NW Total Engineered Solutions

Tel. 01229 811000

Condition monitoring with a personal touch

10 May 2013

Robert-McBride-Case-Study-Picture

Back in 2005 the maintenance department of the McBride plant in Middleton, Manchester decided they needed to become more proactive and cost effective with their approach.

McBride plc is the European provider of private label household and personal care products supplying over 95% of Europe's top 20 retailers.

To achieve this goal they decided that a comprehensive condition monitoring programme would be their best option. They intrusted the task of implementing the programme to NW Total Engineered Solutions Ltd from South Cumbria.

The programme designed by NW Total consists of monthly vibration analysis surveys, supplemented with thermal imaging surveys of all mechanical and electrical equipment onsite, plus six monthly air leak detection surveys.

When onsite the NW Total engineers monitor a wide range of equipment such as pumps, motors, gearboxes, agitators and compressors to control panels, distribution boards to compressed air pipes.

The current Engineering Services Co-ordinator Frank Owen explains: “We have full trust in reports that we receive. This gives us the confidence to get on with other tasks as we know that the kit they are monitoring is in good health until they tell us otherwise.”

NW Total’s philosophy with any site is that it is vital to create a high level of trust between supplier and customer. This trust was created between McBride and NW Total by having the same team of engineers that were involved from the start, still being involved today. With this continuity the NW Total Engineers have developed a strong site knowledge essential for any condition monitoring programme to be successful.

Owen goes on to say: “With the extremely high demand for our products, we are under huge amounts of pressure as a maintenance department to ensure the lines are running flat out all the time. Our condition monitoring programme helps the company to keep up with the huge demands for product by ensuring our equipment never gives us any surprises.”

As a supplier, NW Total says it understands it must continually evolve and improve the service it provides. It is currently working on an energy saving initiative with McBride to help maintain and repair the site compressed air system and make it as efficient and cost effective as possible.