Noria's 2005 Lubrication Excellence & Reliability World Conference Breaks Attendance Record

Noria's 2005 Lubrication Excellence & Reliability World Conference Breaks Attendance Record

More than 1,200 industry professionals gathered for Noria Corporation’s inaugural Reliability World conference, co‑located with the fifth Lubrication Excellence conference, from April 25–29 at the Henry Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.

The event surpassed the previous attendance record of 850 registrants set in 2004, cementing Noria’s reputation as a premier gathering for maintenance and reliability leaders.

Co‑Location Success

"The co‑location of the two conferences was a resounding success," said Drew Troyer. "It enabled those responsible for key elements of an advanced, reliability‑focused maintenance organization to collaborate, understand each other’s roles, and strengthen teamwork. The Reliability World component will accelerate momentum with the launch of Reliable Plant magazine and the addition of a lean manufacturing conference in 2006, slated for May in Columbus, Ohio."

Keynote Highlights

• Vincent Adorno – Vice President of Engineering and Maintenance, Alcoa Primary Metals division – emphasized the need for maintenance leaders to speak the language of corporate management, integrate reliability into company improvement, and partner with operations and production.
• Ron Christensen – Corporate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Cargill – discussed how a clearly defined reliability strategy is critical to successful plant operations.
• Jim Boeheim – Head Basketball Coach, Syracuse University – shared insights on hard work, dedication, and a winning mindset as foundations of team success.

Case Studies & White Papers

The Reliability World portion showcased 58 case studies and white papers from leading North American manufacturers such as Alcoa, Cargill, ChevronTexaco, Coors Brewing Company, Dofasco, General Motors, Smurfit‑Stone Container Corporation, and Weyerhaeuser.

The Lubrication Excellence side presented 60 case studies and white papers from manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers, including 12 papers presented by Noria representatives.

Workshops and Certification

Pre‑conference workshops covered root cause analysis, bearing failure prevention, maintenance productivity through planning and scheduling, infrared thermography, waveform analysis, hydraulic failure prevention, and physical asset management. Post‑conference sessions focused on preventive maintenance for operations and maintenance, writing lube PM procedures, oil sampling fundamentals, and total equipment management.

More than a dozen attendees also completed the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals’ Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional exam during the event.

Prize Draw and Award Recognition

Oil and vibration analyst Virgil Rexwinkle from Coffeyville Resources Refining and Marketing won a 2005 Harley‑Davidson Sportster motorcycle. All attendees received an entry card upon registration and were required to collect stamps from over 30 exhibitors to qualify for the drawing.

Lubrication Award Winners

• Kennecott Energy Company received the 2005 Augustus H. Gill Award for excellence in used oil analysis, enhancing machine reliability and overall maintenance quality.
• Clopay Plastic Products Company earned the inaugural John R. Battle Award for building a best‑in‑class machinery lubrication program that drives reliability and maintenance quality.

For more information on these award programs, visit the ICML website at www.lubecouncil.org.