- Cadet Cleaners had a big, dirty problem on their hands. The boiler that supplies heat for the building and steam for the washing and pressing operations at one of their main cleaning facilities in Toronto, was so unreliable that it was malfunctioning almost on a daily basis. The boiler became a constant source of challenges for the stationary engineer who supervised it, interruptions for the workers, and headaches for management. The amount of downtime and subsequent losses in productivity become very prohibitive.
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- The challenge
Meanwhile, Four Seasons had been wooing Cadet Cleaners for months, trying to convince Cadet management how beneficial a relationship between the two companies could be for all concerned. With the boiler problem reaching critical, the management decided to give Four Seasons an opportunity - a challenge really - to restore the boiler to good working condition. After a thorough inspection by Four Seasons technicians, it was clear that the ten year old boiler was going to need a complete overhaul.
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- The fix
First, Four Seasons technicians took the boiler apart and cleaned it all out. They repaired leaky tubes, repaired the refractory, opened up the waterside and de-scaled it. Then they replaced the old burner with a new burner that was reset to fire more efficiently. By plugging a number of unnecessary tubes and making other adjustments, they de-rated the boiler to a smaller capacity which was better suited to Cadet's needs. Finally, an advanced control system was added and the safety features were upgraded.
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- The results
The refurbished boiler proved to be reliable, efficient and much safer. Downtime was eliminated; production improved, and; efficiency was so much higher that in the first six months of operation after the overhaul Cadet saved $20,000 in fuel costs compared to the same time period in previous years. Furthermore, with the lower capacity rating and upgraded safety features, the boiler no longer required a full-time stationary engineer, resulting in even further savings.
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- A relationship is formed
After the overhaul, Four Seasons was given the responsibility of caring for the boiler, in order to maintain its efficiency, and to avoid any more major problems. With that, a lasting relationship was formed that saw Four Seasons' role expand to include servicing more and more equipment at that facility and also at Cadet's two other facilities in the Toronto area. It has indeed become a relationship that, as predicted, is beneficial for all concerned.
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- Full steam ahead!
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