Six Tips for Turnaround Season

It's around that time of year again... turnaround season. Your planning may be already underway or finished but it’s always a good idea to take a fresh look at your approach to this critical time. Whether you’re managing a turnaround for an oil refinery, plant, factory or any other industrial operation that has to take things offline for yearly or biannual maintenance, turnaround season is an essential, yet painstaking process. Here at Central Wire Industries, we know how stressful it can be with all of the deadlines for getting things up to standard and functioning again. However, our sales team is available to answer any questions you have regarding the high-quality materials you may need. Mainly with our world-class tech-mesh/demister pads and our variety of welding wire. Our full list of products is available at centralwire.com.

Read more for tips on how you might want to tackle this process more efficiently.

1. Start planning as soon as you can.

In order to get ahead of the game, you're going to want to start planning way ahead of time as that will almost always work to your advantage. From preparing schematics to providing needed parts lists to suppliers, increasing lead times makes the whole process smoother. CWI recommends that customers begin inventorying and submitting work orders as soon as possible. Our engineering and production teams have the processes and experience to build to your specifications.

2. The details matter the most.

Attention to detail is important in the off-season. It is very important to ensure that your supplier partners have up-to-date information on the parts they need, rather than resubmitting last year's orders. It's always best to err on the side of including additional information so the supplier can make sure they have all the nuts for thousands of bolts or the right tray for a reactor that needs an update. Check your supplier's drawings and double-check that nothing is missing to ensure timely preparation.

3. Coordination and communication must be a priority.

Turnaround season is a major task for many companies. Multiple parties are involved in a time-pressed environment. Often plant managers work with suppliers and installation contractors to get the job done efficiently and quickly. These three groups need to be coordinated and in constant contact to resolve any issues that arise during operation so that unexpected issues or required parts can be delivered (or manufactured) in a short time. Keep in contact with everyone to stay on the same page and meet those tight deadlines.

4. Ensure you have the right partners.

Turnaround season can get hectic. Make sure your supplier partners understand your business and are willing to work with you. At CWI, we operate as a global business with over 60 years of experience. We strive to ensure that our sales team has a deep understanding of our customers' problems and needs. We are also in a position to quickly fulfill orders for production requirements. In other words, we prioritize being a solutions provider and not just another supplier.

5. Get out of your comfort-zone.

Trying to do something different can be stressful, especially when you don't know how it will affect your results. However, when you work with vendors that function as business partners and not just vendors, they may detect and suggest improvements that you haven't considered. At CWI, we use our vast experience and custom manufacturing capabilities to regularly recommend various solutions that can make our customers' manufacturing operations more efficient. If you're willing to access expert knowledge from the outside, you can reap the rewards of having longer lifespans for your equipment and better margins.

6. Take a pause — and evaluate.

After completing your turnaround, schedule a project retrospective discussion with the team, contractors, suppliers, and other third parties involved in the project. Talk about what went well and what could be better next time. This knowledge will help everyone make the next turnaround smoother and avoid recurring problems or bottlenecks over and over again.

As you can see, choosing the right supplier and being in direct communication with all parties involved will help you achieve maximum efficiency within your operations. If you are seeking a new supplier or have questions about what exactly we can provide you, we would love to hear from you! 

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