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Visit our  Accessibility Help page for information on downloading PDF files. About Unilever Bestfoods Unilever Bestfoods is an international company that handles hundreds of consumer food and home/personal care products. Their brands, including Lipton, Ragu, Becel, Hellman’s and Bertolli, touch the lives of 150 million people worldwide – every day! Unilever is firmly committed to meeting the everyday needs of people everywhere. In their ongoing effort to achieve this, Unilever is implementing improvements in its North American plants, including the plant at Baie d’Urfé in Québec, through its Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Initiative. The Unilever Canada Baie d’Urfé plant initiated its TPM Journey in 2002. TPM is a culture based on a production-floor approach which builds an organization that aims to eliminate all losses, consequently realizing a zero accident, zero defect, zero failure objective and improving the overall effectiveness of the production system. Shell teams up with Unilever One major step in the Baie d’Urfé plant’s TPM Initiative is the development of an improved Lubrication Maintenance Management Program. Shell Canada Products’ services team has recently begun working with Unilever to realize this goal. A good lubrication program has a major impact on equipment life and reliability. It helps prevent deterioration and breakdowns, reduces unplanned and emergency work orders, and increases production efficiency, safety and food safety. Joan Bush, Global Accounts Manager at Shell Canada Products, reports that, “According to Japan Institute of Planned Maintenance (JIPM), up to 65% of mechanical equipment failures can be attributed to some form of lubrication deficiency…” Through its work with Unilever Bestfoods sites around the world, Shell has acquired the knowledge and expertise necessary to play a critical role in the Baie d’Urfé TPM program. Shell’s involvement is expected to enable the Baie d’Urfé plant to accelerate its lubrication project, an important milestone in the Effective Maintenance Pillar. The Shell Solution Shell and Unilever began their work at Baie d’Urfé with a plant assessment to identify potential opportunities to improve lubrication management practices. A team involving Shell experts from Canada and the Netherlands as well as Baie d’Urfé personnel (Mechanic, Planner, Engineer, Maintenance and Continuous Improvement Manager) was created to work together toward a common goal: an optimized lubrication system. The project was divided into three phases: Phase 1 The first step was the evaluation of Unilever’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the current CMMS in use at the plant to ensure it incorporates the appropriate functionality to support adequate and user-friendly lubrication management. The second step was to conduct a Lubrication Contamination Control Point (LCCP) evaluation. In a food plant operation, it is essential to assess the risk of contamination of the food by the lubricants and/or the lubrication practices. The goal is to eliminate this risk and continue to meet food safety guidelines. Unilever’s objective was to move to the use of H1 lubricants (lubricants approved for incidental contact with food) in all processing and packaging areas, and Shell provided guidance in their lubricant selection. The final step was to complete a plant lubrication survey. The objective of this survey is to determine the right lubricant to use, in the right amount, at the right time, using the right method of application. It also included a review of Unilever’s current lubricants and recommendations for consolidation. Overall, the number of lubricants used was reduced from 29 to 16, a 55% reduction. According to Johanne Archambault, Continuous Improvement Manager, Unilever Canada, “The plant lubrication survey really helped us develop an enhanced lubrication action plan. Although we had a good maintenance program in place, Shell’s recommendations helped us make improvements that will accelerate our journey to become a world-class operation.” Phase 2 In Phase 2, Lubrication Awareness Sessions were presented to all mechanics by Richard Montpas, Senior Technical Advisor, Shell Canada Products. Johanne Archambault adds, “Everyone involved appreciated these sessions. They enhanced our knowledge of fundamental lubrication principles with a goal to improve equipment maintenance and availability.” Phase 3 The third phase involved optimizing lubricant storage and developing colour-coding and visual control systems to facilitate lubrication tasks. The goal here is to develop a lubrication management system that clearly outlines all necessary steps and procedures, enabling Unilever to transfer some lubrication tasks to equipment operators. “Shell helped us to develop a system tailored to our needs, using colour coding and shapes to determine the type of lubricant (oil, grease, aerosol) required, the recommended frequency of application and the product reference,” says Johanne Archambault. “This system makes it very easy to know which product to use, where it is and when and how to use it,” she adds. As a result of the project, Unilever is now ready to develop the One Point Lesson (OPL) for lubrication. This is a significant step towards achieving the goal of Autonomous Maintenance, where operators are required to maintain their equipment in good operating condition, including cleaning, inspection and lubrication.  “Shell Canada Products’ commitment to providing knowledge and worldwide expertise significantly supports our TPM Journey,” says Johanne Archambault. The combined efforts of both Unilever Baie d’Urfé and Shell Canada Products has led to early successes and a platform from which to continue Unilever’s TPM initiative.
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