It was coming up to the winter solstice, with Christmas fast approaching…
In the fast-paced world of printing, where every minute counts, reliability is not just a virtue but a necessity. Amidst industry uncertainties, Contiweb stands tall as a beacon of stability, providing unwavering support and cutting-edge solutions to heat-set web offset printing houses. Contiweb’s commitment is not just a promise; it's a reality exemplified by the recent breakdown at Aller Tryk, Denmark, at the end of 2023.
The sun had barely risen on a crisp winter morning when the unexpected hit Aller Tryk – the largest producer of weekly magazines in the Nordic region. With a dedicated team of 100 employees at the Høje Taastrup production facility in Denmark, Aller Tryk faced a critical breakdown on one of their production lines, threatening to disrupt their weekly magazine production of three million copies.
In the face of this crisis, Contiweb's commitment to its clients shone through. Aller Tryk, a firm believer in the proactive approach, had wisely entered into a Service Support Agreement with Contiweb, ensuring optimized machine performance and top-notch service support.
Urgent call to 24/7 Remote Tech Support
It was 9.25 a.m. on 19 December, when the first alert came in. Aller Tryk’s Rota 15 production line had stalled. An error message on the Contiweb FD Non-Stop Flying Paster FDC01247. Carsten Kristoffersen, Service Manager, 30 minutes’ drive west of Copenhagen, puts in an urgent call to Contiweb’s 24/7 Remote Tech Support department. “Error message 5000001. We can’t see what’s going on. Can you help?”
Niels Jongeling, Technical Support Engineer on duty in Beugen, south-east Netherlands, swings into action. Carsten thinks it is a regenerative power supply issue. The log shows a spike in messages in the past 24 hours, and several restarts. Is the problem in the power supply itself or in the connections? Niels sends an electrical drawing so the customer can check. He alerts the Part Sales Department to quote for a new regenerative power supply. It’s out of stock. They find a retrofit. Aller Tryk places the order.
The log shows a spike in messages in the past 24 hours, and several restarts.
At 12:49, just over three hours after the urgent call, a cab leaves Beugen with the replacement part – plus an unrelated web order to avoid extra shipping costs. It’s a 750-kilometre journey by the fastest route up to Taastrup.
Considering a helicopter intervention?
With a production line down and tight deadlines, Aller Tryk is facing an unprecedented crisis. Unheard of in all the years of working with Contiweb. Just sheer bad luck. The company wants a visit from a specialist engineer, even going as far as to suggest arranging a helicopter to pick him up. While this was in jest, it underscores the seriousness of the situation.
I’m an engineer – never mind the holiday…
The weather’s not great but Contiweb mechanic Andreas Kolaric is looking forward to his Christmas holiday with his family. Just tying up some loose ends at work. His phone rings.
Within minutes, he’s booking his flight. An overnight hotel is arranged near Taastrup. The next morning, Thursday, he arrives at Aller Tryk’s premises. The customer has replaced the Non-Stop Flying Paster regenerative power supply on their Rota 15 production line with the delivered retrofit. But the machine still doesn’t work.
Sometimes things are not as they seem
Andreas gets to work, investigating the power issue that is stalling the Rota 15 production line. In a massive tangle of cables, he manages to identify the fault, caused by a defective cable. Replacing the cable resolves the problem. Andreas also recommends replacing the voltage monitoring system of the regenerative power supply. Aller Tryk orders a new one from Contiweb. It will be sent by cab and delivered the next morning. Andreas then returns to his hotel.
The defective cable that caused the power issue.
Overnight a new alert comes into Contiweb’s 24/7 Remote Tech Support department in Beugen. The FD Non-Stop Flying Paster has stopped working again. This time it’s not the power supply, it’s the voltage monitoring system, as Andreas had warned.
The next morning, Friday, Andreas replaces the voltage monitoring system. He puts back the old regenerative power supply, since it turns out that this component didn’t cause the issue. Aller Tryk sends the new one back to Contiweb.
After checking the settings, Andreas flies home to enjoy his holiday. Everything is in order at Aller Tryk on Rota 15. Aller Tryk can ensure timely delivery of its projects.
After care for the after care
Caring for the customer didn’t stop there. Contiweb service, technical support and product specialists decide that another site visit should be made at short notice. Five days later, just after Christmas, Contiweb technician Rene Gross-Erwig arrives in Taastrup from Germany. He double-checks the Non-Stop Flying Paster, making some minor adjustments.
The collaboration between Contiweb's Remote Tech Support, Contiweb's Field Service Engineers, and the customer has played a crucial role in getting the production line back up and running on time. Aller Tryk can meet its tight deadlines, and both Aller Tryk and Contiweb will closely monitor the situation for the next two weeks.
Happy end…
To date, March 2024, no further call for help has been received. Presses are rolling. All systems go.
…and why you need a service agreement
The Aller Tryk breakdown saga, though tumultuous, showcased the strength of a partnership forged through challenges. Contiweb's unwavering support, swift responses, and proactive solutions ensured that Aller Tryk overcame the breakdown and met its deadlines.
The Perform Service Support Agreement was not just an empty promise; it was the cornerstone of this success. As the machines roared back to life and the magazines resumed their journey from press to reader, the message was clear – with Contiweb, the story doesn't end with a breakdown; it begins with a commitment to excellent service.
