We are delighted to be joined by Emmet O’Sullivan, Account Manager, Burkerts to talk to us about working with Process Instrument Sales on the new Treatt development at the Suffolk Business Park.
The development represents the most significant investment for Treatt in the 130-year history of the firm, which manufactures and supplies ingredients to the flavour, fragrance and consumer goods markets.
Bürkert Fluid Control Systems is the leading manufacturer of control and measuring systems for fluids and gases. Its products have a wide variety of applications and are used in a number of industries such as Water Treatment, Hygienic Processing, Gas Handling and Microfluidics.
So Emmet, what has been Burkert’s role in the Treatt Development?
As the market-leading manufacturer of valves, sensors and controllers we have been working in partnership with Process Instrument Sales for the RC Treatt new factory project. The scope of the project is to supply valves including on-off modulating ball, manual ball check, globe and needle valves. As you can imagine we have been involved in detailed technical discussions throughout the process to ensure the highest standards in what we deliver
What has worked well?
The trust built up between Burkert, PI Sales and RC Treatt is of great value to us. The scale of the projects means that we have to work closely together as a team to ensure a seamless transition from drawings to reality. Our role is to ensure extreme precision when it comes to optimizing processes, which ensures they are implemented with maximum efficiency and at minimum effort.
How important are developments like this for UK engineering?
In these unprecedented times, projects of this scale are of immense value, not just for the parties involved, but to give others confidence that things can indeed get done, and done well, despite the pandemic. Hopefully, it will, in some small way, generate more positive thinking and decision making by management within the industry.
How long have you worked with Process Instrument Sales?
I have worked with them since 2012 but their relationship with Burkert goes back longer. We worked on a successful project last year supplying 1061 switchboxes to fit onto their existing rotary actuated valves. This project was successful because, with the pilot valve intrinsic with the switchbox, instead of externally mounted, less cabling would be required thus providing a saving in time and cost. Other projects have included globe control valves for water and steam at ForFarmers and rotary valves and switchboxes for a global manufacturer of paints and coatings.
What have been the benefits of working with Process Instrument Sales?
Process Instrument Sales, particularly Jon Tayler, has a long established reputation in the area and has built up close relationships with a great many end-users in the East of England and beyond. PI Sales are seen as a reliable and trusted one-stop shop for customers and we are pleased to be a part of that team.
What are the positives you are seeing in your industry right now?
The hygienic food and beverage industry is following in the footsteps of the pharmaceutical industry in using automation to greatly improve their process optimization. As the lockdown from COVID-19 starts to ease, many plant managers are looking to automation and feedback as ways to keep their plants operating whilst being able to monitor them remotely. This can be seen in the product mix specified by RC Treatt where even many of the manual valves are fitted with position feedback units as well as all the automatic valves.