A built-in skillset to manufacture parts fit-for-purpose

A built-in skillset to manufacture parts fit-for-purpose

A common issue facing the producers of building materials is that components in their plant machinery are often no longer supported by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). This is why the elite engineering team of CBC Australia have an advantage over any other supplier of industrial parts and solutions.

 

According to Engineering Manager Anthony O’Keefe, many of Australia’s largest manufacturers of building materials rely on the expertise of CBC staff.

 

“Our understanding of this market segment is extraordinary because of our staff. We have an experienced and skilled team, who work every day with businesses in this field,” O’Keefe stresses. “Our customers know that we can provide the engineering services they require and that we are available around the clock. The number of branches we have, the support we offer and the access to parts that we supply is unmatched. And manufacturing customers maintaining their assets have come to expect that from us.”

 

Additionally, the market segment itself is a mature one, with many of the factories that produce building materials having been established for a number of decades. This has inevitably led to a lack of support from OEMs when it comes to equipment parts.

 

“It is a common problem across the industry, but in this segment, the redundancy of OEM suppliers is especially high. We have the capabilities to come on-site, identify the components that are no longer in support, and then reverse engineer them,” O’Keefe explains. “This is a significant point of difference with our offering – the ability to design and manufacture, as well as install and commission. Essentially, we ensure the solution suits the customer’s specific purpose.”

 

Another key benefit that CBC Australia affords to customers is the accessibility and availability of both staff and parts. O’Keefe reiterates the unique nature of the service provided.

 

“Because of our branch structure and the concentration of our branches in these urban industrial areas – which is where these customers are based – we’re able to provide a service that is simply unparalleled in this segment,” he says. “Whether that be the items in a fan, a kiln, a blower, or an industrial pump, we have the capabilities to improve the reliability of that equipment.”

 

O’Keefe acknowledges that this market segment is diverse and that one manufacturer will have a very different process to another.

 

“We have such a skilled and mature group of engineers to handle this level of diversity. We’re able to apply our collective knowledge and provide a highly specialised service to customers,” he confirms. “Generally speaking, a shortage of skills in maintenance and engineering across the sector is increasing, so we not only fill that gap by providing our engineering skills but also provide training to our customers’ maintenance staff.”

 

Moreover, CBC has developed a specialist two-part engineering program to identify potential areas where the functioning of equipment and the maintenance of that machinery can be improved. The first aspect of the program comprises assessment tasks such as condition monitoring and analysis of failed or returned parts. The second component is focused on process improvement and incorporates design and drafting, product application engineering, reverse engineering, installation and commissioning, special purpose manufacturing, parts standardisation, and rotable repairs.

 

As O’Keefe says, it ultimately comes down to improving the reliability of the mechanical equipment.

 

“The entire objective of our engineering services team is to assist customers in achieving this aim. We help our customers identify what they really need – component-wise – and when they actually need it,” he explains. “Once we have an understanding of the criticality of our customer’s assets and how we can improve the reliability of the components in these assets, then we can add immense value.”

 

In terms of the concentration of staff and customer reach, O’Keefe said the CBC staff skillset complements their location and exposure to that industry.

 

“We’re a nationwide business and we can draw on experience from a diverse and large breadth of clients. But staff are also matched to areas in which they’ve had exposure. For example, staff out in Western Australia may be more skilled in servicing the mining industry. While our staff in metropolitan areas are very capable of servicing the building materials manufacturing sector,” O’Keefe explains. “The great benefit for customers with this is that we have an unmatched insight into common industry problems and solutions that have been proven to work.”

 

In every case, the customer requirements determine and drive the engineering services that CBC provide.

 

“It’s an overall package where we complement what our customers need. We don’t come in and tell our customers what they need, we come in and gain an understanding of their requirements, and then we apply solutions to suit and improve their particular processes,” asserts O’Keefe. “We’re also available 24/7, 365 days a year, with the ability to supply parts at any given time. And customers within this sector rely on that guaranteed availability.”