Equipment supplier recommended by the design institute

There is nothing wrong with design institutes recommending suppliers; many of them are those that have performed well in previous EPC projects and are therefore recommended.

The recommended ones are quite good; they have basically been used before, so one knows how the quality and service are.

Generally speaking, large and well-known manufacturers will go to design institutes to recommend their products; it’s not impossible that the designers might have ulterior motives. You still need to consider your requirements regarding processing equipment. In most cases, the equipment is quite standard, though there are a few exceptions where the equipment is more complex. It’s a good idea to listen to the recommendations of design institutes for the key and essential equipment, but the final decision still lies with the client themselves

If there are existing similar devices, they all have their own lists of suppliers

The design institute does have a certain eye for quality

But our institute has not made any overt recommendations. What was said above is correct: if you work in an industry, you surely know which companies in that industry are doing well. There is a list of suppliers, and bids are generally submitted by those companies. Design institutes usually suggest new technologies to the clients, who then decide whether to adopt them or not

The design institute recommends a short list of manufacturers, and these are generally manufacturers whose products are reliable. The recommendation from the design institute serves as a guarantee of the manufacturers’ quality. But as for whether there’s any foul play, it’s hard to say. It’s better to have something shady than to end up with a random manufacturer chosen without the owner’s knowledge.

For key equipment, consider the recommendations from the design institute

The design institute will be very happy to recommend equipment manufacturers to you

It’s not clear whether you are the owner or the EPC contractor, but in any case, whenever possible, try not to let the design institute recommend suppliers. It’s not that what they recommend is necessarily bad, but rather that it has almost become an unwritten rule in the industry for design firms to collude with suppliers. Many suppliers simply ignore the contractors and contact the design institute directly. It also happens from time to time that the equipment model is listed directly on the design drawings. And if you ask a design firm to recommend one for you, it’s also a difficult situation for a reputable design firm, as it’s hard to clarify the relationship involved. As for what you mentioned (that the structure of the design institute is quite special), special attention needs to be paid in such cases. Unless it is a highly unique process or process package that requires the design institute to develop a very special piece of equipment that only one specific manufacturer can produce, can you really say that there is no collusion between that manufacturer and the design institute? As a design manager for the owner or general contractor, one of their key tasks is to prevent situations where only one supplier meets the technical requirements, or where the drawings contain information indicating a specific manufacturer.