Original Strategy: Replace Valves
Operational Challenges faced when replacing valves
- No Technical Support from the OEM when valves fail.
- OEM refuses to share standards, technical drawings, measurements and angles for valves to seal.
- Costly downtime because oxygen trains not operational due to valve failures.
Financial challenges faced when replacing valves
- Long delivery lead times
- High cost to replace valves
- Exposure to forex makes replacement more costly due to the steep depreciation of the Rand.
New Strategy: Refurbish Valves
Operational solutions by refurbishing valves
- Valve Hospital is the only company that provides local support for Cryogenic Valves in South Africa
- Used precision measuring tools to obtain measurements indirectly by making calculations using the actual valves in such a manner that Valve Hospital was able get precise values on the globe and seating area of the valve.
- Valve Hospital created the technical specification needed to guarantee that the valves would seal.
- Drastically reduced down time on the oxygen trains due to valve failures.
Financial solutions by refurbishing valves
- Drastically reduced delivery lead times.
- Drastically reduced cost to refurbish.
- No exposure to forex risk as there are no spare buy-outs.
