When selecting a pump, numerous factors have to be taken into consideration, says pumps manufacturer Verder Pumps South Africa MD Darryl Macdougall.

He tells Engineering News that one should look at the chemical compatibility of materials of construction to the product being pumped, whether the pump design or technology is suitable for the product being transported, whether the pump design is suitable for the duty cycle required and whether the system design allows for efficient operation of the pump itself – in other words allowing the pump to always run on the best efficiency point of the performance curve.

“Poorly designed systems can lead to higher power consumption and premature wear or failure of the components in a pump system. This is not isolated to the pump only and can impact on instrumentation, piping, valves and ancillary equipment.”

Macdougall further explains that premature failures always result in increased labour costs and increased inventory of spare parts, subsequently leading to higher production costs and, therefore, increased costs of the product manufactured.

“The worst-case scenario is possibly a complete plant stoppage. Excessive breakdowns will also increase the risk to personnel, as emergency repairs will have to be carried out in addition to routine planned maintenance.”

However, he notes that the most common mistake companies make when buying equipment is overlooking the total cost of ownership and making a decision only based on price. “The purchase price of a pump is generally not greater than 15% of the total cost of ownership when considering all the cost drivers associated with transporting liquids in pumping systems.”

Macdougall explains that companies should, therefore, ensure that the “pump supplier has all the necessary information to put forward the solution, which is a 100% fit for the application”.

Dutch Manufacturing Industry

Verder has been elected by Management Team, a Dutch magazine, as the number one brand in the ‘Dutch top-100 Made in Netherlands manufacturing industry report.’ The first edition of the top 100 was published in 2013 and Verder remained in the top four in the years that followed.

Verder Group CE Andries Verder explains that the ranking is published yearly by the management team, listing the 100 most successful Dutch manufacturing companies with a turnover of less than €500-million. “Manufacturers that are financially stable, achieve healthy growth and take the Dutch industry to a higher level with innovative products are chosen for this list,” he adds.

The company was selected based on turnover, average revenue growth, profit growth and return on investment in the past five years, he says.

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement and to represent this innovative multinational organisation in Africa. This accolade is testament to the quality and performance assurance of not only our industrial pump solutions but also our services as a completely integrated offering,” concludes Macdougall.