Customized and Compact: How Sulzer’s Skid-Mounted Plants Reduce Project Risk

Introduction: Why Customization Reduces Risk in Process Plant Design

Project delays, budget overruns, and inconsistent startup results are major risks in large-scale process plant delivery. Traditional stick-built approaches can face costly redesigns, extended on-site construction, and unpredictable performance once operating. Enter the new standard: Sulzer’s skid-mounted, modular plants, tailored to your application and engineered for seamless field integration.

With over a century of expertise in mass transfer, static mixing, and process equipment, Sulzer delivers compact, factory-built plants from concept to guaranteed operation.

From Design to Delivery: Sulzer’s Modular Engineering Approach

1. Requirements Analysis & Custom Process Design

• Close collaboration with client engineers to capture feed, product, and operational needs

• Simulation, process flow diagrams (PFDs), and sizing

• Feasibility studies and conceptual design, maximizing flexibility for upgrades and revamps

  
  

2. Detail Engineering & Factory Assembly

• Complete 3D plant modeling and layout for optimal skid integration (including piping, cabling, and automation)

• All vessels, columns, reactors, heat exchangers, and instrument systems preinstalled on the skid

• Use of Sulzer’s proven technology: distillation, extraction, evaporation, reactive distillation, crystallization, and more

  
  

3. Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)

• Comprehensive shop-floor testing under real process conditions

• Inspection of all equipment, controls, and safety systems before shipment

• Minimizes on-site surprises and ensures “plug-and-play” performance

  
  

4. Fast Delivery and Rapid Site Installation

• Skids transported as complete modules, ready for lifting into site position

• Drastically reduced field labor and construction time—ideal for space-constrained or hazardous sites

  
  

5. Performance Guarantee and Lifecycle Support

• Proven operation from day one, with performance and process guarantees

• Full-service support: commissioning, debottlenecking, maintenance, operator training, and future expansions

  
  

Sulzer Skid-Mounted Plants in Action

Proven in the Field

Sulzer’s compact skid-mounted solutions have been successfully deployed worldwide for:

• Amines and ethanolamines (MEA, DEA, TEA, MDEA, TIPA, etc.)

• Glycol ethers and solvents

• Bio-based and synthetic fuels

• LNG and carbon capture

• Pyrolysis oil purification for plastics recycling

  
  

Case Example

A specialty chemicals producer needed to expand capacity while minimizing plant downtime and investment risk. By choosing Sulzer’s customized skid-mounted plant solution, they benefited from:

• A pre-tested module delivered and installed in record time

• Immediate start-up with on-spec product from day one

• Simplified future revamps and fast scale-up for growing markets

  
  

Key Advantages Over Traditional Stick-Built Plants

Feature	Stick-Built Plant	Sulzer Skid-Mounted Plant
Build Timeline	18–30 months	9–16 months (often <12 in revamps)
Site Disruption	High	Minimal
Field Labor Requirement	Extensive	Much lower
Quality Control	Site-variable	Factory-certified and tested
Technology Integration	Separate vendors, interfaces	Single source, process guarantee
Change/Future Upgrades	Costly, complex	Modular, add-on flexibility

What Makes Sulzer’s Modular Plants Unique?

• Complete process and equipment scope: from key internals and static mixing to full site supervision

• End-to-end execution: from feasibility study and process model to operator training and after-sales support

• Expertise across industries: chemicals, LNG, refineries, polymers, recycling, environmental

• Full digital project management: transparency, documentation, and traceability

  
  

Conclusion: Lower Project Risk, Faster Results, Guaranteed Performance

Sulzer’s skid-mounted plants deliver the perfect combination of customization, compactness, and operational certainty. Whether launching a new facility or scaling existing production, modular solutions from Sulzer cut risk, accelerate timelines, and guarantee on-spec output from day one.

Ready to transform your next process plant project?

Contact Sulzer’s engineering team for a customized simulation, feasibility study, or live site reference and discover why global leaders choose Sulzer’s skid-mounted plants for mission-critical chemical processing.