At Fletcher Challenge Canada’s Crofton, B.C., Pulp Mill, A Preventive Maintenance Program Stressing Teamwork Helps Avoid Breakdowns

The pulp and paper industry in Western Canada is in a period of unprecedented change. Against a background of poor markets, rising costs, aging plants, a shrinking fiber supply, and unceasing pressure from owners to improve returns, managers are being forced to take actions that could not have been contemplated as little as a decade ago.

This article describes the situation at Fletcher Challenge Canada Ltd.’s Crofton, B.C., pulp mill, and the actions taken to increase production by implementation of a cost effective preventive maintenance (PM) program. To be successful, this change required levels of accountability and discipline with which the employees were unfamiliar, and an important part of the implementation process was to build a commitment to the inspection process through involvement and introduction to a culture of continuous improvement. Continue reading →