Case study

CASE STUDY PreZero Energy Roosendaal

Minimise supply chain risks and prepare for shutdown with adequate stock

About the project

PreZero Energy Roosendaal engaged UNIS Group to assess the status of the modules in its waste processing line control boxes in order to reduce supply chain risks and ensure planned shutdowns run smoothly.

Company	PreZero Energy Roosendaal
Industry	Circular energy / waste management
Nbr of employees	55 employees
Services	Inventory and risk analysis
Challenge	Conduct scheduled maintenance stops efficiently and reduce the risk of unplanned and costly downtime caused by long lead times on electronics.

About PreZero Energy Roosendaal

PreZero Energy Roosendaal is a waste-to-energy plant in Roosendaal. When waste is collected intelligently and processed sustainably, it can be used as new raw material or reused in construction. Waste streams that are not suitable for recycling are converted into renewable energy by PreZero Energy Roosendaal.

PreZero Energy Roosendaal is part of the Schwarz Group, a food retail company based in Europe. The Schwarz Group controls every stage of the cycle, from manufacturing and retail to waste and recycling management.

The challenge for PreZero Energy Roosendaal

“How do we ensure that planned maintenance stops run smoothly and minimise the risk of delayed or unfulfilled deliveries?"

A major shutdown is scheduled once every three years, with preparation beginning two years in advance. This generous time frame is due in part to the delivery time of some components, which can vary from a few weeks to up to 18 months.

As the date of the planned shutdown nears, there must be adequate stock of the right components. Production runs continuously and shutting down abruptly is not possible. When this does happen, the costs can skyrocket. We can prevent this, or at least try to prevent it.

For PreZero Energy Roosendaal, however, there were several significant challenges:

Knowledge about the electronics present in control cabinets was minimal
The current life-cycle status of individual components was not clear
There was not enough time for the technical department to assess these issues

These insights are essential if a planned maintenance shutdown is to run smoothly. If a module is designated as end-of-life, it is replaced, even if it is still functioning properly. The risk of a working module malfunctioning without a replacement being readily available is too great.

After replacement, stock is replenished. If PreZero Energy Roosendaal does not do so, they are taking a great risk, especially since the module has actually reached the end of its life. Of course, it depends on where the module is located and its potential to shut down the entire plant. Not every end-of-life module is critical.

PreZero Energy Roosendaal therefore approached UNIS Group with the question: “Can you provide an overview of our installed electronics with the corresponding life-cycle status of the components?”

Our solution: ‘Inventories, evaluation and analysis of risk’

PreZero Energy Roosendaal’s request aligns well with the ‘Inventory and Evaluation’ service. Our Field Service Engineers inventoried the electronics in the control boxes on site.

So that the accuracy of the data on the modules could be verified later, photographs of the modules were taken during the inventory. This practice reduces human error.

UNIS Group carefully inventoried all brands, from Siemens to Danfoss, recording this in a comprehensive list. Which modules are end-of-life and which are not (yet), what is available and what is repairable? PreZero Energy Roosendaal now has a total overview of all modules and their corresponding status.

The result: PreZero Energy Roosendaal is well prepared for the planned shutdown

The analysis conducted by UNIS Group has helped PreZero Energy Roosendaal speed up the process. Filters can be applied to the results of the analysis, for example, ‘show all end-of-life modules’. This provides immediate insight into which machines could pose risks for the plant.

“These insights mean we can go into the planned shutdown well prepared,” says Corné de Prenter, Maintenance Engineer at PreZero Energy Roosendaal.

Now it’s time for the next step: module replacement. This should be scheduled. A multi-year plan that includes shutdowns has been drawn up. In principle, simply pausing the production line is impossible, which means that replacing modules outside scheduled shutdowns is also not possible.

Risk of downtime significantly reduced as a result of the analysis

Corné de Prenter: “During the analysis, we found out that there was a problem with an old Siemens variable frequency drive control unit. There are several of these in our plant. We were unable to source new or even refurbished units anywhere. Fortunately, UNIS Group was able to repair the unit and this resolved the issue. But this example gave us some helpful insight. We immediately replenished the stock of control units and now there are five on the shelf, which gives us peace of mind. This approach allows us to keep working constructively and proactively and has significantly reduced the likelihood of (prolonged) downtime.”

Review of the service

“Looking back on the entire project, we are very satisfied. The collaboration went well. It is an excellent service. Mapping out thousands of components yourself would be very difficult. You would have to focus only on those parts that have either failed or are expected to fail first. However, a thorough inventory is crucial for production.

After a tour of the plant, UNIS Group engineers were able to work independently. They were almost invisible, which was appreciated. They had occasional questions, which is to be expected, but these were kept to a minimum. I highly recommend Unis Group’s inventory and risk analysis service!” - says Corné de Prenter, Maintenance Engineer at PreZero Energy Roosendaal. "

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