A Jewel in the Crowne

Pride was the first thing that came to mind when I stayed at the Crowne Plaza in Muscat, Oman in June 2019.

For at this hotel, thirty years ago, Epco provided the then Gulf Hotel with a packaged sewage treatment plant (STP) to treat sewage for the guests and staff quarters of the hotel. The plant is still in operation to this day.

In 1989 this Road Train STP was one of twenty package plants installed by us in Oman during that period.

Like most companies, Hydroflux Epco prides itself on providing robust solutions that have long life spans. Many companies promote the fact but few have the references to back it up. In our case, Hydroflux Epco promises and delivers in bucket loads. Hydroflux has quite a long list of sites now moving in to their 30’s and 40’s.

Providing a long lasting robust treatment solution takes more than just our efforts to supply a durable solution. Robust longevity also comes from tradesman like installation such as that provided by our in-country agents, Bahwan Engineering, and it follows on to consistent operation and well managed, appropriately scheduled maintenance. Such operation and maintenance was clearly demonstrated in my short visit to the Crowne Plaza site. Afonso Tadeu, the maintenance manager of the Crowne Plaza, first started employment at the hotel thirty years ago as the operator of the STP and, over time, has worked his way up the ladder to now be in charge of all assets on the property.

Pride extends not only to returning to the site but also in the fact that the client still had the original drawings and installation manual in mint condition. Both Afonso and myself took a moment to reflect on my own personal satisfaction to see the pipe work that I put together those many years ago when I was at the beginning of my own career. What was even better was the fact it was still working without any leaks.

Today’s site visit reinforced the Hydroflux Epco belief that having a robust quality design is not the only factor to ensure assets stand the test of time. It takes team work at all stages of the entire life cycle of an asset from quality construction through to installation, operation, maintenance and after sales support to create the formula for assets that last.

The accompanying photos give you a picture of the plant now as of 2019 as well as the original operator and the original fitter (Afonso and myself). Between you and me, I think the Hydroflux Epco STP and the Crowne Hotel have aged the best out of all the characters in the story.