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Asahi Kasei Plastics North America Leverages eMaint X5 and Power BI for Enhanced Maintenance Management
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization
- Functional Applications - Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Plastics
Applicable Functions
- Facility Management
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Machine Condition Monitoring
- Track & Trace of Assets
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, a leading plastics compounder, was facing several challenges in managing preventive maintenance across its multiple facilities in Fowlerville, Michigan, and Athens, Alabama. The company had to manage around 2,000 assets, including extruders, feeders, hoppers, and plant support equipment. The plant support equipment was critical as it serviced multiple lines, and its downtime could halt multiple production lines. The company needed a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) that could seamlessly manage multiple plants on one system. Another challenge was customer audits. Asahi Kasei's customers needed assurance that equipment was being properly maintained and that critical spare parts were available in case of a failure. The company was looking for a more streamlined alternative to pencil and paper to manage preventive maintenance on their equipment.
About The Customer
Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, headquartered in Fowlerville, Michigan, is a leading plastics compounder that manufactures plastic pellets for automotive manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries. Most cars on the road feature their plastic. The company has multiple facilities and manages approximately 2,000 assets. The company began using eMaint more than 10 years ago and has 45 people using eMaint X5, including maintenance technicians and lab workers. The company's customers rely on them for the reliable delivery of plastic pellets and need assurance that equipment is being properly maintained and that critical spare parts are kept on hand in case of a failure.
The Solution
Asahi Kasei Plastics North America adopted eMaint X5, a CMMS solution that allowed them to manage multiple plants on one system. The solution offered visibility and transparency to internal and external stakeholders through centralized dashboards and reports, helping the team stay on track with their preventive maintenance tasks. The company primarily used eMaint to track work orders and completion reports, and for quarterly cycle counts of their inventory to ensure that their physical on-hand inventory matches. Lab technicians also used it to maintain calibration tasks at the right frequency. The company integrated eMaint with their existing software systems and tools, including Power BI, a data visualization tool from Microsoft. With Power BI and eMaint, the team could review work order completion rates, compare metrics from both the team as a whole and at the individual technician level, and review late metrics and downtime.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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