Pumping systems perform a critical role in industry and are estimated to account for almost 10% of global electricity use. Industrial pumps are used in anything that moves fluid from one stage of a process to another.
They are also fundamental to the success of many manufacturing processes and play a huge part in the treatment of wastewater and by-products from industrial processes.
Can you calculate the value of pumps to your operations? Well, consider this… without them, you have no operation. Without them being maintained to A-1 condition, your operation can’t achieve its production and environmental goals.
Determining the Value of Your Industrial Pumps
Of course, you can look at what the initial costs to design, manufacture, install and fine tune a new industrial pump, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
Want to calculate how much your pumps are worth? Find the figures for your operation’s total revenue. Now add your capital assets to that.
No pumps = no business. Poor running pumps = poor running business.
A Few Fascinating Facts
- Pumps are the second most used electrical machine in the world. Only the electric motor eclipses them.
- Pumps account for 25 percent of manufacturing operations’ total energy demands.
- Of all the electricity used in the world, industrial pumps consume about 10% of it.
- The chemical industry has more pumps than employees.
- In some industries, pumps costs are higher than those for employees.
- A properly optimized new pump will pay for itself within five years.
- North America is facing increased demands for water that is becoming a rare commodity.
Energy Savings
When an industrial pump operates below its best, up to 25% of energy gets wasted. More energy consumption and inefficient energy usage result in higher costs to your operation.
Even operating pump motors at full tilt will waste energy because most times full power isn’t needed.
So be smart. Use pumps for productivity but without using energy unnecessarily. Maintaining your pumps in peak condition, and using them wisely, can turn them into your best energy savers.
Maintain Their Worth By Maintaining Them
When pumps cost as much as, or more than, employees, looking after them and keeping them running efficiently is crucial. Most costs fall under either energy consumption or maintenance and repair. When pumps are maintained to optimal condition, they consume less energy and have a longer life span, which is good for every part of a business.
Of course, pumps can be unreliable, especially when compared with other industrial equipment. (So operating with) components that can wear out or become weak, work stoppages and maintenance will drive your costs up. It’s during downtime that the value of your industrial pumps becomes very clear. Shutdowns can have intense financial and environmental impacts.
And make no mistake, investing in regular scheduled servicing, maintenance and pump reconditioning is well worth it. Being proactive is far less expensive than being reactive.
Regularity
Have a professional maintenance schedule rather than fixing things as they arise in an ad hoc fashion. Sometimes the on-floor team of operators and technicians will be reluctant to send a pump away for reconditioning – after all, they know their pump the best and are proud of what they do. But making allowance and a schedule to take a pump out of service for restoration and overhaul is like scheduling your car for regular servicing. It costs far less than waiting for a big expensive problem to develop.
Minimize Waste Fluids
Pumps leak over time if not maintained and handling fluids twice is wasteful to the environment and is costly to your operation. Maintaining seals, packing, and piping makes your operation efficient and you run with a smaller environmental footprint.
Training
Industrial pumps and their related systems need expert operators. Proper training is an important investment in the value of your pumps and it pays dividends over the long term. Trained personnel will keep pumps running longer and better.
So, we urge you to recognize the real value of your industrial pumps and then partner with experts in the field to keep them at their best. Your business will see better returns for it.
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