SMS group North America pioneers our service philosophy
The digital transformation is changing the mechanical and plant engineering industry - accordingly, the change from a manufacturing company to a provider of integrated service solutions is in full swing. The provision of services has long since ceased to be a follow-up business for plant operators, but a profitable business area in its own right, which is of central importance for the metal industry. The SMS group is one of the pioneers in this field. We are consistently expanding our range of services with new holistic concepts and innovative strategies in the direction of a digital future. This is particularly evident in the Technical Service in North America. Here, SMS currently operates 20 local service sites, all of which are located close to or directly at the customer's site.
One of these sites has been established on the premises of Big River Steel in Osceola in the US state of Arkansas, where SMS operates the roll shops for the cold rolling mill and the hot strip mill. Another workshop for mold and segment repairs is located nearby. In general, service work for all plants can be carried out in the workshops.
We at SMS group do not reduce customer orientation to just mentally identifying ourselves with the tasks of our customers. We are always on site, exactly where we are needed. Our employees use the latest methods and approaches to generate value from data and improve operational sequences and products.
Maintenance at a new level
The next step is assistance in maintenance activities and necessary repair work. Especially for maintenance, SMS group offers numerous different models, from customer support through SMS specialists to the complete scope of maintenance services for defined areas. To do so, SMS group offers a wide range of products and solutions that help customers to focus on their core business. By implementing digital solutions like Genius CM, we closely monitor the condition of defined equipment and predict unplanned downtimes and failures before they occur. Other digital solutions can be interlinked to streamline maintenance planning with current production schedules, investigate the impact of the current plant condition on product quality, or simply monitor and order spare parts when needed. Those integrated solutions consisting of dedicated digital tools and technical services can be combined with subscription models. This makes SMS group a reliable partner which is always there to support. Customers can focus on their core business while at the same time avoiding unplanned downtimes and, thereby, operational costs.
Our aim is to be a reliable partner for our customers and to support them in taking maximum advantage from their facilities. Therefore, we stay in close and direct contact with our customers and provide demanding repair and maintenance services for optimized plant performance.
Such subscription models are sought after in the United States. Just recently Big River Steel selected SMS for an expansion of its partnership to include new hot and cold rolling mill services, in addition to an on-site caster overhaul facility. This contract will almost double the existing service area to support the new Big River Steel mega-complex.
What’s more, SMS group has been awarded a long-term service contract from Nucor Steel Corporation for the continuous slab caster of the new heavy plate mill in Brandenburg, Kentucky.
Here, SMS group offers its customers integrated solutions enabling an increase in plant performance by combining own mechanical, digital and EA know-how.