The Work Management Simulation Workshop for Pulp & Paper Managers, July 21-22, 2015, at TAPPI headquarters in Peachtree Corners, Ga., USA, is a full two-day workshop being conducted by a team of maintenance and reliability experts from Performance Consulting Associates Inc. (PCA), Duluth, Ga. This special, one-of-a-kind workshop, will guide cross-functional, multi-disciplined paper industry management participants through "hands-on" scenarios to better understand and eventually better manage their overall Asset Reliability Maintenance functions.

Participants in the work simulation workshop will experience critical interactions from other departments’ perspectives and quickly learn where the "hidden" opportunities to save real dollars are in their organizations. They will return to their companies with a greater understanding of just how directly involved operators, maintenance, engineering, and the supply chain really are.

The two-day simulation session begins with a set of highly unfavorable conditions: little or no pre-planning of work, constant changes in priorities, lack of coordination with the MRO storeroom, and limited communication between maintenance and operations—in short, a typical environment many mills find themselves in. As each of the successive sessions unfold, all participants (representing maintenance, operations, stores, and engineering) learn by doing. As they change the operating conditions, there is a marked improvement in their results. By mixing short training sessions and active simulated work situations, their involvement quickly leads to noticeable improvement. At the conclusion of the two days, one will see and hear many "Ah Ha!" moments as they occur. The participants have thus become their own agents of change.

 

Dick DeFazio, CEO of PCA, explains that "organizations today are under continuing stress to increase production output, improve quality, improve safety, lower their energy requirements, minimize losses and waste, and keep their costs in line. They are being asked to do this in a LEAN environment... with fewer resources, less capital investment, and greater flexibility requirements for product change-overs, among ever-mounting regulatory and environmental restrictions and constraints.

"Thus, an organization cannot afford to have departmental silos, conflicting goals and objectives, along with outdated and cumbersome practices, processes, and procedures. These are not insurmountable problems. However, the solutions to these problems require effective communications, complementary departmental goals and objectives, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, accountability, timely and accurate data, and documented ‘best practice’ procedures,’" DeFazio emphasizes.

 

Registration fees for this two-day event are special-priced as a one-day event, at $425 for single TAPPI members until July 6 and $495 thereafter, including on-site. Single non-member fees are $925 until July 6 and $995 thereafter, including on-site. Member group pricing for 3-plus people is $375 per person until July 6, and $425 thereafter. Registration fees for non-member groups of 3-plus are $875 until July 6 and $925 thereafter, including on-site. Inquire about special pricing for Young Professionals under the age of 30 years, and comp registration for sustaining members using coupons. 

If you are interested in registering for this special simulation-based learning event, email TAPPI Member Connection with your name and email address.

  

More information about the Work-Management Simulation Workshop for Pulp & Paper Managers will be included in next week’s Over the Wire.