SKF Client Needs Analysis helps plant operators identify improvement opportunities
The challenge

A leading rolling mill in Asia was struggling to improve mill performance. SKF asset management specialists conducted a client needs analysis with personnel from maintenance, operations and purchasing.
SKF Assessment
The mill ranked 7% above the industry average and exhibited a range of positive traits. Yet there were also a number of performance gaps that limited its profitability:
- Unclear rationales for work assignments
- High maintenance costs and inventory levels
- Duplication of work between departments
- Insufficient communication between departments
- Inconsistent root cause analysis programme
- Work history was not being captured or used
The action plan
Following the Client Needs Analysis, SKF worked with the mill to develop an action plan based on its drivers - one that systematically addressed performance gaps with specific solutions:
- Perform a maintenance strategy review
- Implement a condition-based monitoring programme
- Combine the operator and maintenance basic care programmes
- Adopt a common root cause failure analysis programme
- Perform a spare parts optimization review