Chemical dosing: Hiring solutions

Businesses that use chemical dosing systems – water treatment plants and process manufacturing companies for example – frequently investing in their own equipment, largely because it is a long life critical asset..

There are, however, times when it makes solid business sense to hire this equipment. Even the best maintained assets can fail. Should that happen, hiring eases disruption by allowing the early resumption of operations, providing staff the breathing space they need to locate the problem, find a supplier and install replacement parts.

Equally, when there is a need for planned maintenance or an upgrade, a chemical dosing system hired from a reputable supplier can ensure continuity of operations. Other reasons for hiring equipment are provided in the box.

Many companies have competing demands for capital investment. Hiring a dosing system will significantly reduce the capex required when building or upgrading a process or effluent treatment system.

Hired dosing equipment should have been engineered and tested by the provider so it’s ready to install; suppliers can also manage installation, commissioning and maintenance for you.

However, the true benefits of hiring will only be realised if your chosen hiring provider has the appropriate equipment, capabilities and support infrastructure in place, and it can bring those elements together into an offering that fully meets your operational needs and operational expenditure budget.

Dosing equipment design, installation and maintenance is a specialised activity and you, as a hire customer, should expect a comprehensive range of engineering and technical services from your provider to ensure you get all the support you need to select, install and manage the system.

Factors to consider

There are several criteria you should consider when choosing a hire equipment supplier. Look for experience, equipment range, fleet size and a high level of support. 

Also ensure that the supplier is adaptable to your operational needs and can provide a system suitable for the scale of application you require. After all, dosing system solutions must meet a wide range of applications from compact, integrated systems that can be carried to site to high-capacity, containerised systems that can be filled by drum, IBC or tanker.

Quick and simple integration is another critical selection criterion. So, for example, select a company that offers packages that include all the right pipework and connectors for a straightforward link to your existing dosing lines, where appropriate, or to the lines supplied with it. Controls should also operate independently if required, or you may require that they are capable of being linked to existing process sensors and on-site, or remote, logging and control systems.

It’s also helpful if equipment is palletised or containerised for fast transport, and is robust and weatherproof so it can be deployed in a variety of locations. Look out for a strong reputation in any supplier you are considering (ideally, seek recommendations from third parties), rapid availability of equipment, flexibility and responsiveness and expert advice.

Finally, check the quality of the hire fleet – does it include high specification pumps, valves and pipework that are compatible with most chemical products used by the industry? Will the pumps meet critical flow and pressure specifications? Does the hire equipment feature easy-to use integrated control systems that allow timings and dosage parameters to be easily set and adjusted?

Hiring makes sense if:

•    There is an emergency and the plant’s dosing equipment unexpectedly stops working. 

•    A dosing system needs to be shut down for planned maintenance, refurbishment, upgrading, or expansion of the plant.

•    New dosing strategies and processes need to be tested and evaluated.

•    There are seasonal or other short-term changes in demand or processing requirements.

•    The plant needs to be upgraded or replaced, but the company has insufficient capital available.

•    In-house knowledge, skills and capacity to install and maintain dosing equipment is limited or overstretched.

•    Your capital expenditure budget is severely constrained. If you need to build or upgrade facilities, hiring a dosing system will reduce that cost element to a relatively low monthly payment.