APM Boiler U.S. Delivers Outage with Lean Gains
“If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” – Henry Ford
As a component of the One GE Field Service Solution, APM Boiler U.S., along with FieldCore, executed a highly successful outage for our customer. The anticipated 9-day outage began in late August 2020 and was completed in just seven days. Multiple lean and productivity initiatives were implemented which resulted in shaving two days off schedule and reaching cost-saving wins.
Our APM crew, led by Superintendents, Tommy Tucker and Kevin Lockhart, conducted replacement of 800 vertical air heater tubes and annual maintenance on the boiler at the site.
Collaboration is Key
To prepare our team for the outage, multiple Outage Readiness Review calls were made with GE and FieldCore. COVID-19 protocols and expected lean opportunities were discussed, along with precursory project arrangements.
Expert insight and support from FieldCore Service Manager II, Trent Dangerfield, ensured our APM Superintendents were prepared for success prior to the outage. Thoughtful preplanning and collaboration from all teams brings increased value and expertise to every site we service.
Lean Gains
Once crews arrived on the site, more opportunities for optimal productivity became evident, and the team was ultimately able to increase the originally expected cost savings.
What tools work best to accelerate productivity?
5S Lean methodology results in a work environment that is clean, uncluttered, organized, and most important of all – safe. Use of this methodology in combination with multiple variations of Standard Work increased efficiency, concise communication, and opportunities for reflections on safety emphasis at the end of each shift at the customer site.
A Win for Our Customer
In prior years, a separate contractor provided the same service and completed only half of the workload in nearly seven days. The One GE Field Service Team was able to deliver double the scope of work in less time. This ensured a winning conclusion for the customer and for us, with a sure spot to return to the site for future service needs.
“The data shows that the APM crew smoked productivity in many areas. They should be recognized for that,” commented FieldCore Service Manager II, Trent Dangerfield.
We applaud our expert APM Boiler Team, FieldCore, members of Boilermakers Local 169, and all team functions who aligned their work with high levels of safety and productivity to deliver outstanding solutions for our customer!