Flowserve Reaches New Mark in Rotating Equipment Specialist Training
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Global Program Enables Consistent, Quality Service
Dallas, Texas, USA - June19, 2007 - Flowserve Corp. (NYSE: FLS), a global provider of fluid motion and control products and services, announces today that the company's Rotating Equipment Specialist (RES) program surpassed 10,000 hours of worldwide training in the first quarter of 2007. The new mark beats the 11,000 hours accomplished in all of 2006.
The RES program is a structured, comprehensive training initiative for Flow Solutions sales engineers which emphasizes training in mechanical seal technology and the equipment where that technology is applied, including pumps, mixers, and compressors. The RES program supports these rotating equipment professionals in acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to consistently deliver world-class service and support regardless of a customer's location around the globe.
More than 600 Flowserve engineers currently participate in this industry-leading initiative. Basic courses that teach seal and pump fundamentals is a laboratory setting take place at the Flowserve Learning Resource Center near the company's corporate headquarters in Irving, Texas, the Changi Processing Technology Center in Singapore, and the recently opened Flowserve training facility in Essen, Germany.
Commitment to Training
"Many Flowserve customers are multinational companies," says Andy Beall, president, Flow Solutions division. "They demand the same level of service everywhere. This requires us to have operational excellence in terms of technical service, application engineering and quick response on repairs. The RES program is a big part of accomplishing that goal.
"But it is about more than just technical training," Beall continues. "A lot of time was spent making sure interpersonal communication and sales presentation skills were intertwined with technical training to develop the most comprehensive program possible. The RES program is a big investment in Flowserve sales engineers and their career development."
Each participating Flowserve engineer is comprehensively trained in the detailed RES curriculum. Their performance is individually tracked and monitored relative to the courses taken. Tracking the training also correlates to each engineer's individual annual performance appraisal process. Flowserve authorized distributors and many customers also participate in RES training.
The goal is to orchestrate at least 40 hours of training per year for each sales engineer. Courses vary from 8 to 40 hours in length and are scheduled individually based upon each engineer's background, skill level, and identified customer needs and trends in the marketplace.
Curriculum Development
Four levels of qualification make up the RES program. From RES-1 through RES-4, each level has a defined type and number of courses - both on-site and on-line - which must be completed and/or tested out of before moving to the next level of qualification.
According to Paul McMahan, RES program manager, the total number of training hours and in-field experience required for RES-4 qualification, for example, would equate to having a PhD in rotating equipment operation.
"It takes years of effort and dedication to complete the entire program," says McMahan. "Only the best and most dedicated people will reach RES-4 status."
The formality of the RES program helps make consistency in program management and execution across the globe a reality. By training people the same way, explains Mark Fallek, vice president of marketing, Flow Solutions division, customers receive the same level of service regardless of their location anywhere in the world.
"The knowledge of how to apply our technology in an effective fashion with the best people possible is what the market place really wants," says Fallek. "Now, when a Flowserve engineer walks through the gate and says he is an RES-level professional, the customer knows that person possesses a certain level of knowledge and skill, and that they can be relied upon for quality and commitment to service.
"Most importantly, RES is about our people," Fallek continues. "Our customer surveys continue to highlight that the biggest single reason our customers buy a particular mechanical seal is because of the person they're dealing with - not the technology, price, or quick delivery."
About Flowserve Corp.
Flowserve Corp. is one of the world's leading providers of fluid motion and control products and services. Operating in 56 countries, the company produces engineered and industrial pumps, seals and valves as well as a range of related flow management services. More information about Flowserve Corp. can be obtained by visiting the company's website at www.flowserve.com.
Media Contact:
Donald A. Mounce, APR
Senior Public Relations Consultant
HSR Business to Business Inc.
Tel: +1 (513) 346-3422
E-Mail: dmounce@hsr.com
