We encounter a lot of clients with very specific needs. We always do the best we can to develop strategies and solve problems to accommodate them. In this case, time was not on our side and we needed to provide CITIC Pacific Mining with their solution quickly.
BACKGROUND
CITIC Pacific Mining was looking for a new fire pump for their Sino Iron Steel Warehouse. Normally this product has a lead time of at least 10 weeks to produce and install. CITIC needed theirs delivered in 6 weeks and installation then completed in 2 weeks, which would be challenging but not impossible.
THE PROBLEM
We knew it would be difficult, but we were able to expedite the process to deliver the fire pump and tank faster. Our task was made more challenging as the equipment required was non-standard and so required a more involved process. The client required:
- Tank – increased panel thickness, heavy duty roof trusses, custom heavy duty hold down brackets, extra tank anchoring, stiffening hoops at every horizontal panel join.
- Pumps – heavy duty whirly birds, dual container doors in lieu of roller doors, custom heavy duty anchor brackets
CHALLENGES WE FACED
There were a few different issues and challenges that arose in the course of this project that put our completion date in jeopardy.
- Truss delivery – during the fabrication phase one tank roof truss was missed and had to be quickly fabricated, galvanised and delivered to the site, which resulted in increased freight charges on our end. Fortunately, we managed to avoid any delays on site.
- Installer issues – not every worker is reliable and we had significant issues with one of the installers who then had to be removed from the site.
- Holiday season – the installers had a tight deadline to complete the build because of Christmas approaching.
OUR SOLUTIONS
We managed to mitigate problems and meet challenges quickly through good quality testing, strong supplier relationships and being proactive when challenges arose.
- Truss delivery – our onsite quality check quickly identified the missing truss and allowed us to deal with this problem quickly and stay on schedule.
- Good relations – our strong relationship with the fabricator meant that fixing the missing truss could take priority at their workshop and be expedited.
- Installer issues – we acted quickly in removing this installer from the site before they could potentially damage the project and shaped a formal response to CHUBB Fire expressing our disappointment.
- Tight deadlines – with Christmas around the corner, we had to make sure that everything was available in the original despatch to ensure no delays were encountered on site. Aside from the missing truss, all items were checked and present onsite for a smooth and efficient install.
THE OUTCOME
With such a tight deadline we had to make sure we were extremely proactive in our planning and implementation to ensure nothing happened to delay the project. Overall, it ended up being a very positive project with a great customer experience. Simon Robinson from CHUBB Fire had great things to say and followed up with another container and tank order for Onslow Power Station.
Contact us today to discuss your needs for Fire Protection including Fire Water Tanks and Package Fire pumpsets.
