Standing advisory partner for technical installations
Large industries often have very large but also varied technical installations, from cooling, compressed air to cogeneration or process heating. Companies do not always have the technical know-how available in-house and resort to various parties for advice. When that process is also paired with a dozen different visions and opinions from various sellers, you can easily lose track.
Barry Callebaut, producer of Belgian Chocolate for more than 100 years, has two large sites in Belgium: Halle and Lebbeke. They approached Encon in 2019 with a request for support.
Their large-scale cooling system meant that they had been working with a company that did the maintenance for both sites.
There were at least two people present at all times, but no one in the company knew exactly what they were doing every day and whether it was done efficiently.
Using its technical knowledge, and a neutral standpoint, Encon took a closer look at all the maintenance contracts. With pragmatism and quick back-and-forths, Callebaut's specific needs were translated to the various parties for tendering. Everything was finally fine-tuned into a clean and clear maintenance contract for both sites that ensured 100% efficiency, both technically and financially. A process that took work off Barry Callebaut's hands and resulted in a relationship with Encon built on trust.
Thanks to this cultivated relationship, Encon was also called in for various other consultations. The need for a cogeneration plant at the Halle site had been expressed some time previously. They consulted various agencies internally to find a solution. By the time Encon entered the picture, they were presented with two sets of very divergent solutions. The complexity of a combined heat and power plant sometimes made different solutions seem like comparing apples to oranges, and they had trouble reaching a unanimous decision internally.
Encon is now acting as a neutral advisory partner to arrive at the best solution in terms of both energy and finance. We looked internally at what Encon would do, separate from the other ideas, based on our expertise. The next step involves meetings with the specified parties on behalf of Barry Callebaut. The final advice will be issued in 2020, with Encon providing support for the negotiations and development.
The upshot is that Barry Callebaut can count on professional, well-founded and comprehensive advice for all its technical installations.
A beautiful collaboration that, bearing CO2 neutrality in mind, will certainly lead to success stories in the future.
