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Lowering Costs for Lpg Filling Plant Operators

By Kaj Lehmkuhl, marketing coordinator, Kosan Crisplant

Even in times of a global financial crisis, business owners need to attend to the viability of production assets and other resources to be ready when the market changes; or better still, to be a mover – driving the market and creating the changes.

For lpg filling plant owners, a recession may be an incitement to turn their focus onto machine service and plant maintenance to utilise resources and to maintain a certain level of activity in order not to fall back commercially and, ultimately, to prevent losing market share. In such times, many business owners turn to a renowned and solid partner for coaching, or even for sourcing services, with a view to converting fixed costs to variable costs. Close discussions and analyses will establish exact requirements and result in a solution that makes sense for both parties in terms of budget, manpower and tasks.

Kosan Crisplant, whose onsite services vary from spare parts supply, through various levels of equipment and system service, to management and operation of production facilities, has been such a service provider for many years now.

The key word is flexibility – a modular concept allows the selection of service levels in line with efficiency potential, local logistics and budget.

Sales of original spare parts for repair jobs or preventive maintenance, trading products and service visits with associated supporting initiatives and guidance are the prime elements in keeping a plant in perfect working condition. Spare part sales may be an element of a system solution, a service contract or by direct order.

Our service support covers hotline assistance via telephone, email or other communication channels, as well as training in installing, maintaining, servicing and operating equipment and systems by experienced and highly qualified service engineers. The aim of service support is to help you correct a technical problem as efficiently and quickly as possible to minimise downtime.

We can facilitate the onsite installation of equipment and system software, including equipment service, repair jobs and maintenance to customer plants according to order or service contract. Installation jobs are often carried out by local operators under management and strict supervision by the responsible party.

Service contracts are extended business solutions that cover a specified part of the process at the lp gas cylinder filling plant aiming at servicing, repairing and maintaining machinery, system software and plant according to the agreed service level and contact frequency. The more processes that are covered by the service contract at one plant, the better the planning of resources and actions, which again means better utilisation of assets and so a more efficient and lean operation.

Looking at the onsite service funnel, and following a service contract that covers most of the plant’s processes, the next step is management and operation of the facilities. This may include taking over present personnel or bringing in own plant operators, a unique concept in the business and one that clearly defines the close and trusted partnership between Kosan Crisplant and the filling plant owner.

Fully-fledged facility management constitutes a different approach to the cost of filling lpg gas cylinders, one that shifts the focus from procurement of production assets to the cost of delivering one filled lpg cylinder on the ramp ready for distribution.

Each lp gas cylinder bears a cost that can be driven down through efficiency programmes and machine optimisation routines. The job is quite simple for those who know the equipment and processes by heart, but the calculations that support it are complex. The outcome is beneficial for both parties – a true win/win situation. The benefit for filling plant owners is the release of resources that may be used in promoting the core business – the marketing and sale of bottled lp gas.

The challenge of extending the focus from machine and equipment supplies to providing all levels of service and equipment supplies at al lp gas filling plant has been a smooth and straightforward one for Kosan Crisplant. This change has long proved its sustainability, with more and more contracts based on clear results, long experience and confidence. Kosan Crisplant will be exhibiting at AEGPL 2009 in Vienna in May on stands F30 and G23.

Contact Kosan Crisplant on +45 87 403000 www.kosancrisplant.com