John Crane strengthens reliability at phosphate mining and processing operations

Three-year agreement will provide onsite expertise, predictable maintenance and technical training to support a major Saudi Arabian producer 

London, UK – 26 October 2026 – John Crane, a global leader in flow-control technologies and an innovator in solutions for rotating equipment, and a business of Smiths Group plc, has secured a three-year Managed Reliability Programme with a major phosphate mining and fertiliser producer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The programme aims to improve equipment reliability across the customer’s remote operations and help reduce unplanned disruption. 

The customer’s business spans phosphate mining and the production of fertilisers used in agriculture. Across the operations covered by the agreement, the programme is designed to keep equipment available for longer between failures and provide greater control over included maintenance costs. 

Dedicated onsite technical and service resources will give the customer’s maintenance teams direct access to specialist expertise. John Crane will help identify reliability issues, implement recommendations and address recurring mechanical seal problems, supporting a more proactive approach to maintenance. 

A fixed fee for mechanical seal overhaul services will give the customer greater visibility of the costs covered over the three-year term, supporting more predictable budgeting and greater confidence in maintenance planning. 

A planned onsite workshop, operated by John Crane, will bring mechanical seal maintenance capability closer to the customer’s remote sites. Training and knowledge transfer will also strengthen the customer’s technical capability, helping its teams identify problems and apply practical reliability improvements. 

Hani Attia, General Manager, Saudi Arabia & Bahrain, John Crane, said: “For this customer, equipment reliability matters because it helps keep its mining and processing operations running. By bringing dedicated expertise closer to its operations, we aim to help maintenance teams address issues earlier and reduce recurring failures. 
 
“The fixed fee for covered overhaul services will help the customer plan expenditure, while training will strengthen its own maintenance capability. Together, these measures are designed to support more consistent operations over the long term.” 

The agreement follows equipment surveys to validate the installed base and identify maintenance needs. For John Crane, the contract extends its established reliability services expertise into the mining sector and provides a platform to build on the customer relationship, with the potential to expand the programme to other mining operations in Saudi Arabia under the strategic partnership agreement