Oryantal Tutun Paketleme is an enterprise, which was incorporated in 2002 and expanded through the joint venture of Alliance One Tutun and Ozege Tutun in 2013. The plant provides services in the areas of tobacco acceptance, blending, processing, storage, control, and laboratory and shipment. The facility with a closed area of 15.000 m2 and a storage area of 62.500 m2, continues production activities with 100 employees, and the number of employees may go up to 500 on a seasonal basis. OTP prefers to cooperate with EEC for the installation and maintenance services of Siemens Cerberus fire detection system.
Honestly, we did not know about EEC. We had our Siemens Cerberus fire detection system installed by a different company in 2002. However, over time they failed to meet our needs. We were having service problems. We had issues with spare parts for our devices that required replacement. We were unable to calibrate the devices. We had to deactivate the devices, even though the system was of high quality. This is because we could not get responses from the company.
When we began our growth in 2013 through our partnership, we once again started our search. As they were receiving quotations from companies, our purchasing department also contacted EEC as well. Once we understood the expertise of the team that arrived, and we saw their references and recognized that it is professional company, we thought to ourselves “this will work”.
Our facility is charged with ethanol. Moreover, we have a very dusty environment which was causing problems for our fire alarm system. Our storage distances and heights reach up to 120 meters, but we did not want to have any blind spots. We could not get the result that we wanted by installing a sensor at a local point. During the re-installation of the system through EEC, beam type detectors were added in opposite directions in all gaps and window directions. We made our system suitably operational for the interiors of our warehouse and facility and took precautions against fire risks.
We chose to preserve our outdated defective system and transform it into a new proper system. In this regard, we preferred to work with a company that has gained a reputation through its expertise and has achieved high quality standards through performed works. We put the matter of price on a back burner because we were very aware of how high the cost of a bad experience may be.
Our security team became familiar with the system and they can now easily use the panels. We provided training together with the EEC team. They can reset the system or inform us as needed.
One of the best properties of the system is that it allows a short period of time for checking after the alarm. The fact that our team has the opportunity to check before directly commissioning the system provides a great advantage. We haven’t had any risky situations, but we are certain that the system is operational. For instance, we have welding places in different areas such as the boiler and vacuum. The system immediately alerts us after detecting the welding smoke. This lets us to quickly check and make sure by asking “is there any problem other than the welding smoke in our plan”. Thanks to that we haven’t had any risky situations, but we proceed with very strict checks.
We use the gas detector in the boiler room and kitchen. We had a detection problem arising from our layout. We haven’t had a risk, but we observed that the system would directly give alarm in a similar situation.
We implement a fire drill with a specific scenario every year. We use the alarm buttons with keys. We regularly remind our team what needs to be done at the time of a potential hazard.
In the past, we had many problems in terms of our material supply and service requests because we could not get a response from the company even though a fire detection system was installed in our plant. I can say that we have been really lucky since we began working with EEC. We feel that we are continuously supported by them in terms of our requests for maintenance processes, failures and contracts, and we see the advantage of our cooperation.
We can ask questions to EEC regarding our additional areas or matters that we cannot resolve. The company which constructed the new building told us that “We will establish the fire installation”, but we could not take the risk as they were not familiar with the operating principle. EEC told us that “We can install cable to the new area and address it for its inclusion into the installed system” and our job got much easier. The fact that the system is open to additions is very helpful.
We asked for a quotation for our newly built kitchen. Without any period of uncertainty, we immediately increased the capacity by increasing the number of devices and continued our processes. We made additions to the laboratory 3 months ago, but there was a problem. They resolved the problem by placing a unit outside.
The EEC team helps us a lot. Our requests are not disrupted and we get presented solutions without any difficulties. There is a standard for the fire alarm system, and there are also standards that we apply in terms of safety. For instance, a gas detector has to be placed onto the gas furnaces. We consult and decide with your team for them to provide us with guidance on what needs to be placed, where and how.
After our periodic maintenance checks, they provide us with guidance such as “this should be carried out, and that should be corrected”. We care about the maintenance report. We decide on the warnings and suggestions with our Plant Manager Mr. Ozcan, and forward them to the purchasing department. We have a good relationship with EEC in order to protect our system. We have no concerns about the fire detection system in terms of our operational changes or developing areas because we are of the opinion that “we will overcome it with EEC”.
Our priority is to always ensure that the production can be continued without any disruption and in line with occupational safety. In this sense, money is a secondary consideration for us. We do not compare apples and oranges, but we bargain when necessary. The ability of the company to provide the system in the most useful manner, the correct pricing, and their sensibility of providing a complete service are of great importance for us. We certainly do not want any problems in our facility because of a minor and simple failure. We believe that we work with a highly-sensitive system and a team that will assure our safety everywhere in our facility.
No matter the quality of the product, what matters is the company behind it, meaning that EEC is what makes the difference. The product’s brand is reliable and of certain quality. However, the service provided by the companies representing the product may impair even the quality of the product. With respect to another issue, our system was of Siemens brand, and we did not discontinue using the product, but we changed the supplier as the system caused service problems. We experienced disruption in our work for 1 or 2 days in our plant. This was a substantial damage.
We also use Siemens brand in all other electrical systems of our plant. We trust the brand. Its quality is indisputable. We also negotiated with different distributors for the fire detection system, but we chose ECC because of their approach. We are able to find common ground in bargaining on whether “we can pay the price requested at the purchasing stage or whether they reduce the price as we expect”. If the service of the company is worthy of the price, then we are okay with it. We may be experts in the production of our own products, and we may have a strong command of the electrical and mechanical works. However, technology is continuously evolving, the risks may increase at any time and we may have questions. In such cases, we feel that we are always supported by EEC.
We have recently made additions to the administrative building and kitchen. The EEC team initially performs the field control and explains what needs to be done, and then gives us a deadline. When we approve it, they deliver the work within the deadline.
With regards to the delivery time of the work, there was only a material waiting process when we first started to work with you. Naturally not everything may be carried out at the same time, we were able to proceed in a stable manner following the supply periods. For instance, we consider supplying our products with circulation such as accumulator etc. that we may need and keeping them as spares according to their shelf life from now on.
We have no doubt about the knowledge of your team in professional terms. We are able to find a solution in any case. Your sales team does not neglect us. They often follow up and remind us the details that we forget. When your technical team arrives, they proceed in compliance with our plan. If it is required to ascend to a high level, we provide the equipment with a fellow worker. The complete the work based on a plan that is suitable for the department manager.
I have the contact details of more than 6-7 people from your team saved on my phone. I have never had any problems contacting them. There were many changes in your team sent to our site only for a specific period. Nevertheless, there were no problems that affected the work.
A fire broke out in a carpet factory near our plant. We were really scared when we saw the flames. This is a very serious issue and all kinds of measures must be taken. Our plant has a wide area and there are only machines in the areas where the personnel is located. We have no concerns of loss of lives in the case of a dangerous incident. We have signs, emergency exits and evacuation doors everywhere, and our team is quite aware.
The most critical area where we care about fire detection are our warehouses. Tobacco may smolder, it may not be noticed until it flames up, and it may not be possible to extinguish it with water. As the goods of the customers will be damaged in such a case, this would also impair our commercial relationships. There is no point in covering the damages from the insurance once the damage is done. It really causes major material damage.
I definitely recommend working with EEC. I can definitely recommend them considering our previous negative experience, and the satisfaction provided by EEC. There are many companies that we work with such as yours. There is no other company that follows up with the customers and shows interest as much as EEC. This demonstrates your difference from the rest. We can also consider the system range of EEC and what they are capable of in relation to our other needs when needed. We are highly pleased to work with EEC in terms of fire safety.
