Q&A with Bruno Peix: Complete stationary solutions beyond equipment

Q1: What is your area of responsibility within Metso?

I am Vice President of Systems, Aggregates Equipment Business Area.

Q2: What does the word ‘Systems’ mean to customers?

Systems is a full crushing and screening solution beyond equipment. We deliver our customers complete stationary solutions. We serve mainly the aggregates market, but we also deliver plants for the mining industry. Systems means a combination of equipment: it is provided with the coordination of the products and services, together with a full performance guarantee. There are about 100 people around the world working for Systems. Our “team” is mainly based in France and India, but we also have experts in Australia, China, Italy and Germany.

Q3: What is the brief history behind the Systems solutions?

Metso has always been producing Systems, in a way – already since the beginning of the 20th century. Today, the demand is growing very fast all over the world. We offer solutions for both greenfield and brownfield plants. The greenfield projects are totally new, tailor-made plants; they are our key offering. In brownfield projects, our objective is to improve the efficiency and performance of the existing plant – and everything is done in collaboration with the customer.

Q4: There have been a lot of developments in the offering in your area of responsibility. Could you tell a little more about what they are?

We decided to change the naming of our offering to be more unique. Now it describes our products better than just “Systems”. Metso PrimeSite™ was chosen for the tailor-made solution and Metso SiteBooster™ was chosen for our brownfield solution.

Q5: What are the benefits to the customer?

There are many meanings behind the word “prime.” Our solution is fully tailored to our customer’s needs. It is more than just the delivery of a plant. It is a joint journey together with our customer – from their first idea until the very end of the plant life cycle. With a fully committed companion such as Metso, the journey is much smoother.

The project delivery is based on transparency and honesty; we want to make sure our customers always know what they are getting for their money. By offering them the best selection of market-leading crushers and screens, combined with wide industry know-how, they are able to produce high-quality products cost-efficiently.

Our SiteBooster solution allows our customers to unlock their current plant potential and give new life to their old plant. We can offer smart, cost-efficient upgrades or extensions.

Replacing the old machines and changing some of the end products makes it possible to get better productivity, capacity, quality and uptime – and to comply with the newest regulations. We make sure that all this is done with minimal disruption to the current operations.

Q6: What is included in the solution package?

The solution “package” can include, e.g., project management, installation, site advisory services, and basic product training.

Our offering is like a set of shelves from which our customers can pick and choose what they need. It can be detailed engineering, steel structures, conveyors, electrical equipment, automation, buildings, logistics, external equipment, site construction…you name it.

Q7: Where have we delivered Systems?

We have delivered our solutions all over the world and in all range of conditions: from +50°C in the hot desert to -50°C cold in Siberia, and from Papua New Guinea to no-man’s land in Kazakhstan, or just 20 km from our factory in Mâcon. That’s why every plant is different.

Q8: What is unique to the Metso offering?

Our process expertise is the key to the success. However, the best results are always achieved in collaboration with the customer. This includes transparent communication and constant cooperation. I prefer to use the words collaboration and shared journey – they describe much better how much a large tailor-made plant project differs from a single unit equipment delivery.

In addition, our offering is very broad: we can provide both standard and predesigned solutions with fast delivery and complete tailor-made solutions and plant optimization.

Q9: What type of feedback have you heard from the field?

Considering the complexity of the projects, there will always be also challenges along the way, but at the end of the day, most of our customers are happy with our collaboration and the shared journey. We never leave the site before our work is done. And then the Metso service team takes care of the plant for the rest of its “life.” We ensure that the customer experience is always first class.

Q10: How do you see the future in the field?

I see a positive development for PrimeSite and SiteBooster. As the population is growing, so is the need for aggregates. Urbanization continues to drive infrastructure spending and global demand for minerals. We just have to be there and continue serving our customers.

Q11: What is the best thing about your work?

I am passionate about my job. I have worked at Metso for 12 years. Every day is different, every customer is different, every site is different, and I really enjoy working as part of a global team.

Q12: Do you have some personal memory to share with us?

One special memory is with our customer CMGO / Colas in Lotodé. It’s a 10-year-long relationship – the longest relationship I have had with a customer during my career at Metso. The story we have together is unique. A plant delivery in France is never easy. We experienced many challenges, but ultimately we achieved everything in the right way through the collaboration with our customer.