and/or Purpose related standards and regulations

A successful shutdown is something to celebrate because you know how complex it is to make it happen and of course, the outcomes are worth it too.

• Zero unplanned down time (lost production)

• Completion at or below budget

• Equipment that lasts the entire planned cycle

• Mitigation of safety risks

• Avoiding unnecessary audits and regulatory investigations

So how do your shutdowns go? Would you describe your Specialists Equipment suppliers with Dependence, Confidence, Trust?

All the best for 2019.

To know more about how Reliance Hexham has completed simple or complex specialist work for shutdowns, send an email to sales@reliancehexham.com.au Alternatively, give us a call on 02 49648500

Author: Darren Grant, Sales and Marketing Manager - Reliance Hexham Pty Limited

Reliance Hexham's contribution to a smooth shutdown

Every year one of our customers carry out a shutdown over the Christmas and New year period and one of their many routine maintenance overhauls is one of their Dolly Cars (rail personnel transporter). This requires Reliance Hexham to carry out a full overhaul including , grit blasting NDT magnetic particle examination ,repair and re-assembly in a matter of 2 weeks. Apart from knowing and conforming to the likes of AS3751 & AS 3785.8. (Have a look at our AS3571 checklist), Reliance completed the job on time and on budget.

As a reminder, we design, manufacture (Steel Forging and fabrication), test, repair and certify to a range of standards as required by our customers and/or their industries and/or their stakeholders. We specialise in rope attachments, lifting equipment, couplings and draw bars; drift and shaft conveyances as well as specialised equipment.