Author: J. Berzansky
The Minerals Society, San Francisco, February 2009
Abstract
Since 2001, Hatch Associates Consultants Inc, a subsidiary of Hatch Ltd., has been involved in a highly successful engineering alliance with an alumina supplier for the client’s sustaining capital program. As part of Hatch’s Operations Support (OpSupport) network, this relationship has flourished over the past seven years, as evidenced by the recent extension of the alliance agreement.
Hatch has put itself in a position of success by delivering on the following key factors:
- Working with the client to ensure continuous improvement in project performance, via the alliance’s stage-gated workflow methodology, while maintaining an impeccable safety record
- Providing value to significantly improve the client’s long-term success, in particular as it pertains to return on capital investment
- Working as a partner with the client within their processes to deliver a successful sustaining capital project delivery program
- A demonstrated understanding of the client’s business and aligning that understanding with the client’s corporate values
While the primary focus of this engineering alliance has been on the sustaining capital program, Hatch has added value through a variety of other activities including:
- Assisting in the maintenance activities at the plant locations, in particular, scheduled large plant shutdowns and emergency work
- Providing specific engineering training, such as hydraulic calculations, basics of the alumina process and project delivery basics. To promote synergy, this training is offered to employees of both the client and Hatch
- Providing unique engineering support such as alumina process assistance and Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) studies
This paper focuses on the sustaining capital engineering alliance concept and demonstrates how such relationships can achieve success when common goals are established, agreed upon and eventually realized.
