"We hadn’t expected cost savings on top of the other benefits of the Integra® cylinder"

Read how switching to Integra® cylinders helped Donnell & Ellis Engineering reduce welding gas costs as well as realising their safety and handling targets.

Donnell & Ellis Engineering Ltd, is a “best in class” metal fabrication supplier to global OEMs, primarily in the mobile crushing and screening and materials handling sectors. Based in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, Donnell & Ellis has a highly skilled and dedicated workforce. Since 2007, Air Products has been supplying the company with large quantities of Ferromaxx® welding gas.

Challenge

In order to remain successful in the market, Donnell & Ellis focus their efforts on the key pillars of health and safety, on time delivery, quality, price competitiveness and ease of doing business. The company is very receptive to any new products that contribute to achieving these objectives. Therefore, when their Air Products account manager presented the Integra® welding gas cylinder, they were extremely keen to trial the product.

Solution

The company’s initial observation was the obvious safety benefit - the smaller Integra® cylinder is easier to handle and connect by the fabrication team. However, Donnell & Ellis believed that the biggest benefit would come from the cylinder’s inbuilt regulator. They instantly saw value in the fact that the quick-connecting IFO (Integra® Flow Optimiser) can be attached to the welding system in seconds. The trial proved that the experienced welding team adapted to this quickly, as did those less experienced team members.

Outcome

The trial was very successful, and both the predicted safety and handling benefits were proven. However, it was the cost saving feature of the Integra® cylinder that delivered the greatest value to Donnell & Ellis. Each quick-connecting IFO has a pre-set gas flowrate. As the gas flowrate is fixed, this eliminates excessive gas usage. Donnell & Ellis were pleasantly surprised to learn how much cost savings they would make each year by reducing gas consumption and eliminating the purchase of regulators. Overall, the transition to the Integra® cylinder was well received by all the teams including production, health and safety and finance.