Bahrain-based Sarens Nass Smet Industries, a leader in manufacturing high-capacity vacuum loading equipment, trains operators to succeed and transforms them into strategic assets for the companies they work for

An exclusive joint research conducted by Control magazine and ABB, across Control’s global database of process automation professionals says that "operators have an outsized potential to impact quality and economic performance metrics".

This research also indicates that nearly 80 per cent of equipment damage, unscheduled production downtime/shutdown, is preventable and half of this is due to operator error.

The monetary costs of this failure, in the petrochemical industry alone are estimated to be $20 billion per year. This trend indicates an already urgent and growing need for companies to do all they can to make their operators more effective in their daily tasks through effective training.

No one realises the value of training more than Bahrain-based Sarens Nass Smet Industries (SNSI), a leader in manufacturing high-capacity vacuum loading equipment, who considers training as the foremost pillar of the company’s philosophy."Where SNSI makes the difference is through its commitment for a true partnership based on three pillars of our philosophy – Training, Maintenance and Buy-Back," says Thadalil Santhosh, SNSI’s training and marketing officer.

When it comes to industrial cleaning, operators not only have a big impact on the equipment’s availability, damage and personnel safety, but can also play a big role in one’s organisation’s effectiveness, quality, environmental and economic performance, says Santhosh.

Practical training imparted by SNSI

Better prepared operators have significant accountability and positively influence the equipment performance. Operational excellence can be achieved by training operators on equipment knowledge and its application, he says.

As a part of the after sales service to SNSI’s valuable customers of The Super Sucker, local terminology for the company’s branded product The Fluid Vacuator, a high-performance vacuum loading equipment, the company offers a six-month training with a follow up programme at "no extra cost".

"Before starting up new units, we train novices on safety, general principles of vacuum technology, equipment knowledge and application expertise. We offer skilled operators a chance to refine and refresh their skill, perform at higher efficiency, utilise the equipment at maximum capacity, handle situations through effective decision making even in abnormal situations to prevent serious injuries and accidents. This in turn reduces operating costs, improves quality and productivity," he says.

The company’s training process begins with meeting the client’s executive team to:

• Determine specific needs, discuss in detail how SNSI’s philosophy will guarantee effectiveness and operational excellence;

• Help the client identify "the right candidate" for "the right role" by evaluating their profile compliance, conducting technical comprehension tests, providing feedback and finalising the selection of candidates; and

• Planning the timeline, setting dates, time and location for both theoretical and practical training.

Training programmes can be customised on request; timeframe will nevertheless always be 48 hours training over six days by delivery, on equipment and application knowledge and follow up training of 32 hours in four sessions over 24 weeks after delivery. SNSI evaluates operators to test their equipment knowledge, application expertise, and certify them to make sure that the client’s organisation is as competitive as possible.

"With our equipment, application and safety training programmes, we help clients elevate their operators to higher levels of proficiency and generate more return on their investment," he adds.