Credential check
One of the two MoorMaster- units at Saelvig
Second class 'middle men' are creating waves in the fender market, as Dave and Iain MacIntyre find out
John Deats, vice president of US-based marine fender manufacturer Maritime International, says the marine fender industry has consolidated into only a few dependable companies along with a "growing subset of 'middle-men' brands" which have evolved despite very little true experience.
"These companies generally operate in a world where project specifications are in some ways unenforceable making it impossible to know what the supplier is truly providing. Additionally these suppliers may not have the proper insurances to support their product 'design' in the event something should go wrong after installation."
He says a small "brokering" type company, likely does not have the finances to offer credit to clients, or sustain the consequences of project type work when/if problems arise.
Mr Deats says the extreme danger is that if specifications are not written properly, with solid checks and balances, suppliers can essentially provide proposals that are not in compliance with project requirements.
"This leaves the door open for these suppliers to cut corners and supply inadequate fender systems. Once a contractor selects a supplier for the fenders and goes through the process of placing orders and handling engineering submittals, these shortcomings may not appear until the consultant reviews the information.
"While it is not too late at this time in the project to change things, or force the supplier to try to comply, this process can be very costly and time consuming. This problem is minimised when suppliers are pre-qualified based on corporate character, history and the financial stability of the company."
Industry consultant Mike Harrison, of SystemFender Consulting Ltd, agrees the biggest threat to the fender industry is loss of technical expertise, with poorly-qualified staff being employed instead.
He says many well-known manufacturers have reduced or closed their engineering departments, preferring to rely on non-technical and unqualified staff to provide technical support. "This lack of experience is becoming ever more noticeable with a reduction in the standards of fender engineering.
Allied to this trend is a disturbing move towards globally-sourcing materials that may not be of the highest specification, says Mr Harrison.
"An increasing trend is for fender companies to give the impression they produce in one place, only to purchase components from the cheapest source with little consideration for performance or quality."
The materials sourcing issue also rings alarm bells for Scott Smith, regional director - Asia Pacific and technical director for Trelleborg Marine Systems.
"We feel the key issues facing port operators within the industry is the emergence of new suppliers who do not have full control of their supply chain i.e. they source the components from different factories around the world, (primarily low-cost countries). They are essentially trading companies without the engineering knowledge or historical knowledge to ensure the designs and quality are sufficient for the operational requirements.
"On numerous occasions we have been involved in re-engineering/re-supply to fix these disasters."
What it all comes down to, says consultant Mike Harrison, is the age-old adage: "you get what you inspect, not what you expect".
"There have been and will always be a spectrum of fender manufacturers. Prices reflect what purchasers are willing to pay, but quality varies immensely. No particular manufacturing region is immune to poor quality, substandard materials and a lack of inspection."
So what does the port executive or consultant need to do to get genuine quality? John Deats of Maritime International provides the following checklist to prove the standing of a supplier in the industry:
Formal organisation chart showing officers and locations, etc. Updated reference list with complete contact information (minimum ten references) Historical project list certifying minimum of five years' experience in the design and manufacture of marine fenders. Should contain a minimum of 150 projects. Reference letters from recognised organisations (ten letters) - on client letterheads Three years of certified financial statements which indicate good financial standing Copy of product liability insurance certificate including design errors and omissions (you must have this to be considered to bid on a project)
These, he says, are items that cannot be misrepresented and should provide the client a clear picture of who a particular supplier is.
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