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Control technology specialist notes shift in end-user philosophy

24th April 2015

By: Dylan Stewart

Creamer Media Reporter

  

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Drive and control technology specialist Hytec is observing a slow paradigm shift among end-users, who are starting to factor long-term costs into their strategies instead of only short-term costs and, in doing so, are beginning to embrace the latest electronic innovations that the hydraulics industry has to offer.

Hytec GM Mike Harrison explains that introducing electronics to the hydraulics industry has improved the response and efficiency of hydraulic systems, resulting in Hytec customers no longer regarding hydraulics as the “dinosaur of the industry”.

He explains that end-users, such as mining companies, are slowly beginning to embrace the concept of total cost of ownership and long-term savings – as opposed to unit price – and are, therefore, beginning to invest in improved technologies.

However, Harrison acknowledges that end-users’ primary concerns remain mainly short-term, a view which the Hytec sales team seeks to tackle.

Changing customers’ views, however, can be challenging because of the development of China’s hydraulics market, which relies mostly on generic production and supplies products at competitive prices. Harrison asserts that these products carry more risk, owing to a greater variability in quality.

Hytec systems sales manager Klaus Marggraff says he has noticed that clients – who previously switched to using cheaper, generic products – have switched back to sourcing products from Hytec – which supplies mechanical solutions produced by engineering company Bosch Rexroth.

Harrison says he has witnessed this ‘switch back’ phenomenon in the aluminium beneficiation industry, where companies that opted for using cheaper products had incurred procedural downtime.

Marggraff, however, reiterates that one of his biggest tasks is to get clients to steer clear of simply minimising the original capital layout costs. While he acknowledges that the cost of installing new technologies is much higher, he maintains that, in the medium to long term, this original cost is recovered through energy and maintenance cost savings.

He believes that the hydraulics industry will not change drastically, but highlights that the technologies are not only getting smaller, but are more efficient, environment-friendly and more application friendly. He adds that this type of technology-driven industry has created a culture of learning and innovation in Hytec.

Meanwhile, Marggraff and Harrison tell Engineering News that Hytec tries to increase its competitiveness by providing a value package of products, along with after-sales support, which is supported by in-house capabilities, knowledge and application.

Hytec engineering manager Andre Lindeque says electromechanical drives, which have an electric motor attached to a gearbox, have been the biggest competitive alternative to hydraulic systems, particularly in the past five years.

Marggraff adds that electromechanical drives are particularly beneficial when used in fixed-speed applications, while hydraulic systems remain highly superior for linear movement.

Edited by Samantha Herbst
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

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