Should tissue converters order OEM or non-OEM spare parts?

It’s an age-old dilemma for tissue converters: use OEM spare parts or non-OEM spare parts? Cost often drives many to decide upon the latter and, just as often, they usually come to regret it.

Why?  Non-OEM spare parts tend to underperform. As a result, any upfront cost savings are offset by how those parts may negatively impact the total cost of ownership (TCO), particularly:

• Warranty Coverage: Will using non-OEM parts void equipment warranties?
• Maintenance: Will using non-OEM parts translate to more required maintenance and costly production delays or line shutdowns?
• Spare Parts/Inventory: What is the likelihood replacing one non-OEM part with another will be a long-term solution rather than a quick fix?

Even cursory answers to these questions likely put a new spin on the “savings” non-OEM parts provide. They also likely put the true cost of OEM parts into perspective, particularly as it relates to TCO.

Unlike non-OEM “best fits,” genuine OEM parts are designed to the precise specifications of tissue converting equipment. Using them as replacements, then, ensures:

• Performance that isn’t “comparable” to the original, but rather a perfect fit that works exactly like it.
• Suitability for tissue converting equipment, in general, as well as for specific applications and operating conditions. There's no guesswork, no misaligned parts that wear out prematurely, incur more frequent repair and present a greater risk to production.
• Longevity bolstered by using the appropriate materials, design, and engineering to maximize durability and promote long-term, efficient operation.
• Quality that is unparalleled because there is no deviation between the original OEM part and its replacement. This is a key consideration when stocking your spare parts inventory.

As a whole, the advantages genuine OEM parts provide to tissue converting production lines and to the TCO aren’t mutually exclusive. The investment pays for itself in savings over time, including the convenience of online ordering of genuine OEM spare parts.

Ordering OEM parts from Valmet is now easier than ever for customers with the launch of the new Spare Parts Webshop. The new Webshop provides an Amazon-like buying experience. Users have access to 80,000 parts, as well as machine line information, technical interventions, recommended upgrades, and training courses.