It almost sounds like a joke: What do you do when you’re stuck between a valve and a heat exchanger? But for a Detroit hospital caught in this predicament, there was no punch line.
Jim Ballantyne of The Macomb Instrument Group was called to the hospital to examine a three-way automated butterfly valve assembly on a heat exchanger. The exchanger was installed in a small closet. The valve was essential to the proper function of the heat exchanger and it needed to be replaced; however, it was situated in a very tight spot. To make the situation more complicated, the original tee had been fabricated onsite and wedged into position with absolutely no wiggle room.
The job was so intricate and awkward that less-experienced independent contractors wouldn’t risk the job themselves. Knowing that The Macomb Group has decades of experience and regularly creates custom solutions, the customer was confident they could solve the puzzle.
“A lot of people would have walked away,” says John Mazzie, Inside Sales Manager with The Macomb Instrument Group. “They would have been intimidated. But we seem to fall into these situations. We’ve been doing it a long time and that helps; we tackle problems with a lot of twists and turns and find solutions that only experience can bring.”
It wasn’t long before The Macomb Group found a solution for the hospital. “It was decided that the customer would dismantle the entire assembly and not just replace the valves and actuator, but actually reconstruct a new tee, identical to the old tee, onsite,” John explains. “The Macomb Group not only supplied the automated valve equipment, but because Jim took very precise onsite measurements, we were also able to supply all the components to the customer.”
Per the Lead Free Act, The Macomb Group will offer lead-free potable water products that comply with the law.
When faced with an unconventional problem The Macomb Group doesn’t flinch. “Out of stock” doesn’t exist. “No longer manufactured” is never a deterrent to an innovative solution. The fact that something “hasn’t been invented” is irrelevant to The Macomb Group’s ability to supply piping, connectors, fittings, couplings, and valve solutions.
The motto is, “We can make it happen.” And thankfully for this Detroit hospital, it did.
The Macomb Group is proud to offer our customers quality products. To learn more, contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone at 888-756-4110.
