OEM Belt Replacement Solved in 24 Hours for Specialist Packaging Manufacturer

The Challenge

A customer was experiencing supply issues with timing belts and pulleys fitted to machinery on site

Historically, these parts had been supplied directly by the machinery OEM. However, this route had become difficult for the customer to manage, with long lead times, high costs and limited flexibility. Each replacement belt was costing approximately £400, with an expected delivery time of five to six weeks.

When the customer contacted ACORN’s North East branch, they needed a fast reliable solution. The belts had to be correctly identified before replacements could be soured, and the customer was under pressure to get the machinery back up and running as quickly as possible.

The Solution

Courtney Anderson at ACORN’s North East branch took ownership of the enquiry and acted quickly

As the belts could not be identified from the information available, Courtney used ACORN’s strong supplier relationships to arrange for a key belt supplier to visit the customer’s site the following day. This ensured the belts could be inspected and identified accurately, reducing the risk of incorrect parts being ordered.

Once the required belts had been confirmed, Courtney placed the order that same afternoon. The replacement belts were delivered directly to the customer’s site the next morning.

The Outcome

The belts were fitted the same day they arrived, and the customer confirmed that they worked perfectly

By working with ACORN, the customer now has a faster and more cost-effective route for sourcing replacement timing belts. Instead of relying solely on the OEM, they can order the correct parts through ACORN at a significantly reduced cost and with a much shorter lead time.

The result was a saving of £393.86 per belt, a lead time reduction of approximately five weeks, same-day replacement once the belts had arrived, a reliable supply route for future requirements, and reduced risk of extended downtime.

This is a clear example of ACORN’s local branch network, technical support and supplier relationships working together to solve a customer’s problem quickly.

With branches positioned across the UK and access to a broad range of industrial products, ACORN helps customers reduce downtime, identify suitable alternatives and find practical savings across a wide range of industries.