Implementing a New Maintenance and Reliability Strategy across multiple Global Chemical Plants to improve Asset Availability and Maintenance Productivity
The Situation
- The company was in a highly reactive mode and experiencing significant production losses due to asset availability
- Management recognized the need to build a comprehensive standardized Reliability Program across all sites
- A major objective was to identify quick hits to stabilize operations
- Maintenance efficiency; minimizing rework, improving time on tools, and right-sizing contractors was a foundational element of the program
Argo’s Solution & Approach
- Argo developed a maintenance and reliability strategy and execution program to drive root cause problem solving, equipment improvement teams and a reliability centered maintenance approach
Argo used its proprietary Best Run Chemical Operations Playbook to drive maintenance productivity and reliability performance improvement:
- Instituted a joint team of operations and maintenance to own and drive the overall reliability of the equipment
- Implemented leader walks for early detection of failures
- Implemented Reliability Centered Maintenance Strategies
- Developed Equipment Criticality Programs
- Created Bad Actor Root Cause Problem Solving Program
- Stood up Equipment Improvement Teams
- Created Equipment Care Procedures
- Established and drove performance with KPI’s
- Defined new roles & responsibilities
- Drove accountability & leadership
- Implemented new Planning and Scheduling Improvements
- Barrier Elimination Program to improve Productivity
- Developed Playbook Approach
Argo’s Actions
Argo worked with the client to create a culture of operations and maintenance collaborating on the stability of the equipment in cross functional teams.
Next, we defined and applied a maintenance and reliability strategy by working with the teams to conduct critical asset assessments, reactive to proactive strategies, early detection of failures, problem solving tools, structure and cadence.
In order to sustain these strategies, we then created client organization and training and development programs for facilitators and support personnel. We defined and documented the methodology and roles and responsibilities for the new organization, creating playbooks for the organization.
Key Approaches:
Summary:
- Defined the strategies to control the equipment rather than the equipment controlling the plan
- Embarked upon a program to change the culture to be reliability focused with both maintenance and operations
- Applied root cause problem solving to get at the root of the problem and prevent from recurring
- Planned, scheduled and executed the work in the most efficient way
RESULTS AT A GLANCE
$9.7 Million
Annual pretax earnings improvements (12%)
20 to 75%
Increase in Preventative Maintenance Work Orders
27 Bad Actors Solved
New Program and Cadence in place
9 Equipment Improvement Teams
To bring Equipment Back to OEM Standards
RCM Strategy at 8 Plants
Reliability Centered Maintenance Implemented at 8 Plants
60 to15%
Decrease in Emergency Work Orders (P1)