Going the Extra Mile by Cathy Kopanski
 

Recently, the fuels, refinery and oilfield products group presented Hoffmeier, Inc. with an award recognizing the company's willingness to "go the extra mile" for Lubrizol's 54 customers.
 

Presulfiding can be a messy business. That's why refinery owners appreciate Lubrizol's SuIfrZol 54 presulfiding chemistry. It's cost effective, safe, easy to handle and has no offensive odor.
 

But Lubrizol provides more than just chemistry. Our SulfrZol 54 injection service, offered exclusively through Hoffmeier, Inc., a specialty trucking company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is making life in the refinery a little easier.
 

Presulfiding is the process of activating the catalyst in hydrotreating reactors by means of a presulfiding agent, like SulfrZol 54. Because SulfrZol 54 is so easy to use, our customers have numerous shipping and injection options. Often, they choose to inject the product themselves, but occasionally they need additional service.
 

That's where Hoffmeier enters the picture. Under direction of the refinery, Hoffmeier's trained technicians use proprietary pumping equipment to inject SulfrZol 54 under conditions ranging from low (less than 75 psi) to very high (over 2,500 psi) pressure. While our competitors offer similar assistance, they have difficulty matching the variety and quality of service Hoffmeier provides.
 

That level of service is paying off. "Earlier this year, we received an emergency request from a large refinery," said Dave Roberts, product manager. "Their regular presulfiding supplier was unable to provide the type of high-pressure injection service they needed, and they wanted to know if we could help. That's when we contacted Hoffmeier."

Despite the short notice, the company was able to get to the refinery and complete the project in a manner that far exceeded the customer's expectations. The result was a real plus for Lubrizol. "Hoffmeier's performance opened the door for us and we are now in negotiations to become a preferred supplier for this refinery," Roberts said.
 

"By going the extra mile together, we can provide special equipment and trained crews to save the refining industry time and money," said Kermit Hoffmeier, president of Hoffmeier, Inc.
 

Hoffmeier's service area is limited to the United States, Canada and Mexico. In Europe, a team of Lubrizol employees based in Bromborough provides similar on-site service.
 

Since its introduction in the early 1990s, the popular SulfrZol product series has consistently exceeded expectations, with annual growth of more than 25 percent. Plans are to move beyond the refinery market to the larger and more demanding ethylene furnace sulfiding market. This increased potential customer base includes such major commodity chemical marketers as Exxon Chemical, Dow and Chevron Chemical.
 

The fuels, refinery and oilfield products group is confident that with the continued support of suppliers like Hoffmeier we will continue to provide products and services that exceed customer expectations.