Maintenance management in a recycling company for the processing of metals – Identification of potentials and measures to improve maintenance quality

Initial project situation: Optimization of maintenance management
TSR Recycling GmbH & Co KG specializes in the trading, sorting and processing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. These are fed back into the raw material cycle as recycled raw materials. In Duisburg, the company’s largest branch, four large units are operated to process the metals according to customer requirements. The plants are very maintenance-intensive due to the wear-intensive digestion and shredding processes.
As the project team, the “Technology/Projects” department was responsible for the successful implementation of the “Optimization of maintenance management” project. The project participants were the maintenance department with employees from the areas of electrics, mechanics, water technology and spare parts management as well as machine and plant operators. The group of participants was flexibly expanded or reduced for the respective sub-projects.
An optimization project with a focus on maintenance management had not yet been carried out at the branch, which is why the initial situation was primarily characterized by established processes and structures.
Objective of the project: Presentation of existing maintenance processes at the project location
The aim of the project was to present existing maintenance processes at the project site to managers and employees in the maintenance department. Transparency was to be created by collecting, classifying and analyzing data. As a basis, existing documentation approaches were taken up and expanded.
Optimization measures were to be planned and established on the basis of the knowledge gained. To ensure a clear target orientation, maintenance management was divided into three areas: “Machines and machine operators” (internal maintenance customers), “Workshop organization” (maintenance executing department) and “Spare parts management” (demand-oriented provision of spare parts). The implementation of various measures was planned in each area. Each measure was intended to contribute to the improvement of maintenance management. These are expressed through reduced costs or long-term cost-reducing results. In addition to establishing measures with monetary results, measures should also be established that have a structure-creating effect on the department and therefore have a positive impact on employee efficiency.
Two key questions were formulated to achieve the objectives, which on the one hand question the procurement options, the quality and analysis of data and on the other hand the establishment of measures, rules and tools in the project operation.
Project development: division of the core project into sub-projects
Documentation processes were implemented with the employees right at the start of the project. This created a continuously growing database, which was successfully evaluated as part of the project. Dividing the project into various independent sub-projects had the advantage of being able to respond to changing conditions in an agile manner and to shift or adapt them dynamically along the timeline. This reduced the dependency on the participation of certain employees in the project and enabled the project to continuously achieve milestones.
Sub-projects that were not successfully completed have resulted in follow-up projects that are being implemented beyond the core project. The greatest speed factor for the success of the sub-projects turned out to be the employees directly affected. A high level of acceptance for the sub-project had to be created among them in order to guarantee active participation in the change process. To achieve this, it was important to show them the benefits of the project for themselves as employees and not the benefits for the project as a whole.
Added value for TSR Recycling GmbH & Co. KG: Individual toolbox for maintenance management
The project laid the foundations for the establishment of transparent maintenance management in a recycling company for the processing of metals, which is characterized by clear structures and processes. A portfolio of tools has been created by setting up sub-projects that can be carried out independently of the other projects. This is available to other branches of the company and enables them to solve individual challenges through the targeted selection of tools.
The resulting decision templates, documentation templates and maintenance plans can form the basis for standardizing processes in the area of maintenance at company level. They are supported by the definition of standardized terms in the maintenance area and will facilitate communication between branches and departments in the future.
The measures implemented in the project company have had a positive impact on the regular maintenance of mobile units, which leads to a reduction in repair costs as a result of neglected maintenance. The creation of training plans in the department leads to a higher level of qualification among the trained employees, which forms the basis for independent and conscientious work.

Big Picture Lukas Brandl (Source: Own illustration)
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