Major offshore and process engineering projects run on tight, interlocking schedules. A long lead time on even one valve can delay fabrication, installation, and commissioning downstream – putting the project completion date, and the budget behind it, at risk.
When this happens, switching manufacturer mid-project is sometimes the only viable option. The challenge is doing it without derailing the schedule, or losing the confidence of whoever has to sign off the change.
Colson Valves supports companies through exactly that process: replacing an existing, approved manufacturer with an equivalent, fully certified alternative, backed by everything needed to get a technical query through approval quickly.
What a manufacturer change requires
A credible case for switching supplier rarely comes down to price or delivery date alone. Whoever is approving the change – a lead discipline engineer, an EPC contractor, the end client – needs to see, item by item, that the replacement matches the original specification in every respect that counts. That typically means:
- A full commercial proposal and manufacturer’s letter
- Technical datasheets confirming configuration, materials, pressure rating and design against the original spec
- Country of origin confirmation
- Fire safety and pressure test certification
- A project reference list showing a track record on comparable work
Colson prepares this as a complete package built to answer the specific query being raised, so the company making the switch can take it straight into their approval process without having to chase down supporting evidence themselves.
A recent example
This is exactly the support Colson provided for a vendor on an offshore flow metering package, when the DBB valves originally specified from another UK manufacturer had a lead time that put the project completion date at risk.
Colson supplied a full technical and commercial package – including datasheets, firesafe certification to ISO 10497, pressure test certification, and a reference list spanning operators such as BP, Shell and ExxonMobil – allowing the vendor to put forward a credible case for the switch.
Built for the pace projects run at
Manufacturer change requests are almost always raised under time pressure, and marked urgent for good reason.
Colson’s ability to turn round a complete, accredited documentation package quickly is what makes switching to us a realistic option.
A recognised route when your current supplier can’t deliver
Whether the issue is lead time, cost, or capacity, moving away from an existing supplier doesn’t need to mean months of delay or a gap in your documentation. Colson can supply the valve and the full evidence package your approval process needs, quickly.
If you’re considering a manufacturer change on a current project, talk to our team.