Working With Customers To Increase Productivity

18th February 2010

“We know that our customers’ primary concern once the plant has been installed is to maintain the highest level of production possible, as consistently as possible while continuing to meet the product specifications required” explains Ray Cooke, Operations Manager with CDE Global. “This is our ‘modus operandi’ and is the foundation upon which we base all of our communications with customers.”

The CDE Spares Department is based at the company’s head office in Cookstown, Northern Ireland and is managed by Kevin Sheehy. A dedicated direct line is available on +44 28 8676 7406 which gives customers direct access to Kevin. “We recognise the importance of a speedy response to customers’ needs” says Kevin. “The Direct Line allows customers quick and easy access to someone who can immediately address their requirements.”

Another key theme of the CDE approach to their after sales business is ‘prevention is better than cure’ as explained by their After Sales & Service Manager, Ryan Barker. “We know that time is money when it comes to plant down time. We work very closely with customers to ensure that they can reduce this down time to an absolute minimum. This involves using our extensive knowledge of the components of a CDE plant, coupled with the material being processed at a particular site. With our extensive experience with different materials, capacities and final product specifications we are able to accurately predict the life cycle of the full range of wear parts on a CDE plant.”

One of the main features of this service is the various Preventative Maintenance Contracts that the company offers. These are available in a variety of forms and offer customers services such as the ability to have dedicated service technicians visit their plant on a regular basis and carry out regular plant audits. These are then presented to the customer with a suite of recommendations aimed at ensuring maximum productivity levels for the CDE plant continue to be achieved. In addition to this the detailed report will also carry recommendations for which critical spare parts should be held in stock on site to ensure that when the time comes for the relevant item to be replaced, the plant operators are able to put their hands on it quickly and easily.

“The approach we take with our spares and after sales service is not to react when a plant goes down but to work with the customer on an ongoing basis to ensure optimum performance is maintained” says Ryan Barker. “Just like thirst is the last warning of dehydration a plants’ efficiency can be affected by wear issues long before it becomes immediately apparent. What our approach does is monitor plant performance on an ongoing basis to ensure the efficiency levels are maintained, thus ensuring the final product specifications are not compromised. The end result of all of this work is that the customer is able to secure the maximum commercial value from the maximum volume of material.”

The range of spare parts on offer from CDE covers their full range of equipment from their hoppers and conveyors to the Evowash sand washing plant, M2500 mobile washing plant, Prograde screens, AquaCycle thickeners and GHT filter press. “We hold an extensive stock of all critical spares for the full range of equipment at our warehouse in Cookstown and can guarantee quick delivery to site” explains Kevin Sheehy. “However, just as with our preventative maintenance service we aim to instead focus on ensuring customers have stock of the critical spares on site to minimise plant downtime.”

A recommended spares list is produced for each new plant that CDE install which outlines the likely spares requirement for the plant. This is typically prepared for the first two years of plant operation but can be tailored to the individual requirements of the customer.

In addition to the range of spares for their own range of equipment CDE also offer a range of generic spares such as screen media including polyurethane, rubber and wire mesh, the full range of conveyor spares including bearings, rollers & skirting rubber. In addition to this as official distributors for Weir Minerals the company can offer a wide range of pumps and pump spares. You can contact the CDE Spares & After Sales Department on 0044 28 8676 7406 or by email at spares@cdeglobal.com