ABSTRACT
Several North American companies are members of Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) through direct agreements or joint ventures with Japanese and other foreign firms. This membership allows for sharing of ideas as well as access to JIPM training resources. DuPont has mostly continuous process plants manufacturing hydrocarbon-based chemicals, plastics, fibers, and petroleum products. As a result of studying outside companies, DuPont learned of the total productive maintenance process before most other North American companies. The company organized an internal staff function, the Corporate Maintenance Leadership Team (CMLT), and gave it responsibility for helping plants improve the equipment management function. The CMLT participated in a 1987 “Best of the Best” benchmark study of maintenance practices of European and Japanese companies. Kodak visited the plant in Japan to see what design changes had been made to the process to improve the product. The Kodak team returned with new ideas about equipment management, maintenance, and process capability.
