For about fifteen years, KH Engineering has been working with Shin-Etsu. The company, with two production sites in Rotterdam-Botlek and Pernis, is the largest PVC producer in the world. Martin van Rooyen, Manager Technical Projects, and Jan van Wijk, Manager Projects, appreciate the support of KH Engineering’s engineers in various projects.
Jan van Wijk has been working for Shin-Etsu for around fifteen years. This originally Japanese company took over a partnership between AkzoNobel (nowadays Nobian) and Shell in 2000. At that time, the company heavily relied on AkzoNobel’s engineering partner. When Jan became responsible for the projects, he wanted to partner with a different engineering firm. ‘We spoke with quite a few firms at the time, and KH Engineering came out on top, both in terms of price and expertise’, says Jan. ‘But certainly also in the connection with their people. After all, engineering is a human endeavour, where good communication back and forth is essential.’
Ownership
The collaboration began with the replacement of a cooling system for the storage of vinyl chloride, the main product of the plant at the Botlek site. ‘Initially, the collaboration was quite formal, but nowadays we work together more equally’, Jan believes. His colleague Martin also notices this and states that the human relationship is important. ‘We expect a good engineering partner to show ownership. Our problem should be their problem, and they must find the best way to solve it. We do notice, however, that since the COVID period, a lot of work is done from behind the screen. Sometimes, we need to insist on a site visit because the contact with people while on location is really valuable.’
Teamwork
Shin-Etsu meets with KH Engineering at least bi-weekly and sometimes weekly. ‘We also find it important to come together within our own team’, says Martin. ‘Of course, we don’t do this for small projects or one-on-one replacement projects, but for new and larger projects, we find it important. The engineers of Shin-Etsu and KH Engineering work well together as a team, making KH Engineering an indispensable link in our operations. An example of a larger ongoing project is the replacement of compressors, where KH Engineering works in a multidisciplinary manner. From civil, structural to electrical engineering and instrumentation. Additionally, we have several large long-term projects at our Pernis site carried out by KH Engineering. For instance, they take on the new MCCs (Motor Control Centres), which are switch cabinets that control electric motors. Or the replacement of our pneumatic valve control with modern instrumentation using PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers).’
Forward thinking
Both Jan and Martin experience the collaboration positively. ‘The engineers from KH Engineering now know our plants like the back of their hand, enabling them to think along and ahead: they warn us in time when things need replacing or when a smarter solution is possible.’ Of course, with all benefits, there are always areas for improvement. Jan: ‘A general trend in the industry is the shortage of skilled technical personnel. We face this problem ourselves, but we also notice it at KH Engineering. In recent years, they have brought in several electrical engineers from South Africa to strengthen their team.’ Martin, who is himself from South Africa, naturally does not see this as a problem. ‘One point of attention is that a lot of documentation, including permits, is in Dutch. We must also hope that KH Engineering can retain the people who know our plants so well.’
Continuity
This brings Jan back to the point of communication. ‘In engineering, you can never assume that the other person understands what you mean. It takes quite a bit of time to become so well-attuned to each other that there is no miscommunication. And it requires a significant investment of time to create a good project description.’ Martin: ‘That’s why we need to cherish the engineers of KH Engineering. They have insight into our systems, know how we work, and deliver good work. I can’t imagine switching engineering firms every few years, as some other large companies do.’ ‘Agreed’, says Jan, ‘moreover, it’s always good to have a partner who points out your company’s blind spots. That, along with the provided continuity, are significant advantages of working with KH Engineering.’
For more information about Shin-Etsu: https://www.shinetsu.nl/en