Problem Solving in Sealing Technology

Long-term customer relationships are not uncommon at KLINGER. Our customers see us as problem solvers that bring extensive experience and outstanding quality to the table. One such customer is Ernst Industrietechnik (EIT), who asked KLINGER Bartsch for advice when faced with a challenge at one of its own customers.

The Expertise of KLINGER Bartsch

“Business relationships cannot be expressed merely in facts and figures,” says Martin Einfeldt, Managing Director of KLINGER Bartsch. Although quality can be measured, for example in terms of a product’s functionality and durability, “this is only the starting point. Maintaining a good communication so as to be perceived by the customer as a problem solver is just as important,” says Martin. The example of Ernst Industrietechnik (EIT) shows that this focus on specific customer needs is what ultimately makes for a good business relationship. 

KLINGER Bartsch has been supplying various graphite gaskets to the Germany-based specialist trader for sealing connections and specialty gaskets since 1996. Though the individual advice that goes with many orders as a matter of course is not itemized on the delivery notes, it is often what makes all the difference.

The Role of Stuffing Boxes

Wilfried Ernst, Managing Director of EIT, agrees, describing KLINGER Bartsch’s problem-solving expertise using a specific example. A customer of EIT needed to replace a gasket that was not supplied by KLINGER Bartsch. Looking back, Wilfried says: “People often don’t give their suppliers the recognition they deserve,” and goes on to describe a situation he encountered in his work: “Our company offers solutions for static tightness issues. In one such case, I was asked by a valve distributor whether a stuffing box gland was not too low above the housing. The distance was already at the limit, but I looked at whether the gland could still be tightened any further. Unfortunately, this was not the case, so we unpacked the stuffing box to analyze the problem,” says Wilfried. The specified number of graphite rings was removed and “we were able to pinpoint the problem to the installation density of the graphite rings, which was much too low.”

A Long-standing Partnership with EIT

Based on the customer’s specific requirements, EIT therefore recommended packings with a higher density. KLINGER Bartsch produced these to order, and the solution worked as planned. Ernst describes the collaboration with KLINGER Bartsch as “long-standing, successful and without alternative”. He is certain that “the problem would never have occurred in the first place with KLINGER Bartsch graphite rings, as the dimensional accuracy and density of every batch are flawless.” His trust is based on a consistently positive experience over many years: “So for us, there really is no alternative, as every quality issue costs money and, above all, reputation”, says Wilfried.