While some operations opt to specialise in one area, Metso Process Automation Systems has the expertise to set the worldwide standard for a multitude of industries and Endeavour Magazine spoke to Director of Energy and Process Systems, Esa Jokiniemi, to find out how.

WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

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Straight away it is clear that Metso is a company that not only takes advantage of opportunities to diversify but that it actively creates niche markets to become heavily

involved in. Today, Metso has tangible involvement within the mining, construction, oil and gas, marine and pulp and paper sectors but despite this broad spectrum of interests the demonstrable levels of professionalism, expertise and responsibility of the expert team at Metso does not falter. Esa Jokiniemi notes that;

“Our goal is to do business in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable manner, and to provide solutions that have a favorable impact on the environment.”

Discussing the day-to-day activities of a company that has so many different facets of operation could be difficult but Jokiniemi is clearly accustomed to tackling the gargantuan task;

“Metso’s process automation solutions are designed to maximise the profitability of our customers’ businesses by improving their production performance and their cost, material and energy efficiency. Our extensive range of process automation solutions and services is supported by a worldwide network of automation experts. The Process Automation business serves customers in pulp and paper and other process industries, power generation, marine, and oil and gas.”

It is also worth noting here that Metso Automation’s Process Automation Systems (PAS) is the market leader for the provision of Digital Control System (DCS) solutions to the European waste-to-energy industry and subsequently, biofuel fired power plants in the same region. It is at this point that we have to start wondering just

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The result of a successful merger between two existing organisations, (Rauma and Valmet), Metso Automation was founded in 1999 but its legacy stretches back much further, to 1936. Operating from a workshop, for the sole purpose of manufacturing and repairing aircraft instrumentation, the early incarnation of Metso Automation took every opportunity to diversify and develop. The 1960s saw the company branch out into the launching of a pneumatic measurement control system, called Airmatic with Elmatic, an electronic system, following shortly after. By 1979, MAS had developed the idea to such an extent that the first digital control system, Damatic (DCS) was released. Today, the latest innovation is called Metso DNA, a complete automation platform for better process results.

how PAS can not only cope with such a heavy workload, but also how it has capacity to continue taking on more projects. The answer, of course, is careful management and slick prioritisation which starts at the beginning of any new contract;

“To find the best solution to each customer, an evaluation of their situation starts with the expertise of Metso’s sales and product lines. A well-planned audit is the key to show all the pre-existing bottlenecks and possibilities to the customer. After the realised project work, lifecycle services are offered to keep and maintain the successfully installed process in question.

As an example, in a pulp mill, we gathered data and studied process information about the mill’s steam network to create a full-scale picture of the plant’s performance level in terms of energy efficiency. As a result, our Steam Manager advanced process control (APC) was installed. Soon, a 90% reduction in steam vented to the atmosphere. It reduced carbon footprint for the mill. Ten thousand tons of steam monthly are not being discharged to the atmosphere , which is the energy equivalent of 715 tons of oil per month and

2, 200 fewer tons of CO2 . Further, more stable steam pressure supply to steam-consuming processes in the mill complex.”

If further confirmation of the satisfaction of customers were needed, in addition to the constant securing of new contracts,

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Jokiniemi draws attention to the impressive net sales figures from 2013, which totaled an incredible EUR 3.8 billion. From this, it seems safe to assume that the industries Metso is involved with are enjoying a period of buoyancy but is it really that simple?

“The power industry is experiencing different challenges in different regions. The existing financial means and intensity in the fight against green house effects varies a lot, even from country to country and affects operations significantly. Investment into biofuel combustion is very sensitive to incentives, such as political decisions.”

Happily for PAS, it has long been an advocate of environmentally responsible business operation, making it less susceptible to disruptive influences and ensuring consistent solution provision;

“Sustainability plays an important role in the future of power plants. Having that in mind, our technologies have been developed to serve the customers in the best possible way. We recognise that today’s concerns and future goals of our customers, and society, must be reflected in the way we run our business profitably and responsibly. Our mission is to contribute to a more sustainable world by helping our customers to process natural resources and recycle materials into valuable products.

To stay competitive in the market, process improvements are expected in power plants. As an example, Metso offers solutions to ensure that NOx and SOx emissions are minimised to meet the tightening EU norms.

“Recently, we delivered district heating network control optimisation solution to one of our customers. The major goals for the control optimisation were to keep the supply temperature in the production units as close to the target temperature as possible, and to avoid sudden, large variations, especially during shutdowns and start-ups. Now after the completion of the project, cost savings can be achieved through optimised electricity output by not supplying water that is too hot to the network and thereby getting more electricity. Then, the end-customers benefit from this in getting higher-quality heat at an attractive price.”

With a comprehensive overview of the industries Metso supports firmly in mind, there can be no plausible way that they employ a skeletal crew of staff and thankfully, they do not. With more than 16,000 employees, located throughout the world in 50 countries, Metso must be confident in the expertise and abilities of their selected personnel;

“Metso is a technology oriented company and the vast majority of our staff are certified engineers. To maintain high standards, we are investing in continuous training for our employees through not only carefully selected partners, but also the provision of our own training courses.

Our competence development is aligned with our strategy and targets. For instance, we have review discussions about the strategic competence development with each and every person on our team.”

With an enormous portfolio of satisfied customers already under its belt, PAS is now looking to the future and has development plans in place already;

“We will be promoting our FBB automation offering for multi-fuel fired plants, as well as developing advanced process control packages, plant information management and analysis packages as well as new analysers.

We are looking forward to expanding our turbine control offering to hydro turbines and entering the hydro plant retrofit business, alongside the provision of control and optimisation solutions for co-generation plants.

We have also been pushing through a large staff training program called Leadership Essentials, an initiative open to all managers within the organisation.”

Setting itself apart from competitors at every available opportunity, PAS is leading the way for responsible organisations and supportive employers in equal measure. By looking at the future with an all-encompassing eye, PAS is simultaneously ensuring customer and employee satisfaction, a rare combination that will doubtless keep them at the very front of their chosen industries, on a global scale.

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