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COVER STORYBernard offersexpertise in depthAccording to the popularsaying a picture can tell morethan a thousand words. In thecase of L. Bernard S.A., thenthe picture would have to showat least an oil field, a nuclearpower plant, a water treatmentstation and a road tunnel –such is the incredible range ofapplications where Bernard’sactuators are specified. Thereal artistic challenge, ofcourse, would be to portray thein-depth expertise that Bernardroutinely applies when servingprojects. To find out moreabout this expertise, ValveWorld visited Bernard’sheadquarters in Gonesse,France.By David SearThink electric actuators and Bernardwill be a name that immediatelysprings to mind. After all, thecompany has been developing andmanufacturing electric actuators for overhalf a century.Throughout those yearsBernard has established a loyal clientele,confirms Marketing Manager Mr FabienLemaitre with a wry smile. “As you mayknow, Bernard is sometimes still perceivedas a quality supplier of small electricactuators.That is of course both gratifyingand true but it is certainly not the wholetruth! Today our range also encompassesmuch larger actuators as well. Moreover,we have developed from being simply anOEM into fully-fledged solutionsproviders.With our vast expertise we canreally bring benefits to our clients at eachstage of long-term and complex projects.”Of course, this begs the question aboutwhen and where clients should askBernard to become involved in theirprojects. Mr Lemaitre gives an immediateand emphatic answer.“At just about everystage! And ideally, we should be contactedas soon as possible. Projects cansometimes be very complicated withnumerous parties, such as the end user,the engineering firm, the contractor, thevalve manufacturer, etc, who may havedifferent objectives. We can give them allimpartial advice on crucial design details,such as the most appropriate actuatortechnology for each specific MOV(motor-operated valve), possibleenvironmental constraints and also howto interface with the control system. Soalthough the actual purchaser may be thevalvemaker or systems integrator, wewant to ensure that the ultimate client –the end user – receives a valve-actuatorcombination that does the job heexpects.”Proactive, not reactiveAt Bernard, a lot of thought goes intoactuator selection. Mr Lemaitre: “we arenot simply looking for an actuator thatmeets the project specifications. We wantto identify the actuator that will deliverlong-term, reliable operation. So weconsider the appropriate actuatortechnology, the best configuration, thesizing and of course how the actuator willinterface with the valve.The wholeobjective is to be proactive, not reactive.Cost savings in projects come fromgetting the early stages right. Hence weengage in discussions with end users atthe earliest possible moment to fullyunderstand their expectations and pick upon possible future issues.Then we candevelop tailor-made actuation solutionsthat meet their needs.”Nor does Bernard’s commitment to itscustomers end after the moment of sale.Recognizing that on-site activities can alsobe critical to ensuring project success,Bernard has established a global team ofspecialists to provide assistance duringactuator installation, set-up, start-up andtraining. Mr Lemaitre: “properlyintegrating MOVs into control systemscan be a complex operation and that isprecisely where our expertise can deliverhuge benefits.We are therefore mostwilling to provide help even at this latestage to prevent costly start-up delays.”The key word to providing on-site serviceis of course proximity.That means havingqualified staff at locations world-wide. MrLemaitre: “of course we have a multilingualstaff here in Gonesse. However,you cannot beat having personnel withineasy reach of clients’ locations and whospeak the local language. For that reasonin 2009 weappointed anadditional engineerat our Dubai officeand also opened anew office inMoscow.” As anaside, Mr Lemaitrepoints out thatBernard already hasa massive installed base of actuators inRussia thanks to indirect sales. Heforesees future growth in many areas: notjust oil and gas, but also district heating,water and steel mills.Technology-drivenBernard is known as a technology-drivencompany and rightly so. It launched anintelligent actuator – the Intelli+ - almosta decade ago and also failsafe actuatorswhich have proven very popular inremote locations.The company continuesto invest strongly in research, according toGeneral Sales Manager Mr Jean-YvesPinvidic. “Within Bernard, our goal is todevelop new products that better meetclient’s existing and future needs.Wewant to be prepared in advance forWe focus exclusivelyon electric actuators.That gives us in-depthproduct knowledge.“”Large ST Intelli+ actuators on 30” Class 1500 ball valves.challenging applications. For example,about a year ago we launched our ST220,which is a very large multi-turn actuatorthat enables us to motorize valves ofalmost any size.”In that light, Mr Pinvidic notes that ST220models wererecently installed onmassive 30 inch,Class 1500 ballvalves used in acrude oil gatheringcentre. He furtheradds that in suchcases electricactuators are notonly significantly smaller and lighter thanalternatives but more cost-effective aswell. “For many pipeline valves electricactuators are the most flexible solution,especially for remote areas where there isno direct access to say compressed air. Invery isolated spots actuators can also bedriven using solar panels. Our electricunits are also being used in preference togas-over-oil models for gas pipelines inenvironmentally sensitive areas.”Another exciting new technicaldevelopment which Bernard is set torelease is the so-called Master Station.These units can interface multipleactuators to the customer’s DCS. MrPinvidic: “Fieldbus capability has alreadybecome an important requirement formany new projects.The Master Station18 January/February 2010www.valve-world.netwww.valve-world.net January/February 2010 19

COVER STORYCOVER STORYfacilitates the connection of remoteactuators in say a refinery to the centralcontrol room. The advantage for the clientis that the Master Station gives full controlto operate the system without swampingthe DCS with unnecessary input. So theDCS stays as it should be: a high-endsystem. On top of that, local staff hasdirect access tokey informationthey need toperformmaintenanceactivities, etc.”If further proofwere needed ofBernard’stechnologycredentials, thensimply comparethe newlyapproved European Standard for ElectricActuators (EN15714-2) with Bernard’sown in-house classification system. Thiswas developed by Bernard many yearsago to better reflect actuator applications.Mr Pinvidic: “Previously, actuators wereseen as either performing on/off ormodulating duties. However, there can betremendous differences betweenmodulating actuators. In a watertreatment facility for example theactuators may only operate infrequentlyand are not required to give precisecontrol. In a nuclear power plant,however, actuators on feedwater dutymay be specified for continuous, fast andprecise operation. We thereforedeveloped modulating classes that reflectthese variations and also offer a commonlanguage for buyers and manufacturers tocommunicate. That this system has realmerit is amply shown by the willingness ofother manufacturers to use it and the factit was also adopted by the WorkingGroup responsible for EN15714-2.”World-scale projectsThanks to its track-record of productquality, technological capabilities andcustomer service, Bernard has literallydozens of approvals from industry leadersplus very extensive project references.Asked to provide some examples,General Secretary Mrs Christine Bernardquickly runs off a list. “We have justcompleted deliveries to a refinery storagerevamp project in Estonia, for example.Here, the owners were looking tomodernize the plant and gain benefitsfrom introducing a digital control system.In fact, we were on-site on two separateoccasions. Firstly we visited the site toassess the installed valves and determineappropriate actuation solutions and laterwe returned to monitor installation andcommissioning.”Bernard has also“We continue to innovateeach day. As a mediumsized company we havethe resources and flexibilityto respond quickly tocustomer requests.”made regulardeliveries toFrance’s newestnuclear powerplant inFlamanville. MrsBernard: “evenwhen nuclearprojects were fewand far betweenwe never stoppedthe further evolution of our actuators sowe could immediately respond with thevery best technology when this plantparticular was announced. Now, as worldleaders look to reduce carbon dioxideemissions, nuclear power could be veryfirmly back on the agenda. With actuatorssuited to all nuclear plant designs and aninstalled base around the globe, weremain fully geared to serving thisindustry.”Stable power supplies and a cleanerenvironment are of course majorconcerns for governments world-wide.On-site training is crucial to ensure project success.VIDEO INTERVIEWwith Mr Etienne BernardCheck out our exclusive interviewwith the president of Bernard.www.valve-world.net/bernard.aspxAnother issue many are facing is ensuringthere is enough clean water for people todrink. Mrs Bernard: “we are seeing anincreasing interest in desalination plants,especially in the Middle East. Again, wehave the appropriate level of technologyto offer and recently supplied actuators tothe Marafiq IWPP Jubail facility in SaudiArabia. Finally, people travelling throughthe Gotthard Tunnel might like to notethat we supplied 500 actuators for thesafety systems there. All these projectsunderline our capacity to assist majorprojects world-wide with a combinationof products, technology and service. Ouraim is to use all our expertise to helpengineers select the most appropriate,long-lasting actuator for each application.”Actuator with Intelli+non intrusive controls.InnovationBringing the meeting to a close, companyPresident Mr Etienne Bernard sums upwhat he believes are important factorsbehind Bernard’s successes. “Firstly, as anorganization we focus exclusively onelectric actuators. That gives us in-depthproduct knowledge. Furthermore, wehave market specialists who focus on oneindustry only. By working with, forexample, the oil and gas industry day in,day out, they have gained an unparalleledunderstanding of the specificrequirements of each application. After all,an actuator fitted to an oil pipeline maybe required to deliver a totally differentclosing speed than one fitted to a waterpipeline, for example. Ultimately, the enduser has a process which he wants to beable to run as efficiently as possible. Ourjob is to help him, by providing reliable,low maintenance actuators.”Like other globally active manufacturers,Bernard is closely following thedevelopment of the Dollar and Eurozones. Mr Bernard confirms his vision ofhaving a strong manufacturing and salespresence in both areas. France, however,will remain the centre for R&D activities.Mr Bernard: “the important thing is thatwe continue to innovate each day. As amedium sized company we have theresources and flexibility to respondquickly to customer requests. Forexample, we recently developed a uniqueactuator for a boiler application. Thestarting point was our proven technologywhich we adapted to this particularenvironment. As we tell our clients: if youcan dream it, then we can make it!”Mr Bernard is therefore quietly confidentabout the future. “As we emerge fromthe crisis there is growing demandfor actuators. Bernard’s aim is tomaintain a leading position innuclear power and also tosupport customers in key sectorssuch as oil and gas as well asgeneral industry. We will do so byremaining fully independent anddelivering the required technology. Inthe future I expect to see furtherintegration of intelligence and controlsinto the actuator itself. Our MasterStation is one step along that road. Watchthis space, for here at Bernard we haveplenty of exciting and visionary ideas.”Facts & FiguresName:L. Bernard SAHeadquarters:Gonesse, France (Paris area)Manufacturing sites: Europe: Gonesse and Grandvilliers (France)Americas: Houston (USA)Asia: Beijing (China)Distribution:Subsidiaries in Belgium, China, Germany, Italy, TheNetherlands, Spain, USA and offices in Russia, Thailandand UAEDistributors:In over 40 countriesProducts:Electric actuators (quarter-turn, multi-turn, modulating,failsafe, intelligent controls, fieldbus communication,additional gearboxes),Quality certifications: ISO 9001-2000, CSA, GOST-R, GGTN, CE, NEMA,ATEX, Germanischer Lloyd, ABS, and many moreNuclear certifications: IEEE, RCC-E, KTAMain applications: Thermal & nuclear power, oil & gas, water treatment,industry automation, shipbuildingMain clients:End users, engineering companies, valve manufacturers,systems integratorsSales: ~ 40 million EUR in 2009Employees: 320Introducing Mr. Jeff BrickerAfter several years of experience in the oil and gas industry, anda background in mechanical engineering, Mr. Jeff Bricker joinedL.Bernard's US subsidiary - Bernard Controls Inc. - as GeneralManager this January.Established in Houston since the 1980's, the L.Bernard groupwill certainly rely on this new support to strengthen its electricactuators business in America.20 January/February 2010www.valve-world.netwww.valve-world.net January/February 2010 21