Keeping a plant operational when faced with an emergency is a priority for site managers of industrial facilities. An effective contingency plan is crucial to avoid the risk of business disruption. Here, Thomas Minor of Mobile Water Solutions looks at the practical issues to consider in order to minimise operational downtime for those managing water treatment plants and how plug and play technology can ensure a rapid response in times of crisis.

The cost of downtime 

Business continuity and security of supply is the capability of an organisation to continue delivery of products or services at acceptable predefined levels following a disruptive incident’ (Source: ISO 22301:2012). In short, a company should be able to maintain production regardless of any challenges it faces. Tom explains from past experience, “Once a disaster hits, the clock is ticking and it’s imperative that a facility gets back to business as usual as quickly as possible, minimising costly downtime and maintaining reputation”.

“The typical kind of emergency water treatment disruptions we see from our industrial customers include defective equipment or controls, failure of the permanent water treatment plant or changes to the raw water supply. In these situations a temporary water treatment system can be deployed in an emergency to sustain a continuous supply of treated water for unanticipated scenarios.”

Having a robust contingency plan in times of disaster is critical; having a reliable supplier who will help site managers to respond quickly and effectively when a water-related emergency does arise is essential.

Off-site regeneration at new European Regeneration Facility

In response to the needs of European plant managers, Mobile Water Solutions has invested in the development and construction of a new regeneration and service centre in the region of Nordrhein Westfalen, a central region of European industrial manufacturing. Strategically located and the largest of its kind in mainland Europe the facility, which opened at the end of 2020, represents a step change in the responsiveness and availability of Mobile Water Solutions to support Site Managers to ensure a secure and reliable source of treated water is available 24/7/365. 

Tom recognises the advantages the new facility will bring to site managers he is working with. “The location of our new Heinsberg facility enables these valuable differentiating services to reach our customers faster and more efficiently and provides a resilient offering ensuring no interruptions in production on a local basis with good reach throughout Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and the North of France.”

Hit the ground running

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To support industrial plant operators in their need for emergency water treatment, Mobile Water Solutions offers a REACT service. The REACT service is a FREE of charge pre-audit of what equipment may be required in the event of an unforeseen circumstance. Each customer, once the audit is complete, is given a unique reference number, to allow this service to be specific to their needs.

This information is kept on file and updated regularly.  Customers are provided with these details and an emergency telephone number. By pre-planning for emergency situations in this way and helping to safeguard site operations, the REACT service offers peace of mind and continuity of production to those responsible for industrial water treatment plants. During 2021 this REACT service will be available digitally on an App, to both simplify and increase the speed of response of our emergency services.

Tom explains how simple it is. “When they need us they just call. We know exactly what is required for rapid mobilisation”.

As well as emergency requirements, Mobile Water Solutions can also support site managers with planned commissioning projects, refurbishment, or maintenance applications. These services are provided as operating leases (renting) as a bundled service and includes asset rental, consumables, maintenance, chemicals, logistics and technicians. All services are supported with commercial, operational and technical knowhow. Contracts can range from a few days to multi-year agreements. 

“Our focus is on providing our customers with fast, flexible and reliable services that keep their operation flowing”.