Implementation took as little as two days because installation and training went quicker than expected.“It now takes us about half the time, down from six to three minutes, to make up a work order and update each of the approximately 1,000 emergency and PM work orders processed per month,” Waldren says. There were also benefits observed after implementation that were not anticipated in the business case. “Because the software is so user-friendly, that is, employing a basic point-and-click and fill-in-the-blanks approach, ownership is high and the quality of data entered has improved. As well, we get about 20% more work requests from the originators since it is so easy.”Shaw Industries Inc. is one of the world’s largest flooring manufacturers with about 30,000 employees spread across 45 manufacturing facilities. In the spring of 2003, Charles Chapman was moving into his role as TPM manager for one of the manufacturing divisions, and immediately saw the need to have a common work order system across all facilities. “For TPM to be successful, we had to get the tools in everyone’s hands, from hourly production operators to maintenance personnel, and to supervisors and managers,” Chapman explains. “Our first thought was to look at upgrading to a newer version of our CMMS/EAM, but upon review from a cost standpoint, saw it as unrealistic.”The company went live with EZ Entry in November 2003 in three pilot plants, worked through procedural issues, then rolled out to 38 sister plants. “Implementation took about two months,” says Buford Fox, Shaw’s manager of corporate systems. “We thought it would take longer, but installation and training was quicker than expected, and the system was readily accepted by everyone.” He adds, “This system has far exceeded the expectation levels of all involved, from the machine operator to the plant manager.”For more information, call (864) 201-5059 or visit www.assetcentric.com.David Berger, P.Eng., is contributing editor for Plant Services magazine.
