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Management Side
Week of 14 March 2016: From whence comes Maintenance Personnel?

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In decades past, in the United States, engineering students came off the farm. It was often a first step up for farm family children to go to engineering school. I was a classic example. I left the farm and became a mechanical engineer. At one point in my career, I managed a maintenance department over three paper machines, a large printing/box making plant and all the ancillary services in a mill. My career was as typical as they came in those days.

My practical farm experience around machinery served me well in school and in the early years of my career. In fact, there are many people who have risen through the maintenance ranks on paths similar to mine. In some countries today, young engineers and maintenance managers often have similar backgrounds.

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Maintenance Month Platinum Sponsor:

RMR Mechanical: We perform as planned! Visit us at www.rmrmechanical.com!

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In the more developed countries, however, the entry level personnel, even if they are trained engineers, often do not have the practical background we used to have. For some time after my generation, many urban kids were interested in cars and picked up some practical mechanical knowledge that way. However, today's generation does not seem to be so much interested in automobiles. Many of today's generation are very computer savvy, but not in the way we were with mechanical matters. They don't "raise the hood," so to speak, to see what makes things go; they operate on a more shallow level as game players and so forth. Our industry has become as computer dependent as any, but that doesn't mean only at the user level. We need much deeper knowledge.

Of course, young people go to college and university to become mechanical, electrical, chemical and computer engineers. We have many fine schools for them to attend. Yet, they have to have some seed of an idea, some interest, some passion, before they pursue these educational opportunities. On top of that, the classroom is not everything. Again, you say, we have internships, co-op experiences and so forth. However, those are short-term experiences as compared to those of a student who has a passion and long-term experience before arriving at the hallowed university halls.

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Maintenance Month Silver Sponsors:

Fulton Systems: Our designs are built on proven methods and technology. www.fultonsystems.com.

CR Meyer & Sons: CR Meyer takes pride in building complete new facilities and maintaining them long after they are completed. www.crmeyer.com.

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A number of years ago I was familiar with a company that became quite involved with one of our great pulp and paper schools. They funded a scholarship, became active on committees and so forth. Then they hired a graduate. That graduate did not want to work in a mill under any circumstances, but wanted to work in a lab. The company became disillusioned and took its quest for future employees elsewhere.

When I visit mills today, the pressing need I hear is for maintenance personnel. Everyone is looking for them and everyone, additionally, is usually looking for a maintenance manager. I thought perhaps the downturn in the oil industry would free up some people we could hire in pulp and paper. However, I have seen no evidence of this yet.

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Maintenance Month Bronze Sponsors:

Miami Machine: Miami Machine specializes in repairs and provides annual inspections for your reel spools, suction roll or felt rolls. Visit our website at www.miamimachine.com.

CBG, LLC: We can remove your nuts, bolts, studs or other fasteners quickly and get you back on schedule. cbgmaintenance.com.

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I really think the problem starts with kids and what they are exposed to when they are young. That has changed in the last fifty years and the problem we have today is not one that will go away quickly.

What do you think? Please take our quiz this week and give us your opinions.

From a safety standpoint, maintenance encompasses some of the most dangerous activities in our mills.

Be safe and we will talk next week.

You can own your Nip Impressions Library by ordering "Raising EBITDA ... the lessons of Nip Impressions."


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