Suptek Oy is a Finnish pumping solutions provider that specializes in handling liquids that are difficult to pump. The company serves both the industrial and municipal sectors. Its industrial customers include energy plants, paper mills and chemical production facilities, while its municipal customers are focused on high volume water treatment and purification processes.
Suptek has been an ABB authorized channel partner for several years. In addition to its own service offering, the company also offers ABB's contracted products and services such as a spare or replacement unit service and various digital solutions.
"Our channel partners have the ABB Motion Services product and service offering at their disposal. They sell ABB's products and services as part of their own service offering, and therefore can also help identify larger modernization projects or equipment repair needs at their own customers’ sites that may require ABB's services," says ABB's channel manager Lauri Salonen.
Compact ACS480 drives with side-by-side mounting and operation up to 50°C without derating are a perfect fit for cabinets. 
ACH580 drives for HVACR applications offer a wide set of pumping features. 
IP55 protection class allows ACH580 drives to be installed even in dusty and wet environments.
Synergy benefits of the partnership
All channel partners chosen by ABB have their own special expertise or are distinguished by their geographical location. A collaboration opportunity was identified with Suptek in pumping applications where ABB's energy efficiency know-how could be brought to end customers, and thus support sustainable development.
"A couple of years ago, we started investing in automation and measurement solutions related to pumps,” explains Suptek CEO Jussi Suomalainen. “The pump itself is a simple product that doesn't adjust itself according to the conditions, but when you add intelligence and measurement capabilities using ABB products like variable speed drives, you get true energy efficiency."
If the end customer's pump works with the old dimensioning, or it always runs at full capacity and is controlled by a valve, its efficiency is admittedly poor. "We aim for the cases to be investigated thoroughly. We improve the efficiency of the old pumps through automation controlling the pumping process, or in some cases we replace the pumps with completely new ones that meet today's needs as a turnkey service," says Suomalainen.
"The end customer gets the most benefit when the expertise of both our companies is combined," confirms Jussi Suomalainen, CEO Suptek Oy.
Boosting energy efficiency
However, automation alone cannot do everything. If the whole pumping system is not well understood, adjusting the pump will not help. "The end customer gets the most benefit when the expertise of both is combined," Suomalainen continues.
The benefit will come specifically through the energy efficiency brought by ABB. Even a few percentage points gain in energy saving in the pump efficiencies of Suptek's major customers can add up to big sums. "Many times, it is eye-opening for the end customer when they calculate energy savings provided by variable speed drives over 10 years," says ABB's Regional Sales Manager Ville Ahonen.
Suomalainen has noticed that end customers' energy efficiency focus and life cycle thinking has changed. "Today, in many requests for tenders, we strive to have the energy cost as an influencing factor. A clearly positive focus on energy savings can be seen."
