End-User Description

A global pulp, paper & personal care product producer that manufactures a wide variety of fiber-based products and is committed to maintaining safe, incident-free facilities.

The Challenge

The customer produces many paper products and the different processes used are complex and vary greatly from one another. Unlike other industries, pulp and paper uses an array of different media, some abrasive, others caustic. The customers began to notice that plant health and safety were put at risk by inventorying too many different gaskets for each process; the wrong gasket could mistakenly be used in the wrong service, possibly resulting in a severe and potentially costly incident. Not only was the customer incurring a large inventory cost, but unplanned downtime was also always drawn out by plant personnel having to figure out which gasket had been previously used.

The Solution

The Durlon® application engineering and sales team worked alongside the customer to thoroughly understand their unique needs, complex processes, and varied use of different media. Together they were able to identify one type of gasket material suited to more than 98% of their applications, effectively eliminating over 75% of the unnecessary stock.

The Benefits

The switch to Durlon® 8400 made a big difference in maintenance costs by allowing for a consolidated inventory and unifying the choice to a single gasket material. Not only was the gasket material easier to order for the procurement team, but the risk of using the wrong gasket in the wrong service was also greatly reduced, allowing the customers to maintain their commitment to a safe and healthy work environment.