BELFOR international journal #2
fail to prepare, Solutions to minimise business interruption
prepare to fail
BACKGROUND
03-04 Feature: business interruption
Do you know what to do in an emergency?
05 RED ALERT® – help from BELFOR where and
when it is needed
COMPANIES
06-07 It pays to think ahead
Risk management at Siemens
MARKET
08 The right action at the right time Dear Readers,
Risk management from the market perspective
What do heavy rain storms have in common with short circuits, or a faulty
09 Faster is always better Bernd Elsner, CEO BELFOR
cooling pipe with a burning linen cupboard in a hotel? All of these scenarios
A loss adjuster reports
can cripple a business. There are many factors that can cause downtime in
CASE STUDIES an organisation, and their numbers are growing. This is why more and more
companies are focusing their energies on this subject – as does the second
10 The burning question issue of our BELFOR International Journal.
Structure and property restoration
Dedicated to the topic of disaster management, the first issue of our maga-
11 Help checks in zine for BELFOR customers was very well received. This was reason enough
Hotel restoration
for us to ensure that this issue is being sent out to as many as 20,000 recipi-
12 Suddenly everything’s at stake ents worldwide. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our readers
Machinery repair and restoration for all the feedback we have received, and look forward to reaching even
more new readers with this issue. Beyond our circle of readers with a pro-
13 All hands on deck fessional interest in disaster recovery – for instance, insurance companies,
Ship restoration brokers and adjusters – this issue is also geared to industrial companies.
14 Working in a dust-free zone
All too often in today’s world, the unpredictable becomes a reality and as
Electronic restoration
difficult as it may be, we have to learn to deal with it. Vulnerability is on
15 At your service. Worldwide the rise, not only due to the increasing frequency of natural catastrophes
and terrorist attacks. Changes in our economic climate also call for a state
of heightened alertness if operational downtime is to be avoided. While
complex networks coupled with international involvement and new value
chains have added to companies’ scope of activities, they have at the same
time also opened more doors to potential risk. This is where those prepared
for these risks have the advantage.
Whatever the cause of an interruption to normal operations, the important
thing is to eliminate it as quickly as possible. This is what we help our cus-
tomers do – around the clock, 365 days a year.
In the BELFOR International Journal, you can read how businesses and other
market players are addressing this topic, what business continuity manage-
ment is all about. Also the benefits of RED ALERT ®, BELFOR’s own emer-
gency response programme, implemented worldwide to help companies
achieve reinstatement as rapidly as possible.
We hope you enjoy it!
Yours faithfully,
Bernd Elsner
CEO of BELFOR International GmbH
NO INTERRUPTIONS, PLEASE!
Why looking ahead helps in a crisis
Crisis management in crisis Stoppages hitting harder
Recent studies in the USA reveal a disturbing trend: 40% of Not infrequently, a disruptive incident unleashes a chain reac-
businesses that experience a catastrophe are ultimately not tion. The upshot is that companies are being hit harder than
able to recover and give up within five years. Despite this fact, ever before. After all, today’s technology – machinery, plant,
more than half of all American companies do not have a risk computers and other technical equipment – is considerably
management programme in place. The smaller the company, more complex than it has ever been. Its value is constantly
the less likely it has made the appropriate provisions. A mere growing and, along with it, the potential for loss in the event
10% are planning to embrace risk management.1) of damage. Cash flow can quickly become a problem which is
why recovery operations following an incident are becoming
Additional figures show that the situation is even more seri- increasingly important.
ous: An estimated 90% of medium to larger-scale companies
that fail to return to normal operations within five days of an Taking precautions means protecting the future
incident disappear from the market within one year.2) Studies
have shown that if an interruption in business processes is too This is why it’s important for all companies to keep operations
long it is generally fatal. up and running – by taking the right steps immediately after 02 | 03
an incident has occurred. In other words, responding without
Greater vulnerability delay. Foresight is even better – having a clear idea of what
the individual risks to a company are even before the onset of
The risk of an interruption in business operations is growing. potential damage. This involves the development of emergen-
This is because our world is changing. The effects of this change cy response plans, crisis management, scenario workshops,
can be seen not only in the increase in natural catastrophes; training sessions and recovery consultancy. A company that
geopolitical relationships are also in flux. Internationalisation takes these steps before the fact substantially lowers its risk of
continues unabated, horizons are broadening, doors opening a prolonged interruption in operations.
more quickly – letting in more risk challenges. After all, oppor-
tunities do not come without risks. Today, a company engaged Knowing who should do what when
in international activities relies on elaborate networks – in every
sense of the word. Globe-spanning information technology is On the one hand, taking precautions involves setting up a func-
just part of the picture. E-commerce is another, as are networks tioning risk management system, but it also means preparing
with partner companies. An international transaction cannot procedures in case of emergency.
do without IT and, at the same time, virtually always travels
along multiple links in the value chain. The trouble begins – One question it must deal with is which are the most impor-
delays, delivery problems, dissatisfied customers – when there tant assets to protect. Precautionary measures also involve
is a glitch at just one link in the chain. determining who should do exactly what in case of emergency
and in exactly what order. First and foremost, an emergency
response plan ensures that action is taken straightaway. This is
1) “In case of emergency”, by Daniel Tynan, Entrepreneur Magazine, April 2003, quoted in: “Taming the beast – managing
business risk”, speech given to World Affairs Council, San Francisco, 21 April 2004, by Lord Levene, Chairman of Lloyd’s
2) Neal Rawls, security columnist and author
important because what happens directly after
an incident determines whether a business will “The only really big, dangerous
suffer – and for how long. Often, the worst dam- risks are the ones we don’t know
age is not to the property. The loss of records,
about.“
breaks in operations and missing data can all be
unpalatable problems to overcome. –– Bruno Porro
Chief Risk Officer, Swiss Re
A red alert doesn’t mean
you have to see red! When it comes to making provisions for disaster,
one important factor is to involve a number of
RED ALERT ®, the international priority response company units in the planning process. Risks are
service from BELFOR, is there to make sure of generally interconnected and can impact various
that. Custom-designed to fit a company’s needs, departments at once. Usually, it is the employees
RED ALERT ® sees to it that all necessary mitiga- working in the individual spheres of activity who
tion measures are taken without delay right after know where the greatest potential for risk lies
an incident occurs. The result is that operational as a result of their day-to-day responsibilities. It
disruptions are kept as brief as possible – and is essential that emergency response plans take
financial repercussions kept to a minimum. differing perspectives into account.
Everything under control! Looking ahead offers
the clearest view
Of course, it is impossible to protect against
everything but no step taken to counter poten- A company armed for all eventualities is a strong
tial risk is ever in vain. This makes it even more company. Knowledge of the right steps to take,
astonishing that today just one in four business- no matter how difficult the conditions, inspires
es invests in precautionary measures to tackle self-confidence. A business that looks ahead
an emergency. It is less surprising that compa- to combat potential risks – one that does eve-
nies from the IT industry are often the most pre- rything in its power to safeguard market share
pared, at least in terms of having IT emergency – also inspires motivation and trust among its
response procedures in place. employees. This already goes a long way to cur-
tailing potential operational interruptions and
reducing the resultant damage.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO
DO IN AN EMERGENCY?
RED ALERT – help from BELFOR where and when it is needed
®
When crisis grips a company, the effects are always wide- When help can’t wait
spread and the greatest burden is borne by the inner
circle. However, others are also impacted, not only cus- Companies that opt for RED ALERT ® have the upper hand,
tomers and suppliers but also a wider group of insurers because they can count on BELFOR’s specialists to take
and reinsurers. decisive action without delay. The first move is to imple-
ment priority measures and work to stabilise damage as
All have one common goal: getting the company back speedily as possible – a key factor when it comes to keep-
on its feet as quickly as possible – making sure downtime ing overall damage to a minimum. What else does RED 04 | 05
doesn’t mean the end of the line. ALERT ® have to offer? A free, 24-hour emergency hotline,
customised solutions to suit every company, employee
RED ALERT ® – the original training, professional support in case of emergency, and
damage assessment on site.
RED ALERT ® offers maximum support when disaster
strikes. Drawing on its vast practical experience in damage Advantages on all sides
remediation, BELFOR developed its emergency response
programme as far back as 15 years ago. RED ALERT ® Many businesses already depend on RED ALERT® to en-
benefits everyone affected by a crisis because its detail- sure they are primed for every eventuality, and to cut the
oriented, forward-thinking disaster management scenar- risk of extended business interruptions. In doing so, they
ios keep damage to a minimum. A key attribute of RED are acting in accordance with the recommendations of
ALERT ® is the way it works proactively to anticipate what the insurance industry, which also benefits from emer-
could be. Possible risks are assessed before the fact and vi- gency response programmes and the resulting reduction
tal emergency measures put into place. Because risks will in damage. In the following articles, companies and insur-
vary from company to company, individual game plans ance firms describe the ways in which RED ALERT® helps
can be devised for RED ALERT ® customers. them. In addition, a loss-adjuster outlines why he deems
cooperation with a high-performance restoration partner
so very important.
Siemens Pressebild
It pays to think ahead
RISK MANAGEMENT AT SIEMENS
An interview with Gerhard Fröhling, head of the
fire protection and disaster prevention corporate
department at Siemens
Gerhard Fröhling, SIEMENS
BELFOR INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL: Who at your company broached the tact addresses of both in-house and external
How important do you feel it is to topic of minimising damage in the partners who can and should be called upon to
keep breaks in operations as brief as event of a potential, unforeseeable support us in this – for instance, BELFOR.
possible? And how do you manage catastrophe? Was it management?
risk to make that a reality? Was it your risk managers? Do you have prior experience with
disasters?
FRÖHLING: It’s extremely important. For any As we see it, risk analyses need to be based
company, downtime is a risk that can have re- on a multitude of different perspectives. At our I think that, after over 150 years in business,
percussions for the life of the business. To avoid company, they are a basic building block of our Siemens has definitely had its fair share of ex-
critical blows, we work very hard in-house to process activities. As a result, it was actually perience. Yet it’s more interesting to look at
identify and minimise this risk. Our goal is to a team effort, and not a new one: Analysing the conclusions we drew from this experience.
deal with residual risks that we have tracked ways to minimise potential damage has a long For instance, the concentration of value per
using set procedures in a forward-looking, tradition at Siemens. square metre has increased dramatically in re-
proactive way along the lines of a business re- cent decades (just compare today’s office land-
covery programme – thus keeping the possibil- Does your company have a risk man- scape with one from 20 years ago). For cost
ity of operational interruptions as minimal as agement plan in place? reasons, redundant production facilities are
possible. not very feasible. In other words, safeguarding
If you understand ‘risk management plan’ to locations today is much more elaborate than
What eventualities in particular does mean a tool for identifying and assessing tech- it used to be. In addition, we can – in our in-
your planning take into account? nology-related risks within our company, the dustry, at least – confirm that when fires oc-
answer is yes. As the foundation for this tech- cur, they seldom burn down entire buildings.
With over 400 production sites worldwide, our nological risk management, we built a global The classic definition of damage involves small
company has to look at scenarios of all types. structure known here as BKO – a corporate sys- fires, which generally cause smoke damage to
Depending on the location, we have to con- tem of disaster prevention. Its objective, as I’ve entire areas, that is, large-scale contamination
sider the prospect of natural disasters such as already touched on, is to put our production of plant and equipment. In such situations, the
earthquakes or floods, a tornado, as well as the sites in a position to return to normal, i.e. rein- speedy implementation of first-response mea-
classic danger – fire. Strange as it may sound, state regular operations as quickly as possible sures can naturally do a great deal of good.
what triggers the downtime is ultimately of following an incident. Naturally, one focus of
secondary importance. this system is collecting and maintaining con-
Siemens press photo
now part of the BELFOR Group. On top of that, Siemens
“Should a crisis occur, it’s important for
maintains a department known as SIMAIN, which is de-
us to be able to rely on services and pro- voted to the professional recovery of electric and electronic
grammes allowing us to offer immediate equipment and cooperates closely with BELFOR.
support in each of our locations across
the world. So we need a partner who can Did you consult your insurance company or
broker beforehand?
guarantee that appropriate priority mea-
sures will be taken within 24 hours. This is The agreement went through our in-house insurance bro-
a must for effective damage minimisation. ker. So you can assume that both our agreement with BEL-
This was also fundamental in our decision FOR and our chosen approach were discussed with and
green-lighted by our insurers.
to team up with BELFOR and opt for the
RED ALERT ® programme.“ An insurance company is well aware that deploying
--Gerhard Fröhling, SIEMENS damage restoration experts to minimise business in-
terruptions is a step that more than pays off.
What future benefits do you expect to arise Shouldn’t the various industry associations
from the fact that you have already integrated and/or interest groups be addressing the is-
BELFOR into your risk management process? sues of restoration and business continuity?
In choosing BELFOR’s RED ALERT ® programme, we entered I think they already are. When I think about ZVEI, the Ger-
into an umbrella contract under whose terms BELFOR un- man Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association,
dertakes to coordinate and put into place the appropri- for instance, these issues are considered central within its 06 | 07
ate priority measures without delay in a crisis situation. fire protection working group. What’s more, over the last
BELFOR’s global standing and expertise have convinced us few years, the topic as a whole has become a highlight at
that we’ve chosen an excellent partner who can offer us specialist events such as those put on by the German as-
professional assistance should we need it – as quickly as sociation of plant fire brigades and the German industrial
humanly possible. safety association, to name but a few.
Were there in-house obstacles to overcome From your perspective – that of a BELFOR cli-
before this agreement could be signed, and if ent – what are the attributes of a professional
so, what were they? disaster recovery company?
No, there were none. I’d like to point out that, together with It’s quite simple: a reputable image, a meticulous and
a large German insurance company, our company recog- professional approach to the work, a presence near our
nised the need for and the importance of first-response locations, a global network of branch offices, the ability
measures many years ago and established a high-perfor- to respond immediately – plus an acceptable, financially
mance company specialising in restoration: Relectronic, feasible cost framework.
THE RIGHT ACTION AT THE RIGHT TIME
Risk management from the market perspective
“Mr. Fröhling gets right to the point in his inter- carried through in a dependable manner, i.e. so main services running (IT first and foremost!),
view. The topic of breaks in operations and emer- as to be effective when it counts. Thus, restoring but especially safeguarding the company’s entire
gency planning (or business continuity manage- operations quickly following an incident calls for value chain. In other words, gain an overview of
ment) are being given more and more weight. advance planning. It’s not enough to do whatever internal resources (people and equipment), evalu-
They are increasingly being seen as a challenge in comes to mind after the fact; the right thing has to ate the related risks and prepare a specific inter-
all branches of industry. The most intelligent ap- be done at the right time. The best way to ensure vention plan in order to minimise loss of produc-
proach to these complex issues is the systematic that happens is to make provisions and document tion. In the preventive phase, it is, in fact, possible
identification of risks and proactive risk manage- everything. Damage minimisation or, better still, to establish the “best practice” to be applied in
ment – ensuring an appropriate response in an damage prevention through advance planning, is order to restore the same level of activity as prior
emergency. the order of the day.“ to the damage, thus avoiding having to do this
–– Dieter Kulbatzki, during the complex and critical phase subsequent
As a major supplier of risk management services, AON Jauch & Hübener GmbH, to damage once the event has already had its
we too have noticed that more and more of our Insurance broker negative impact.
clients are working consciously towards these
goals. We support them in developing practical Focusing on the pre-disaster phase and drawing
approaches and applications. Effective damage “It’s gratifying to see that Siemens understands on the experience of professional damage resto-
minimisation – reinstating operations as soon as that the first few hours after an incident are criti- ration companies is sure to make a valuable contri-
possible following an incident and making opti- cal for minimising downtime. Many big compa- bution. Involving damage restoration companies
mum use of company resources – is only possible nies have (too) little awareness of this. Particularly in a BCP or DRP project means exploiting know-
when the groundwork has been laid in advance. in the high-tech industry – where there are few, how that a company on its own cannot have.
RED ALERT ® from BELFOR is just such a proactive if any, opportunities for back-up production – this Damage restoration companies are better placed
programme, making it possible to win back pre- reality has special significance. In these large-scale than anyone else to evaluate the characteristics of
cious time when the worst comes to pass.“ contracts, at least one in-house or external broker different production lines and departments, and
A word from the experts
–– Leo Monse Marsh RMB, is always involved – responsible for painting the supply detailed forecasts of downtime and nec-
RMB-Risk Management Beratungs-GmbH big picture of business-related risk and protection essary refurbishment activities based on differing
to those bearing the risk.“ disaster scenarios.
–– Experts at Swiss RE
“Far too many businesses are far too cavalier when Thanks to more than three decades of experience
it comes to emergency response planning and, gained on a European scale, damage restoration
in particular, how to maintain readiness (due to “In a critical economic period such as the one companies can work with companies to highlight
employee turnover, outsourcing, etc.). Time and from which European industrial companies are the “critical” areas for business continuity and de-
again, our fire protection and risk analyses reveal now emerging, the hypothesis that any damage velop an effective action plan from the outset.
elementary deficits, e.g. in the notification chain, incurred might trigger a loss in market position is
letting the public authorities and the press know a scenario feared almost to a greater extent than Against the backdrop of what has been said
as well as contacting customers and suppliers. In the damage itself. The need for business continu- above, it becomes very clear that companies who
many cases, existing safety measures – from fire ity in critical conditions such as those prevailing make a BCP or DRP are showing a high level of
dampers to sprinkler systems – are not document- after the incidence of damage finds a concrete sensitivity in terms of prevention, permitting the
ed together and are not always functional, mak- answer in the business continuity plan and disas- best possible combination of in-house safeguards
ing their availability and efficiency doubtful in the ter recovery plan, which in our view represent key and insurance coverage.“
event of an emergency. Though risk management tools for the survival of the company affected. The –– Ing. Marco Tassone,
is discussed at many companies, it is not always business continuity plan means not only keeping Assicurazioni Generali
BELFOR international journal # 2
FASTER IS ALWAYS BETTER:
A loss adjuster reports
According to John Basinger, Risk Solutions lished according to a company’s specific cir-
Manager with loss adjusters Cunningham cumstances. The value of production equip-
Lindsey, business interruption represents a ma- ment must also be known so as to be able to
jor threat to customer retention. decide in an emergency whether restoration
will be more cost-effective than buying new
Trouble ahead equipment.
If a supplier is unable to fill an order because its Think ahead
business processes are disrupted, its custom-
ers soon start looking for alternative sources If machinery and equipment have long start-
of supply. Even minor interruptions can annoy up times and companies don’t have backups,
customers so much that they drop their previ- restoration becomes extremely important, says
ous sole supplier and look elsewhere. That can Basinger. Restoration enables businesses to
have serious repercussions, stretching far be- rapidly regain full production capacity. It is es-
yond the period that business is actually inter- sential to anticipate emergencies. Companies
rupted. Loss of income and loss of reputation should weigh up which machines can be re-
are the result. It’s an opportunity that competi- placed quickly and come to arrangements with
tors usually know how to exploit. other companies who have similar equipment.
Speed of response Picking the right partner
An emergency response programme, says Bas- Working with an expert restoration partner is
inger, should be tailored to the specific sourc- a key factor in minimising business interrup-
es of risk in a company, for example, loss of a tions, says Basinger. With a proactive emer-
machine, loss of energy supply or blockage of gency response programme, the partner can
important access routes. What caused the in- be involved in the company’s risk management
terruption is secondary: What counts is speed scheme from the outset, thereby ensuring op-
of response. timum procedures from the word go.
08 | 09
Basinger says it’s important to involve staff Close cooperation between restoration com-
at all levels in the recovery plan, which needs pany and insurance company during the entire
to be continuously updated. The sequence of project is also indispensable, especially when
steps following an incident has to be estab- it comes to getting machinery back into ac-
tion quickly.
The ideal restoration company, according to
“In some circumstances, action Basinger, should be fast, transparent and cost-
needs to be taken within an hour conscious, working professionally and effec-
or so. Waiting 24 hours may not tively in close consultation with its partners
avert serious contamination or on the basis of appropriate recovery plans
and well thought-out project management. It
business interruption.“ should also be able to gauge precisely both
––John Basinger - Risk Solutions the costs and the success of a restoration
Manager, Cunningham Lindsey project and take informed decisions on the
best strategy.
STRUCTURE AND PROPERTY RESTORATION
An important factor in structure and property restoration is identifying hidden dam- STRUCTURE AND PROPERTY
RESTORATION TECHNIQUES:
age in order to avoid negative long-term effects. BELFOR’s experts rapidly identify the
• Adsorption drying
type and extent of damage and ensure that the necessary decisions are taken swiftly.
• Air dehumidification
The latest cutting-edge analysis methods and techniques for drying, decontamination, • CO2 - particle blasting
deodorisation and ozone technology are available for this. Accurate technical advice and • Condensation heat drying
extensive restoration expertise help get structures and properties repaired quickly. But • Damp blasting
• Deodorisation
that’s not all: BELFOR is also your one-stop source for other restoration-related services. • Dry blasting
As a general contractor, we coordinate all the trades needed to get a building back to • Electrical (diffusion) cleaning
work, from heating, sanitation and air conditioning contractors to painters, tilers and • Fogging for disinfection
• Fogging for odour removal
interior decorators. With an experienced BELFOR project manager as a central contact
• Hand wiping
for all parties involved, you can rest assured that everything will be fine. • High-pressure and ultra-high-pressure washing
• High-temperature steam jetting
• Impregnation
• JOS or Schmidt method
NO DELIVERY PROBLEMS – DESPITE A FIRE •
•
Low-pressure spraying
Microwave drying
Restoration of the Accuride plant in Ohio •
•
Ozone technology
Roto blasting
• Steam blasting
Fire in the plant of a major automotive sup- of the building, restoration of the machines, • Spray and vacuum extraction
• Vacuum extraction
plier: Particles of steel are visible in the flames - repair of electricity and gas supplies as well as • Wet blasting
a highly inflammable mixture. The fire rages in HVAC installations.
the production shops, destroying roof, support
structures and metal surfaces. For the plant of A 24-hour race against time Success!
one of the major international market leaders,
the blaze has devastating consequences. All its Three BELFOR USA teams work in two shifts, BELFOR USA succeed in protecting the majority
industrial equipment is hit by massive fire and 24 hours a day, with the aim of getting pro- of the machinery from corrosion and restoring
water damage, including the centrepiece of duction restarted within seven days. With the the equipment. As a result, Accuride saves the
production: machinery that is not only costly utmost care, machines and electronic equip- huge expense of buying new machines. The
but also indispensable. ment are taken apart, decontaminated and main production line is back in operation after
reassembled. seven days and full production resumes after
The energy supply is down, production is at a two weeks. The company is able to continue
standstill. BELFOR USA is on the scene immedi- supplying its customers without interruption
ately, defining the restoration scenario: corro- and meet all its orders on schedule.
Case Studies
sion protection for the machinery, stabilisation
EMERGENCY IN CHICAGO
Restoration of a high-rise office building
Downtown Chicago, October 2003. The Cook ly, BELFOR USA was contracted to restore the were involved. The workload for each day was
County Administrative Building is in flames. 12th floor, then came additional requests for precisely defined and given a deadline so that
The massive devastation coupled with the fire further storeys. An almost unrealistic timetable even the slightest departure from schedule
case study
and water damage leaves 2,500 people with- had to be met which could only be achieved would become immediately transparent. In the
out an office. The loss adjuster immediately by rapidly getting a large number of specialists end, the teams worked without any time buf-
recognises that this is a job for BELFOR USA. to Chicago. fer at all, with checks made every four hours
to see whether they were on schedule. It was
Management under pressure Strategy helps a tour de force that required a supreme effort
by all involved. BELFOR USA managed it – two
The management of the facility were under BELFOR worked out a meticulously detailed days ahead of schedule.
pressure: Important clients wanted to get back strategy. The day was split into two 10-hour
to their offices quickly, and the insurers were shifts. Plumbers, tilers, electricians, painters
pushing for a cost-effective action plan. Initial- and decorators as well as 60 removal experts
HOTEL RESTORATION
Hotel restoration is a particular type of structure and property restoration. It is important not to inconvenience guests but how
can hotel operations carry on undisturbed while things are returned to normal? The measures taken in the first 24 hours after an
incident are critical to all further action. Notably in hotels, it is vital to contain the damage to the affected areas by the immediate
measures taken: pumping out water, avoiding and promptly eliminating unpleasant odours and preventing mould formation. The
aim is to minimise the scale of the damage and prevent long-term disruption to hotel operations.
SOS IN THE HIGHLANDS
Restoration of the Hilton Dunblane Hydro Hotel in Scotland
The idyll of a Victorian hotel in the Scottish thick deposits of soot and grime. The water cleaned off site by another team and returned
Highlands was brought to a sudden halt on 5 used to extinguish the fire had also left a trail as quickly as possible.
February 2004 when fire broke out on the third of destruction.
floor and spread rapidly to the floor above. This was a complex restoration job requiring
Restoration through the precise coordination and close cooperation
Rapid help thanks to RED ALERT® staff entrance with the hotel management, insurance com-
panies and loss adjusters. Frequently, BELFOR
The day after the fire, the hotel contacted BEL- Since rooms were to be re-opened for guests had to use the staff entrance to the luxury ho-
FOR UK as the Hilton Group is a RED ALERT ® as quickly as possible, BELFOR UK had to work tel in order to minimise disruption and visibility
client. This means that BELFOR are contract- against the clock. The two damaged floors to guests. Prompt action meant BELFOR UK’s
ed to be at the scene within three hours of were closed to the public. BELFOR staff were experts soon had the prestigious hotel’s rooms
the initial phone call. The RED ALERT ® team at work in several areas of the hotel in parallel. and suites restored and returned to use.
were met by extensive fire and water damage: Arrangements were made to remove and store
heavy contamination, a penetrating smell and a large quantity of furniture so that it could be
10 | 11
Case Studies
PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB
Sometimes, good ideas are all that’s needed Restoration – with an the hotel lost none of its appeal. However,
like at a resort hotel in the USA. The prob- optical illusion BELFOR’s experts also had to deal with the
lem? Mould infestation, caused by design unpredictable such as the advent of even
faults and persistent rain. Restoration work BELFOR’s brainwave: To prevent the spread of more rain, triggering timing changes and a
case study
was urgently needed. the mould, the team built a structure for the requirement for additional staff at various
containment of the affected rooms, but in points. But despite all these challenges, the
But here is the conflict of interests: If the ho- an extremely inventive way. The “new” walls restoration timetable was maintained, and
tel were closed, the work could be completed were decorated in exactly the same style as above all: “The client was very happy with the
quickly, yet a disruption of hotel operations the existing ones so that there was no unat- results” (Mitchell Parks, BELFOR USA National
was not in the interests of the owners, the tractive visible construction site. BELFOR USA Account Manager).
insurers or the hotel guests. In particular, con- was able to carry out the work incognito,
tracts with major clients would be jeopard- while hotel life continued as normal. Guests
ised. What was to be done? never even noticed the restoration work and
SHIP RESTORATION
FIRE ON BOARD
Restoration of an Italian cruise liner
A luxury liner in Italy, shortly before its maiden der enormous pressure: If it failed to meet the
Case Studies
TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT
voyage: Fire breaks out on deck seven and the deadline, the buyer might cancel the order or RESTORATION TECHNIQUES:
smoke spreads quickly to further decks. The enforce severe penalties. • Adsorption drying
fire service soon has the blaze under control • Chemical oxidation
but to extinguish it they have to use the salty Enter BELFOR • CO2 blasting
• Condensation drying
seawater. Together with the soot, it forms a • Corrosion removal
destructive mixture: highly corrosive and there- The shipbuilder turned to BELFOR Italia, a com- • Damp blasting
fore extremely harmful to the materials used in pany with extensive experience in the restora- • Degreasing
the construction of the liner. tion of container ships and cruise liners. Within • Deodorisation
• Fogging for odour removal
12 hours BELFOR had worked out a recovery
• Fogging for disinfection
Extinguish, Plan and Restore. plan. The restoration team comprised inter-
case study
• Hand wiping
national experts from seven countries. Forty • High-pressure and ultra-high-pressure jetting
The blaze caused not only typical fire damage BELFOR specialists were in Venice a day after • High-temperature steam jetting
but BELFOR also had to counteract the corro- the incident and, soon after, their number had • Hot air drying
• JOS/Schmidt method
sion caused by the mixture of seawater and swelled to 80. The clock was ticking, but to- • Low-pressure jetting
soot under extreme time pressure. The liner gether they ensured that the ship was handed • Microwave drying
was due to be launched shortly, all spotless over precisely on time. • Ozone technology
and shipshape, to meet the requirements of a • Sanitation
• Steam blasting
demanding clientele. The shipbuilder was un-
• Water displacement
MACHINERY REPAIR AND RESTORATION
MACHINERY REPAIR AND
RESTORATION TECHNIQUES:
• Adsorption drying
• Burnishing
• CO2 blasting
• Condensation drying
• Damp blasting
• Degreasing
• Disinfection/sanitation
• Electropolishing
• Hand wiping
• High-pressure and ultra-high-pressure jetting
• High-temperature steam jetting
• Immersion
• Metal spraying
• Particle blasting (hydrogen carbonate blasting)
• (Ultrasonic) Dipping Bath
• Updates and modernisations
• Vacuum cleaning dry/wet
• Water displacement
Not everything that looks lost cannot AND SUDDENLY EVERYTHING’S AT STAKE
be saved. Often things can be restored Restoration of the Goodyear Dunlop plant in Phillipsburg
at a fraction of the cost of replace-
ment. At any rate, restoration is the
fastest way to get a business back on
its feet. When an incident happens, it Goodyear Dunlop is the biggest employer in ranges for specialist personnel and key equip- 12 | 13
is vital to protect manufacturing equip- Phillipsburg near Karlsruhe in southern Ger- ment to be brought in. A container village is
Case Studies
ment, machinery, mechanical parts and many. When the night shift begins at 10 p.m. built on the factory site. The huge amounts of
work in progress from potential corro- on 9 March 2004, the 850 employees have no water used for fire-fighting are pumped out
sion, abrasion and seizure. This is key idea that their jobs will soon be on the line. and rubble removed. 560 restoration special-
to saving a vast amount of time and At 2.47 in the morning, a fire breaks out in ists, including the BELFOR experts, work both
money. The production of spare parts the intermediate storage area. The blaze dam- day and night. Only five days after the blaze,
as well as the restoration of complex ages thousands of tyres and puts production the factory is up and running again, and the
lines out of action. Equipment, ceilings, walls first tyres begin to roll off the production line.
switchgear and control systems are all
and floors are covered with a sticky coating of
important parts of our service. Even
smouldering rubber. Restoration pays tenfold
when machinery is too seriously dam-
case study
aged, temporary decontamination and A job for the experts The restoration saved the company a huge
repair can help to bridge the gap until amount of money. Buying new machinery
replacement machines arrive, making Even as the fire fighters are extinguishing the would have cost ten times as much and in ad-
sure production can continue without blaze, the specialists from BELFOR Germany are dition, 850 jobs were saved. The company’s
interruption, at least on a limited scale. on the scene. The key question is how to get headquarters in the USA chose not to close
the plant working again as soon as possible. A the facility as the plant was back in produc-
prolonged production stoppage would mean tion within the space of five days, thanks to
closure of the plant. BELFOR immediately ar- BELFOR.
ELECTRONICS RESTORATION
Appearances are deceptive. Initially, electrical and electronic equipment may seem ELECTRONICS RESTORATION TECHNIQUES:
surprisingly resistant to contamination and corrosion, but in fact immediate help • Air circulation drying
is needed after an incident. BELFOR has been carrying out recovery services in this • CO2 snow jet cleaning
• Condensation heat drying
field for 25 years and offers complete solutions for a diverse range of systems, from • Contact cleaning and passivation
desktop PCs and power plant control systems to medical equipment and even semi- • Control cabinet restoration
conductor production. BELFOR employs the latest recovery methods and, if required, • Corrosion removal
• Dipping bath line
can even develop tailored solutions in its own technology centre. Close cooperation • Hand wiping
with manufacturers and service providers ensures that maintenance and warranty • High-pressure jetting
issues are taken into account. • Organic cleaning
• Removal of flux residues
• Vacuum drying
WORKING IN THE DUST-FREE ZONE
Restoration of the Philips semiconductor plant in Caen
On 12 December 2003, BELFOR’s Dutch sub- sive equipment as possible. The picture that even after only a few years. For Philips, there
sidiary learns that a Philips semiconductor presented itself to the BELFOR specialists was was no question of using the equipment cur-
plant is in flames. The semiconductor plant not a pretty one. The highly sensitive equip- rently on the market. Buying new equipment
manufactures computer chips in clean rooms ment was covered in a thick layer of soot but, rather than restoration of the existing would
and to extremely high technical standards. using the latest methods, BELFOR dismantled, have been vastly more expensive for the com-
Only a few hours later, the BELFOR team is cleaned and finally reassembled the parts. pany and its insurers. So restoration was the
in Caen. route taken. By the end of February, part of
Restoration in a high-speed world production was already up and running again,
Instant help! while another part of the plant was being in-
Restoration also makes sense in the world tegrated into what would become a new pro-
BELFOR Netherlands and BELFOR France erect of chips. The lightning pace of technological duction line. Directly after the fire the closure
a mobile workshop outside the Philips plant. progress means that original semiconductor of the plant was a distinct possibility but the
The aim is to rescue as much of the expen- manufacturing equipment is hard to replace, restoration helped to secure its future.
Case Studies
NASA UNDER WATER
Restoration of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland
A broken cooling water pipe was to blame in Wanted: business continuity
this incident. It flooded the NASA Goddard
Space Flight Centre to a depth of 6 inches over BELFOR temporarily relocated the communi-
an area of 35,000 square feet. Damage limita- cations network and all the electronic equip-
case study
tion is the first priority in such an emergency ment and set about restoring it as NASA did
so for BELFOR USA, that meant pumping out not want to buy new equipment. The whole
the water, drying the equipment and storing operation lasted two months. The disruption of
it in another part of the facility. It was clear business was ended within a few days, all the
that the flooded floor would be inaccessible technical equipment was up and running again
for some time, but it was important that work within a week and restoration of the building
at the space flight and scientific centre could took a further seven weeks.
continue as usual.
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14 | 15
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Imprint
Responsible for the content: BELFOR International GmbH, Franz-Haniel-Platz 6-8, 47119 Duisburg; Person to contact: Cornelia Meyer von Bremen;
Source of information: BELFOR International GmbH; Picturecredits: BELFOR International GmbH, Cover: Corbis; Release: 12/2004;
For further information: internationaljournal@belfor.com