NEWS
DAVID BROWN, MANAGING DIRECTOR,
BÖRGER UK E
very pump company will at some point receive that call that starts with: ‘Your pump isn’t working!’ – or more like: ‘Your ******* pump isn’t ******* working!’ If
your client is up to their ankles in something unpleasant, and it’s costing them a fortune in downtime, then they could be forgiven for filling up the swearbox!
Or maybe you’ll hear something slightly more polite, like: ‘Your pump isn’t doing what you said it would do’ – only to find of course (not always) that what the customer originally told you they were going to use the pump for is now rather different!
This can be a very delicate path to tread if you choose to (preferably very diplomatically!) explain to your customer that they may have moved the goalposts. Even if you know that they have got it wrong, there is still something to be said for the old adage that: ‘the customer is always right’. Just recently we’ve been working on a big new installation, in which a scenario along these lines happened. It’s tricky. During the early stages of our pumps going into operation, we were informed by our customer that they were struggling to get the best out of them. To be fair, it was a challenging application, but we were confident that we’d done our homework very thoroughly, and that our rotary lobe pumps aligned with proven, predicted performance data. We listened, but didn’t jump to any conclusions, because we all know that there can be teething problems in those early days of a new set-up. However, the customer, at their own expense, decided to change all the gearboxes, because they didn’t believe that the ones we’d specified were the right ratios for the duty. This difficult application, in the dairy processing industry, has known variances in the consistency of the product. When the system later reached its peak production levels and temperatures, the data from our performance curves (even though we’re not ‘process engineers’, as such) were spot on. To cut a long story short, the customer kindly put their hands up to say that they’d perhaps acted a bit hastily, and then put the original gearboxes back in! The point I’m trying to make is to keep the dialogue with your customers as open as possible, and not fall into the common trap of the dreaded ‘blame game’, which is unhealthy, and invariably ends in tears.
Positive dialogue is vital. Unlike many, we aren’t just supplying standard,
off-the-shelf pumps. We tailor. One of our biggest customers, who have a very good understanding of engineering processes, said to us recently: ‘We like you because you always come back with questions. Sensible questions!’ Daily deep-depth discussions take up lots of time, patience and effort. This might sound pretty obvious, but your customer won’t forget your efforts in a hurry. For some reason, decent aftersales seems beyond many… To get ‘techy’ for a moment, we were also working on a recent project that involved PSIA (Pounds per square inch Absolute). It’s a complicated subject, all to do with atmospheric pressure. The customer kept coming back, ultimately offering to pay considerably more money for us to solve their aim of wanting a suction lift that we knew would have defied physics. It was beyond ‘Absolute’ and therefore simply not possible. In no way did we want to appear arrogant, but almost half a century in designing and manufacturing pumps does accumulate a wealth of very valuable insight and experience, so my humble advice is to work together during all of these pumping challenges, and try to keep calm. I perhaps didn’t always manage that when I was a bit younger, but age, for once, does have some advantages!
www.boerger.com/en/
6 PROCESS & CONTROL ENGINEERING | JUNE 2026
CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN ASK THE EXPERT PREDICTION AND REALITY
J
ohn Crane has developed what is says is an industry-first validated methodology that significantly improves the accuracy of drivetrain analysis in critical rotating equipment. This approach reduces
predictive variance, helping operators reduce failure risk, improve reliability and gain greater confidence in system performance before start-up. As rotating equipment systems become more complex, particularly those operating across variable speeds, accurately predicting how they will behave in real operating conditions has become increasingly challenging. Traditional modelling methods rely on assumptions that do not fully reflect real-world behaviour, creating a gap between expected and actual performance that can lead to vibration issues, reduced asset life or unplanned downtime. John Crane’s methodology addresses this challenge by treating drivetrain behaviour as dynamic rather than fixed, capturing how performance changes under different operating conditions. This enables a more representative and reliable understanding of system behaviour. At the core of the development is a new methodology for analysing torsional disc coupling stiffness in rotating equipment drivetrains. Traditionally, drivetrain analysis has treated torsional stiffness as a fixed value. John Crane’s methodology instead recognises that stiffness changes under different operating conditions and levels of torque. By combining advanced modelling, static and dynamic testing,
and real-world operational data, the methodology creates a far more accurate representation of how drivetrains behave in operation. This allows engineers to predict critical frequencies and system behaviour with significantly greater precision, reducing uncertainty and helping avoid issues that might otherwise only emerge during commissioning or operation. You can read the full story here: https://processandcontrolmag.
co.uk/john-crane-introduces-industry-first-methodology-to-improve- drivetrain-accuracy-and-reduce-failure-risk/
www.johncrane.com
O
OFWAT’S AI ADOPTION PLAN IS WELCOME NEWS
fwat’s new AI adoption plan is welcome news for the water sector, but the industry risks creating an ‘AI ambition gap’ unless it addresses the worsening skills crisis. That’s according
to specialist recruiter, Murray McIntosh Ofwat’s report sets out a clear direction for the sector, positioning AI as central to improving environmental outcomes, operational performance and customer experience, while supporting long-term economic growth. It also confirms that AI is already embedded across core activities, including network management, customer engagement and regulatory reporting. However, Murray McIntosh says the reality on the ground presents a fundamental challenge to this vision. Data from its Water Industry Labour Report shows that nearly half of engineers (49%) identify a lack of skilled workforce as the single biggest issue facing the sector, while 66% are considering leaving the industry and 23% expect to retire within five years. Crucially, the firm warns that the industry is already seeing a disconnect between AI ambition and workforce readiness. While 31% of engineers say they are actively developing AI and technology skills, these capabilities are not currently among the most sought-after by employers, who continue to prioritise hands-on engineering experience, project delivery and leadership.
This misalignment, Murray McIntosh argues, risks slowing adoption and limiting AI’s impact across the sector.
www.murraymcintosh.com
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