Saul Weste, SMC area sales manager in South
Australia says that this project’s objectives were
so much more than just ‘kitting out The South
Australian Potato Company’s machinery’ with
the team looking to help drive down costs and
improve efficiencies.
“Priding ourselves on building great relationships
with our customers, we were on-hand to help
The South Australian Potato Company and we
wanted to go above and beyond to deliver. The
state-of-the-art machinery contains an automated
air processor with electronic solenoid valves
controlled by a PLC; here, digital flow switches
were included.”
According to Dawson, “This project saw a
big focus on energy saving and a mandate to
minimize air leaks to help save on money and
energy. “In conducting an air leak audit, the
maintenance team at The South Australian Potato
Company tested the cubic feet of air used and
wasted.”
A WHOPPING IMPROVEMENT ON LEAKS
“When using a sonic tester to find and measure
the leaks, we realised that leaks were costing
the company about A$95 of energy per normal
operating day (cubic feet study),” says Dawson.
Based on the findings, SMC supplied a range of
products for everyday use such as air cylinders
and solenoid valves as well as our more advanced
energy saving products such as digital pressure
switches which forms part of the process control
systems.
“Thanks to the upgrades and replacement
of components, The South Australian Potato
Company saw a major improvement on leaks! This
translates to a saving of approximately $ 24 000
per annum.”
Weste explains that SMC’s mandate is to
provide savings for its customers and that
the team is working closely to ensure that the
right products are selected for the application
to minimise energy use. SMC provides advice
to customers on best practice when replacing
old parts or starting out on new projects.
“We strive to work closely with our customers
to help them realize savings and achieve a
competitive advantage. The South Australian
Potato Company is a valued customer and
we have worked hard to ensure that they truly
experience the benefits of partnering with
SMC,” says Weste.
Dawson adds: “We have a reputable, reliable
partner in SMC. We always feel supported
and valued, and we look forward to a longlasting
relationship with SMC.”