RMC choose ABB
RMC (UK) Ltd have selected ABB as approved suppliers of three-phase electric motors used on their sites across the UK.
ABB Motor Service Partnership have signed a three-year contract to service approximately 50,000 motors at RMC’s 614 sites around the country. The contract covers replacement as well as capital projects and applies to motors ranging from 0.37kW to 1MW.
The programme is part of RMC’s plan to reduce costs over the next three years. This will be achieved by setting strict criteria when motors are repaired or replaced, based on achieving the lowest cost for refitting and energy use over the life cycle.
The contract will also guarantee service levels and prices over the three-year period. ABB Motor Service Partners will supply two- and four-pole motors up to 90kW within four hours, motors up to 250kW within 24h, and will also provide a 24h, seven-days-a-week call-out service. Larger motors will be available by agreement. As well as low-voltage motors, ABB will also offer to service ancillary equipment such as pumps, fans and gearboxes, and medium-voltage machines.
Lee Green, strategic sourcing manager for the RMC Group, said: ‘The agreed service levels will allow stockholding to be reduced at the sites; if a replacement motor is guaranteed within two hours, we don’t need to keep spare motors on the site. The agreement also gives us improved pricing; historically, we used to purchase up to 15 different motor makes from over twice as many distributors. In addition, we have negotiated a better warranty guarantee from the one we previously enjoyed.’
The energy savings will be achieved with the introduction of a motor-management policy, giving clear guidelines on which motors should be repaired or replaced when they fail. RMC have drawn a line at 22kW under which no motors will be repaired, but replaced with new Eff1 high-efficiency motors. Larger motors will be replaced if the running hours are such that higher efficiency will result in a lower life-cycle cost, otherwise they will be repaired.
The agreement comprises all standard low-voltage ac motors. Other types of motors will be reviewed as co-operation progresses.
