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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