An unobtainable bearing, a mechanical seal “on order” for six weeks, a drive down due to a control board worth a few hundred euros: on industrial and mining sites in Burkina Faso, most prolonged shutdowns are not caused by the failure itself, but by the time spent obtaining the right part. Securing the procurement of industrial supplies is therefore not an administrative matter: it is a direct lever for plant availability. Here is a four-step method to decide what to stock, in what quantities, as OEM or equivalent parts, and from whom.
Why industrial procurement is a distinct issue in Burkina Faso
Spare-parts management rules are universal, but their parameters change radically depending on where the plant is located. In Burkina Faso, three realities combine:
- A landlocked country. Most imported equipment and consumables arrive via the ports of Abidjan, Lomé, Tema, or Cotonou, then by road corridor. In addition to the manufacturer’s lead time, there are ocean freight, port handling, transit, and customs clearance. The actual “order → part on site” lead time is often measured in weeks, and sometimes in months for an item not stocked in Europe.
- An environment that wears parts faster. Harmattan dust, heat, abrasive materials in mines and cement plants: filters, bearings, seals, belts, and conveyor belts wear faster than standard OEM maintenance schedules anticipate.
- An unstable power grid. Repeated outages and restarts put stress on motors, drives, and control electronics. Electrical spare-part needs are therefore less predictable—hence the value of protecting your equipment against load shedding upstream.
As a result, a stock policy copied from that of a European plant—supplied within 48 hours by a local distributor—will inevitably lead to stockouts. You must plan around your lead times and your wear rates.
Step 1: identify what is truly critical
Stocking everything is expensive; stocking nothing leads to shutdowns. The most robust method combines two simple classifications.
ABC classification: where the money goes
Items are sorted by annual consumption value (price × quantity). Typically, a small share of items (Class A) represents most of the stock value, while a large volume of small supplies (Class C) represents little. This classification shows where to monitor tied-up capital.
VED classification: what the absence of the part costs
Each item is then rated based on the impact of its absence on production: Vital (its absence stops a line or a site), Essential (it degrades production or safety), Desirable (its absence is inconvenient, but manageable). This classification—not the price—determines whether the item should be kept in stock.
| Profile | Typical examples | Recommended policy |
|---|---|---|
| Vital, high value | Mill motor, process pump impeller, drive power board | Dedicated spare or shared across sites, with item-level tracking |
| Vital, low value | Bearings, seals, fuses, safety sensors | Always in stock, with a generous safety stock: holding cost is negligible compared to downtime |
| Essential | Belts, filters, conveyor rollers, gaskets | Stock calculated based on actual consumption + actual lead time |
| Desirable | Small tools, common workshop consumables | Purchase on demand or via consolidated orders |
The “vital but inexpensive” intersection is the one most often overlooked—and the one that causes the most absurd shutdowns: an entire line immobilized for a standard bearing.
Step 2: size stock using actual lead time, not catalogue lead time
For items with regular consumption, two figures are sufficient:
- Safety stock, which absorbs consumption variability during the replenishment lead time: SS = z × σ × √L, where σ is the standard deviation of consumption per period, L is lead time in number of periods, and z is the coefficient for the target service level (about 1.65 for 95%, 2.33 for 99%).
- Reorder point: average consumption × lead time + safety stock. As soon as stock falls below this threshold, you reorder.
Worked example. A site consumes an average of 4 bearings of a given reference per month, with a standard deviation of 2. Observed actual lead time: 3 months. For a 95% service level: SS ≈ 1.65 × 2 × √3 ≈ 6 bearings; reorder point = 4 × 3 + 6 = 18. The same calculation using the “catalogue” lead time of 2 weeks would yield a reorder point of about 4: the difference between the two is the stockout.
Three practical rules complement the formula. Measure lead time end to end, from issuing the purchase request to receipt on site. Review it annually, as it varies with logistics conditions and seasonality (road access during the rainy season). Finally, for vital parts with infrequent consumption, the formula does not apply: the decision is “one spare or not,” comparing its cost to the cost of a shutdown over the full lead time.
Step 3: OEM part or equivalent part?
The question arises with every order, and the right answer is neither “always OEM” nor “always the cheapest.” It depends on how standardized the part is.
| Category | Acceptable equivalent? | Key watchpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Bearings, standardized belts, O-rings, fasteners | Yes, among recognized major brands | Standardized dimensions (ISO 15 for radial bearings), but internal clearance, cage, lubricant, and precision class must be respected |
| Mechanical seals, pump impellers, conveyor wear parts | Case by case | Materials (elastomers, carbides, steel grades) suited to the fluid or ore |
| Power electronics, control boards, sensors and transmitters | Rarely | Firmware compatibility, parameter settings, certification; prioritize the OEM part |
| Equipment under warranty | To be avoided | Risk of voiding the warranty: check contract terms |
The real danger is not a quality equivalent part; it is counterfeiting. Bearings are particularly targeted, to the point that major manufacturers have launched an international awareness campaign against counterfeit bearings via the World Bearing Association. A counterfeit bearing looks like the original and has an attractive price, but an unpredictable service life. The only reliable safeguard is traceability: buy from authorized distributors or partners able to prove the origin of the goods.
Step 4: structure the supplier relationship
Once needs have been defined, the next step is to organize purchasing. A few practices make a measurable difference to lead times and errors:
- Build a reliable technical database. Photograph nameplates, record exact OEM references, keep bills of materials up to date: half of delays come from a part ordered based on an approximate description and then received non-compliant.
- Standardize the equipment fleet where possible. Fewer brands and models for the same function means fewer items to stock and more interchangeable parts between machines.
- Prepare planned shutdowns like projects. List the parts for a major shutdown several months in advance, place a single consolidated order, and inspect on receipt before the shutdown.
- Consolidate with a multi-brand partner. Using multiple suppliers for each category dilutes follow-up and increases transport costs. A single point of contact able to source multiple brands, consolidate shipments, and verify references upstream reduces both lead times and the risk of error.
Supply categories to prioritize
On a typical industrial or mining site, the most costly stockouts are concentrated in a few equipment categories:
- Electric motors: bearings, fans, terminal boxes, and for critical motors, a spare motor. The choice between repair and replacement also determines the stock to hold: see our method for deciding between rewinding and replacing an electric motor.
- Variable speed drives: cooling fans, cabinet filters, spare modules recommended by the manufacturer. Their sensitivity to heat and dust is a decisive factor, discussed in our analysis of the real relevance of a variable speed drive.
- Pumps: mechanical seals, impellers, wear rings, bearings. Abnormally high impeller consumption often indicates a hydraulic issue rather than a purchasing issue—this is typically the case with centrifugal pump cavitation.
- Conveying: rollers, pulley lagging, scrapers, belt splices. In mining, these are fast-turnover wear parts to be managed using our guidelines to prevent conveyor belt wear.
- Instrumentation: level and pressure sensors and transmitters installed at critical points, whose absence forces operations to run “blind.” Technology choice affects replacement frequency, as shown in our comparison of radar vs. ultrasonic level measurement in a silo.
Frequently asked questions
What stock level should be planned for a very expensive vital part?
Compare the cost of the part (and holding it) with the cost of a shutdown over the full replenishment lead time. If a three-month shutdown costs more than the part, a spare unit is justified. Across a group of sites, sharing a pooled spare part is often the best solution.
Should you buy locally or import directly?
For standard, fast-moving supplies, local availability takes priority. For specific technical parts, a partner that sources directly from manufacturers and consolidates shipments avoids multiple intermediaries, approximate references, and the extra costs of split transport.
How can you spot a counterfeit part upon receipt?
Check the packaging, markings (clear engraving consistent with the reference), documentation, and above all the source. Manufacturers often provide authenticity verification tools. If in doubt, do not install the part on critical equipment.
How long does it take to overhaul a stock policy?
An initial ABC × VED classification of critical equipment can be completed in a few weeks if consumption data exist in the CMMS or purchase history. The longest step is often making the installed equipment’s technical references reliable.
From reactive purchasing to controlled procurement
Securing the procurement of industrial supplies means replacing urgency with anticipation: knowing which parts are vital, holding stock calculated on actual lead time, making an informed choice between OEM and equivalent, and relying on partners able to guarantee the provenance of what they deliver.
GEMCO supports industrial operators, mines, and worksites in Burkina Faso and West Africa across this chain: reference identification, multi-brand sourcing, order consolidation, and follow-up through to delivery. As the exclusive representative in Burkina Faso for WEG, VEGA, Alfa Laval, and RULMECA, and a partner of brands such as SKF, Siemens, Schneider, ABB, KSB, and Grundfos, GEMCO supplies traceable OEM parts. Discover our range of industrial supplies and our tools and technical equipment.
A list of critical parts to secure, a planned shutdown to prepare, an unobtainable reference? Contact our teams for a priced sourcing proposal.
