Navistar Diesel of Alabama LLC, a Huntsville‑based subsidiary of Navistar Corporation, transformed a former 650,000‑square‑foot plant into a high‑performance engine manufacturing hub in 2002. The facility now produces 94 V6 and V8 engine models—480 units daily—serving nine customers, including four

Twelve to 48 months ago you launched a reliability and maintenance improvement program, and now a cost crunch has hit your doorstep. Housing and banking downturns have squeezed margins, prompting a company‑wide push to trim expenses as sales and product pricing fall. While the temptation is strong,

While working in the Netherlands this April, I witnessed a plant’s use of the Dutch phrase Ja, maar—Yes, but…—which illustrates a key obstacle to successful maintenance planning. Many facilities give planners a broad array of tasks that, although helpful, are not truly planning activities, leading t

Imagine confronting a career that seems dominated by setbacks and what some might label failures. What would your résumé say if it read: “He failed in business in ’31. He was defeated for state legislator in ’32. He tried another business in ’33. It failed. His fiancée died in ’35. He had a nervous

In an ideal world, a single component would encompass all necessary features, but reality forces us to assemble multiple parts on site. When these parts join, alignment is never perfect. Couplings transmit torque between shaft sections. Even with meticulous adjustment, residual misalignment remains,

Uptime is critical for machining plants worldwide; products that keep lines running are invaluable. For a decade, One Eye Industries (OEI) has partnered with leading machining companies globally, earning trust from industry leaders such as IPSCO, Propak, Shell, and Scami. PropakPropak delivers engin

Penske Truck Leasing has been awarded the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification for its Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) program. Penske is the first and only truck leasing, rental, and logistics provider to achieve this distinction. The ASE‑approved C

Plant owners in the Chemical Processing Industry (CPI) have consistently increased their focus on predictive and preventive maintenance. This strategy extends equipment life, reduces costly replacements, and delivers additional benefits such as lower emissions, fewer leaks, and improved operating ef

Boeing and Seal Dynamics, an integrated provider of engineering and logistics solutions for the industrial and airline sectors, have signed an agreement to help airlines significantly reduce maintenance costs.This partnership is part of Boeings Integrated Materials Management (IMM) initiative, where

On August 19, The Timken Company announced the launch of a new 170‑page bearing‑maintenance manual designed to serve original equipment manufacturers, end‑users, and students alike.The comprehensive guide covers the most common Timken roller‑bearing designs—tapered, cylindrical, spherical, ball, nee

Quality control is hard to define in maintenance. Everyone knows when it’s missing, but it’s hard to tell when it’s there. The usual definition in production is that quality is to consistently produce parts with low variation. Maintenance quality usually deals with the consequences of the repair, no

When it comes to ensuring long‑term equipment reliability, the smartest strategy is to select components that simply don’t fail. Even when a failure occurs, the key is to make repairs fast, cheap, and straightforward. By making these considerations at the outset, a maintenance department can truly

Would a workplace that values respect and active participation in business success improve employee outcomes? The answer lies in targeted training. By crafting a personal training roadmap, you can move confidently toward excellence. The biggest obstacle is often self-doubt or uncertainty about your

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air‑Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) – both ANSI members and accredited standards developers – have jointly released ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180‑2008, a new American National Standard for the

In the early 1990s, the traditional plant maintenance department vanished as companies shifted toward lean, cost‑focused operations. Experienced planners, maintenance engineers, and support staff—who once championed preventive maintenance—were laid off, leaving a void that has never been fully fille

As a consultant, I frequently receive requests—sometimes direct, sometimes indirect—to help organizations transform. While some requests focus on small, targeted changes, others demand sweeping, strategic shifts. Across all scenarios, successful change begins in the middle of the organization. Many

I read Reliable Plant magazine’s articles on companies that have achieved a high level of excellence and payback in the area of reliability. I’ve had a vision of Century Aluminum someday being on the cover of your magazine…in three or so years. But, perhaps now is the time for a story about a compa

Plant professionals routinely emphasize the importance of a strong partnership between maintenance, operations, and engineering. While better communication and understanding are critical, long‑term success requires concrete rules and actionable steps that guide the relationship. When IDCON launches

W. Edwards Deming and Peter Drucker laid the intellectual foundation for modern maintenance planning. Deming’s 1950s philosophy of continuous improvement propelled Japan to industrial dominance after America initially dismissed his ideas. In the 1960s, Drucker’s Management by Objectives (MBO) framew

With crude oil prices climbing, both gasoline and lubricants are affected. Most lubricating oils—whether mineral or synthetic—originate from crude oil or natural gas by‑products, so their costs rise in tandem with fuel prices. In many manufacturing settings, lubricant spend represents less than 1‑2