Randy Spalding Excavating Inc.

ADRS Services Inc is family-owned and started out with 3 dump trucks hauling Asphalt, Dirt, Rock and Sand to our valued customers.

Modesto Gospel Mission provides nutritious meals, warm beds, and a place of safety for thousands of poor and homeless men, women, boys and girls.

St. Edward Catholic High School has meant "high-quality Catholic education" to thousands of young men and women since 1941.

Alfiniti does custom aluminum extrusions, tubes, products, assemblies and complex products and versatile applications for any project. 

Resort Quest one of the nation's leading vacation rental hospitality and resort real estate companies.

American Building Supply is the nation's premier door, frame, and hardware supplier.

Gelest was founded in 1990 to serve the advanced technology applications markets and is recognized worldwide as an innovator, manufacturer and supplier.

Dynamic Fuels produces next-generation renewable, synthetic fuels from animal fats, greases, and vegetable oils that contribute to our nation’s energy independence.

AMCOR Flexibles, Inc the world’s largest packaging company that offers exclusive and innovative solutions that are at the forefront of the packaging industry.

Team Support Services is a leading provider of records management, document scanning, data organization, and legal support services, all helping regulated businesses cost-effectively make informed decisions.

Kim Lighting is the world’s foremost designer and manufacturer of quality, high-performance outdoor architectural and landscape lighting products.

Mondi Akrosil, LLC creates long-term value for stakeholders by transforming renewable natural resources into innovative product solutions that meet customer needs in a responsible, cost-effective and sustainable way.

Isa Skills is a non-for-profit organisation which delivers various programmes into the community for Disability, Employment, Youth and Training services.

Fabrico Mequon

Cottonwood Ponds Inc.

JDW Enterprises, Inc.

Vist our Best Practices page to learn more from other guest speakers. Become an eMaint University subscriber to get trainings, tips and tricks to help you improve your use of a CMMS.

How do you design training the fills a gap in someone’s competency?
How do you conduct training that is not boring?
How do you insure that the training doesn’t fall on deaf ears?

This is an important set of questions. I would like to present a model for competence in any knowledge or skill area. The square represents the field of all the knowledge or skill needed to do the job (whether it is a welding or a reliability engineering position).

The white circles are holes in the person’s competency. If we started with a young person just out of college or trade school we would find many holes. If we would revisit the same person 5 years later many of the holes have been filled in with experience, ongoing schooling and iOJT (intentional On the Job Training).

If the environment is a rich one where the new employee can get a wide range of experience then they will have more holes filled in by experience. Conversely if the environment is not rich then a few holes would be filled.That is the reason that apprenticeships are important. They insure for the first few years, at least, the person is in an intentionally rich environment with alternating working and classroom assignments.

An old timer will have most of the circles filled for the environment they are in, as long as that environment stays stable. Once the environment is in flux then the old timer’s knowledge and competence base gradually becomes less aligned with the field of competency needed for the job.Their competence (that was so personally hard and time consuming to obtain) becomes obsolete.

The other interesting thing is people who have worked in the same facility for their career have their competence field filled in for that facility. The competence issue only presents itself when they change jobs. They might be entirely competent with the equipment, tools and processes of their old job but might (will) have holes when presented with the new situation. Some of these holes can be dangerous because they are usually a surprise to the person themselves. In fact since the person was competent in his/her old position they develop a habitual way of thinking about themselves as competent and don’t question it.

Where and how the training is positioned in the field is essential.

In the simplified diagram we can see 3 different trainings. It is important to realize that this discussion is independent of the quality of the trainer or of the training materials, the modality, even the willingness to learn (they can greatly help mitigate this problem but don’t change it).

Training A is a review of knowledge and skills that the candidate already knows. There is a high probability of boredom since it cuts no new ground. Of course an excellent instructor and engaging materials will help but the tendency toward boredom is there.

Training B is material that is not connected to anything the candidate already knows. It is too advanced for this candidate without some preparatory work. Someone in this position is bored, frustrated, maybe annoyed (even at themselves for not knowing it or at the trainer, materials or company for not being clear). Like walking into an advanced class you will get very little out of the experience. As before a gifted instructor might be able to backfill enough material so the main topics make sense.

Of course training C is ideal. Some of the material is known to the candidate and all of the new material is linked to the areas of competence. Elementary school teachers, in their wisdom, repeat known materials as they transition into new topics. New topics are always tied to known topics and where the material is entirely new the teacher proceeds slowly and repeats often. Of course with a large classroom there will be boredom since some students will “get it” the first time and frustration because some students won’t even “get it” the 10th time.

Where does this leave us?
In the maintenance world we have to get over our fear and dislike of testing. Testing is important to show the field of competency. Without knowing what the candidate is competent in, training becomes a hit or miss proposition.

Firms usually train everyone in some course they think is important. This is like throwing mud at a wall and seeing what sticks. It does have the advantage of appearing “fair” and of not needing a lot of forethought. On advantage of experienced trainers is that they are used to this and can, to some extent, mitigate the problem

If we have scarce training dollars we need to know what competences are missing and aggressively go after them. Training this way is not easy and requires more effort from the staff for testing, training design and thinking. It also will not be fair since the goal is a full field of competence for a job, process or area which depends on where one has started from. In this model not everyone needs the same training so not everyone gets the same training.

The unanswered question is what competences are needed for a particular situation? That could be another whole discussion.

Any travel has a starting point (competencies needed for the job or area and the missing competencies of the candidate), a journey (the classes, OJT, readings, CBT, etc.) and an end point (ready to rock in the new role).

I invite your comments to illuminate more of this topic.
Thanks Joel JDL@Maintrainer.com

A special thanks to all of our guest speakers. Your contribution was invaluable!

Highlights of the Summit:

• James Hummer, Clement Pappas, Customer Case Study Presentation
• Carl Schultz, eMaint Enterprises, Integrating PdM Results into Your CMMS
• Terry Harris, Reliable Resources, Rate Yourself in Maintenance Effectiveness
• Ask the Experts Session and networking opportunities

User Group Summit attendees eagerly await day one of the Summit to begin.

Lauren Boothe, eMaint Customer Success Manager, poses with our User Group Summit sign during the Summit.

James Hummer, Clement Pappas, begins his Customer Case Study presentation on CMMS Implementation Success.

Carl Schultz prepares for his presentation on Integrating PdM Results into Your CMMS/EAM System.

Below are more pictures of X3 users sharing and learning from one another.

Heartfelt THANKS to our loyal customers from the eMaint team. We could not have achieved this honor without your ongoing support!

We’ll be attending the award ceremony on June 7th, which includes a half day program of networking, insight to leading company strategies and awards recognizing the fastest growing privately-held companies in our region.

Check out our Case Studies to see how others have utilized the system and help us welcome these new users.

Crimson Renewable Energy is an innovative, engineering driven, renewable fuels producer with a strong energy industry production and logistics experience.

Metro International Trade Services is a leading global warehouse operator, specializing in the storage of non-ferrous metals for the London Metal Exchange.

 Scott-McRae Automotive Group is one of the top 100 automotive groups in the United States and is in the service business. SMAG is an automotive industry leader helping people purchase or lease a car or truck.

McCaffrey's Markets is a SUPERmarket Experience and a one-of-a-kind store that combines the freshest and most unique foods with old-fashioned personal service.

Superior Energy is a leading provider of specialized oilfield services and equipment, focused on serving the drilling and production-related needs of oil and gas companies.

Fabrico is the leader in designing, prototyping, and manufacturing engineered flexible materials for solar power, medical, transportation, aerospace, and electric power applications.

Hadco Metal Training delivers aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium and related alloys worldwide from their warehouses in the eastern US and from the facilities of affiliates around the globe.

HWX Services Enterprises is your source for all operations and maintenance requirements, from light labor to heavy maintenance needs.

Diversity Technologies Corp. is a leading distributor of specialty chemicals serving the energy, mining, food processing and small-bore drilling industries in Canada.

Menorah Park is a place for Senior Living recognized as one of the nation’s leading institutions in the advancement of compassionate, innovative and comprehensive healthcare services.

Newbasis manufactures pads and below ground enclosures for telecommunications, electrical, cable, water, traffic, lighting and industrial applications.

Shining Ocean has been a leader in the value-added seafood business for over 25 years.

Auburn Dairy Products is a private provider of dairy products: such as milk, yogurt, cream and more.

Shout out to Cintas and IBA who have added more locations - Happy to have you all onboard!

Part of what makes implementing X3 so simple and successful is our great team – some of our Professional Services team spends a majority of the year traveling around the country, helping to get users comfortable with our system and on the road to success.

“eMaint’s Professional Services team not only provided on-site training for the entire team but also ensured the system was configured to match our exact specifications, helping us achieve results rapidly.” - Doyle Lawson, Plant Foreman at XTO Energy

Check out where they’ve been lately!

 “I enjoy having the opportunity to work with a wide variety of industries, coupled with the vast levels of experience of our users. One of the most important and fulfilling experiences I have on site is seeing the proverbial light bulb come-on when a user is presented with X3's abilities. To have a user take control and lead me through their thought process formation, the benefits that they will derive from the application, how it is going to make their occupation easier, and their organization more successful is a rewarding on-site experience. “– Paul Marino, eMaint Software Implementation Specialist

The Hardhead of a Maintenance Man

This may be challenging to you. But why on earth are maintenance folks so hardheaded?

Actually it turns out to be a smart trait. Maintenance folks are hardheaded because they are (sometimes) speaking into intentional (and potentially contagious) ignorance! When you have to do that day in and day out you get hardheaded. Just to do your job (preservation of asset capacity) you have to be hard headed.

What are the symptoms of working in a company suffering from intentional (and potentially contagious) ignorance? Some of the main symptoms concern consequences. What to look for is a wholesale lack of appreciation of consequences.

• When we run equipment beyond its limits there will be consequences.
• When we allow operators run machines without adequate training there will be consequences.
• When we refuse to shut down for a well-designed PM there will be consequences.
• When are stockroom is depleted of expensive critical spares because they have not been used there will be consequences.
• When we do a temporary repair and never get back to fix it right, there will be consequences

There is a dark side to hardheadedness- inability to admit a mistake. Hardheadedness works so often it is very hard to admit when the reality goes against us. It gives us a reputation of being hard to work with and allows us to get away with not listening.

The truth is that sometimes the business necessity trumps good maintenance practice. Boy is it tough to tell when it does. In fact the only way to tell is by listening to our comrades in arms (operations). But that is a whole different story.

To complete this story be aware that hardheadedness is a valuable trait. It is most powerful when it is tempered by the ability to really listen to people and always consider that we might really be wrong! Oh yes and get over ourselves!

About the Author: Joel Levitt President of Springfield Resources

Joel Levitt is a leading maintenance educator and has trained more than 15,000 maintenance leaders from 3,000 organizations in 20 countries. Since 1980 he has been president of Springfield Resources, a management/consulting firm that has developed solutions for clients with a wide range of maintenance issues. Joel is a frequent speaker at maintenance and engineering conferences, has written 10 popular books, and has published over 6 dozen articles on the subject.

Tahoe Forest Hospital

Tahoe Forest Hospital was founded on philanthropy and through continued generous community support, the region’s only health system is able to offer a wide variety of programs and services.

St. Francis Yacht Club

St. Francis Yacht Club (StFYC) is a private, non-profit club, founded in 1927, that offers its 2,300 members a wide spectrum of sailing and boating activities that include youth, club, one-design, inshore and offshore racing as well as cruising activities.

Delgado Community College

Delgado is a Louisiana public community college, founded in 1921, with campuses throughout the New Orleans metropolitan area.

Outpaitent Imaging Affiliates, LLC.

OIA seeks to joint venture outpatient imaging and positron emission tomography ("PET") centers with local healthcare providers. OIA's business model is to invest its equity in such projects and manage the centers on behalf of the joint venture.

ASahi Plastics North America

Asahi Kasei Plastics is one of the leading compounders of high performance engineered thermoplastics and a leader in specialty polypropylene compounds.

DaVita Rx

DaVita Rx is  becoming the greatest kidney care company the world has ever seen through their commitment to upholding their Mission and Core Values every day, in everything they do.

MasterCraft Boat Company

MasterCraft was founded in 1968 when it built its first ski boat in a two-stall horse barn on a farm in Maryville, Tennessee. Now the are by far the largest producer of inboard ski, wakeboard and luxury performance powerboats in the world.

Shrine High School

Shrine Catholic High School is a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic secondary high school located in Royal Oak, Michigan, affiliated with National Shrine of the Little Flower Church.

Key Plastics

Key Plastics provide complete design, engineering, manufacturing and assembly operations for injection-molded Interior and Trim components, exterior handles and underhood components.

Also, a big congrats to Cintas who has just rolled out X3 to 22 new locations nation wide! Wooo!

If any of these apply to you we want to know who you are and where you work!!

Help us add on to this list and share in the fun!

They’ve been baking Bagels, Tortillas, and Pita Bread since 1983, and are now the largest Bagel, Tortilla. and Pita Producer in Utah.

Media Co.

They stage services, technical production management, webcasting, large screen video/data projection, and simultaneous interpretation equipment services.

Providence Pediatric Medical Daycare

They currently have three day care centers conveniently located in Southern New Jersey and provide ongoing monitoring and assessment by licensed, registered nurses.

Mathews Inc.

Since their inception in 1992, and starting with Single Cam Technology, they have been responsible for a multitude of archery innovations that have not only enhanced performance by quantum leaps, but have also reduced complexity. 

Navajo Mfg. Co. Inc.

Founded in 1978, they have over 30 years experience in creating merchandising programs and innovative, branded products for retailers in several channels.

Pyrotek Inc.

They’re a leading international company supplying aluminum, foundry, glass, zinc, steel, and noise control and hearth customers with performance improving technical products, integrated processing systems and consulting services worldwide.

Fenner Drives – Wilmington

They have a proven worldwide track record, supplying added-value problem solving products for power transmission, motion transfer and conveying applications.

Passport Transport

Since being founded in 1970, they have shipped thousands of treasured vehicles door-to-door with their fully enclosed auto transporters. 

TCR Composites

Their materials are available in a wide variety of fibers- from e-glass to high modulus carbon-in tow, braid, uni-directional tape, and woven fabrics.

Johnson Brothers of Ankeny

They are a family-owned wine, spirits, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages distributor and have been providing world-class service to customers throughout the US since 1953.

Berry Plastics

Originally established in 1967 as Imperial Plastics they have grown into a leading manufacturer of injection-molded plastic packaging, thermoformed products, flexible films and tapes and coatings.

CSM Bakery Products

They are the secret ingredient behind many of the country’s most successful retail food operations. They have strong partnerships with in-store bakeries, retailers, foodservice operators and distributors, and deliver sweet goods and innovative business solutions.

Northern Edge Navajo Casino

They are a casino, in the northern area of the Navajo Nation, with two casino towers that are highly visible at night.

Cybershield

They’re an industry-leading supplier of metallized plastic solutions for EMI shielding, ESD control, chrome plated finishes, Mil-spec finishes, including CARC coatings.