Oil refineries have been using welded plate heat exchangers since the 90’s with the intent of improving refinery profitability. Achieving this profitability has been validated by major licensors because of the welded plat heat exchanger’s high efficiency capabilities in heat transfer, resulting in considerable energy savings, a decrease in emissions and greater yields of high-value streams. The largest welded plate heat exchanger in existence is the Packinox, which is widely used in the energy intensive process of catalytic reforming. There are approximately 20 Packinox welded plate heat exchangers currently operating in refineries located in Latin America and the Caribbean. While there are successful cases of continuous operation for many years, on average, its lifetime tends to be less than that of equipment in similar operating conditions in refineries in North America, Europe and Asia. This paper compares the lifetime of Packinox exchangers in Latin America to those of refineries in other regions of the world. It also shares some of the best operating practices and turnaround lessons learned about those refineries with the best operating Packinox exchangers. Additionally, this paper presents the most recent welded bundle design named Hypercut— designed to ensure the operational reliability of the Packinox welded plate heat exchanger in catalytic reforming units during critical stages such as shutdowns and startups. The goal is to keep the unit operating at its maximum capacity so the local fuel supply can meet the demand at times when the price of natural gas has been at its highest point during the last five years. The Hypercut plate bundle can be successfully retrofitted in existing units. Recent feedback from two operating units is presented