*Editor’s Note: Our Continuous Improvement Corner outlines our team’s efforts to perform to the best of our personal and professional abilities, while continuously improving on yesterday’s performance.
With a newly revamped Total Process Reliability (TPR) Program at the start of 2023, we continue to pave opportunities for the team to demonstrate our core value of stewardship in the way that we care for our tools and equipment. In short, this program seeks to improve our operator care processes and increase equipment reliability. Other goals include decreases in unscheduled downtime for equipment used at our asphalt plants, mining sites, and within our roadway work zones.
In spring/summer of this year, our family of companies hosted two CLAIRE events. The acronym itself – standing for Clean, Lubricate, Adjust, Inspect, Repair, Eliminate – outlines the individual and tedious tasks our team members are undertaking with each piece of equipment they run through this process.
One CLAIRE event in particular was hosted by members of Memphis Stone & Gravel’s Prospecting/Environmental Team.
These gentlemen spent a few days revamping their machinery as well, including a tractor and drill rig used in environmental resource discoveries.
Prior to that, our first CLAIRE event of the year started with members of sister-company Lehman-Roberts with Walter Shoemaker’s Crew, who regularly works on roadways.
Members gave much-needed TLC to three pieces of heavy machinery: a shoulder spreader, tractor, and wobble wheel.
Each group spent a few days assessing the ins and outs of their equipment, making necessary repairs, and even giving a few pieces a facelift with a fresh coat of paint. Shannon Minga (TPR Coordinator) perfectly described one of the main aspects of the CLAIRE process and upkeep when he shared, “Everything has a place… that’s tools and everything. Essentially, it’s cleaning our equipment, organizing our tools, and maintaining it.”
Colton Collins (Continuous Improvement Program Manager) said, “These guys worked hard from the minute we got there each morning to the minute we left. Each CLAIRE event is different – They all depend on what type of equipment it is and how it’s used. The goal is to continue to improve with each one.”
As we look ahead to more stepping stones in our TPR journey, our family of companies will soon be integrating more TPR/CLAIRE education into our Annual Training Academy this winter. Here’s to continued success with this program in the near future!
