2012-06-03 - The ABB-Oryx maintenance workshop was recently opened in Qatar in a bid to reduce costly downtime and therefore increase industrial productivity at customer sites and operations requiring motor and generator repairs in the Middle East.
The new maintenance workshop – a joint venture between ABB and Qatari company Oryx Energy Projects and Services (Oryx) – will also lower the environmental impact of shipping equipment for repairs and boost productivity by ensuring improved maintenance time for customers.
Additional benefits include reduced costs and risks associated with transportation. Over 200 guests including customers, government officials and senior executives from leading international and local businesses attended the official opening in the heart of the Ras Laffan Industrial City.
Tough conditions typical to Middle East countries such as high ambient temperatures, humidity, dirt, or heavy loads can significantly shorten component lifetimes and hence reduce maintenance and component replacement intervals.It is very important to maintain the devices and avoid failure because all unplanned stoppages are costly. Component failure may also result in damage to vital parts of a motor or generator such as the stator - the stationary part or rotor - the rotating part.
Previously, customers shipped their equipment to workshops in India, Switzerland or South Africa. The new facility in Qatar is set to speed up the maintenance process by six to eight weeks on average. Specialist teams will provide full support in case of emergency. The service offers additionally spare parts and maintenance kits for the over 4,000 ABB electrical motors and generators that have been installed by companies operating within Qatar, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.
Maintenance is key to sustainable life cycle
The repair work will be carried out either at the new ABB Oryx M&G dedicated workshop in the Oryx Engineering Solutions Centre (OESC) in Qatar or remotely on site at the customers’ operational locations.
Amr Abdelkader, general manager, Machine Workshop and Services, ABB giving a tour around the new facilities The on-site field services will cover the commissioning and installation of motors and generators together with preventive maintenance backed by ABB’s Life Expectancy Analysis Program (LEAP). The offsite services offered will include preventative maintenance and the repair, refurbishment and upgrading of all brands of motors and generators.
“In Qatar, Middle East and Africa, there are thousands of ABB electrical motors and generators running 24/7. Motors and generators are at the heart of everyday life and without them, many businesses would grind to a halt. Therefore servicing this vital piece of equipment is key to keeping the wheels of the industry turning.” Gus Abboud, ABB’s region division manager, Discrete Automation and Motion, Middle East and Africa told the guests. He continued: “Electric motors are huge consumers of electricity, so in today’s world, where energy efficiency is essential, substantial savings can be achieved when these motors are well serviced. We strongly believe this is the right thing to do for the environment and for organizations and this is why we are in this service business."
The full scope of the joint venture includes the repair, servicing, commissioning, installation and maintenance of all brands of electrical motors and generators, including those manufactured and distributed by ABB. The joint venture is the culmination of several years’ exploration. ABB’s search for a joint venture partner began in 2007 when Oryx was also looking for partners who could match their aims. The agreement was signed in July 2011 by Abdulla Ahmed Mannai, chairman and managing director of Oryx, and Gus Abboud, ABB’s region division manager, Discrete Automation and Motion, Middle East and Africa. The facility has a built up area of 10,500m2 including six workshop bays, offices, conference and training facilities and is fully equipped with all the latest technology and machinery.