Original Date: 06/02/1997
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

As a direct result of Sharretts’ maintenance meetings and weekly management reviews, a Plant Task Team was established to address the plant’s overall appearance and the requirements for preventive and predictive maintenance. Currently, the team consists of two members. One is an experienced, retired employee who works two to three days a week. The other is a full-time employee from the shop who assists the retiree and devotes about two days a week to the team’s activities.

The Plant Task Team monitors the overall appearance of the plant and the cleanliness of the work areas. Much of its effort is devoted to painting and cleaning equipment and facilities. An additional function of the team is to develop and implement preventive and predictive maintenance programs. Currently, one team member is performing regular preventive maintenance such as lubricating and aligning plating line barrel mechanisms, and daily cleaning and preventive maintenance of the filter units. Daily maintenance checks on the fork lifts (e.g., battery and hydraulic fluid levels) are also done by the team, while an outside contractor provides full maintenance service on the fork lifts every three months.

The Plant Task Team has compiled a preventive maintenance schedule that prescribes regular daily, weekly, and monthly checks. The team has also set up a system for tracking maintenance costs. Maintenance records are maintained on all plant equipment, citing parts and materials used, and repair costs. This equipment maintenance history guides Sharretts on decisions to repair or replace aging or frequently failing equipment. Chemical bath changes have been included in the preventive maintenance schedule which helps facilitate optimal plant utilization during bath changeovers. This schedule smooths out production and avoids line disruptions. Maintenance cost data is being tracked by computer and has become more accurate because of improvements made by the Plant Task Team.

Sharretts has gained many benefits by emphasizing a formal system with dedicated personnel to monitor, track, and schedule its facilities and maintenance requirements. Through its Plant Task Team, Sharretts has improved the overall appearance of the plant and increased its productivity and profitability.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.