PCA Blog
The Secret Sauce Behind 45 Years in Business
PCA is celebrating a very big anniversary this year. Forty-five years in business is extraordinary! Consider all the technological progress and economic, political and social swings that PCA has endured since 1976. Companies do not survive as long as they used to. Today, the average age of companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 is less than 14 years and has declined steadily from an average of 61 years in 1958. PCA has achieved a milestone that many of today’s elite companies never will.
Reflections on My First 30 Days Inside PCA
Reflections on My First 30 Days Inside PCA by Bob DiStefano, Chief Operations Officer, Performance Consulting Associates It has been a month since I exited retirement and joined PCA as the Chief Operations Officer. I must say I am excited, energized and happy working here, and I already know it was a good decision. I would like share some of my early impressions as a PCA “inside man.” PCA has very deep-rooted customer relationships PCA uses a streamlined approach to performance improvement based on deep intellectual property PCA has achieved sustainable results by focusing on people and knowledge transfer PCA’s business model supports a culture focused on quality of life by allowing individuals to take on the amount of [...]
Journey to Reliability: The Roadmap for Success
Achieving maximum equipment reliability is a journey, and just like any other trip, it requires a functional roadmap to ensure arrival at the desired spot through the most expeditious route. In this month’s blog, PCA Director of Operations Dan Moss draws a parallel between the roadmaps his family used for childhood vacations and the roadmaps that PCA helps its clients develop to ensure the desired outcome.
Inventory Levels Impact Production Planning and Scheduling More than Ever: Why that Matters and How to Fix It
As demand for U.S. manufacturing rises and falls, optimizing inventory levels becomes even more important to effective planning and scheduling. If your plant personnel aren’t excelling at inventory management, read this article, in which PCA Director of Operations Dan Moss provides sensible strategies to help alleviate the strain.
Obsolete Inventory: Addressing an Enemy of Efficiency
Volumes have been written about how plants and other facilities are impacted by poor inventory management — and in particular, excess inventory of all types. Obsolete inventory is one of the culprits, and tackling it poses two specific challenges.
The SMRP Conference Exposed Some Big Industry Challenges
At the recent SMRP Conference in Louisville, PCA’s booth was approached by attendees looking for inspiration. We engaged in several days of thoughtful discussions about the future of maintenance and reliability and saw a lot of interest in our new Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences Industry Playbook.
Reliability-Centered Leadership in the Age of Industry 4.0
With the advent of Industry 4.0, facility management may be reevaluating or extending the role of the reliability engineer (RE). Given its process-centered, highly technical focus, Industry 4.0 presents a perfect opportunity for REs to shine. Nevertheless, in my opinion, organizations that assume the majority of the RE’s work will be process centered are making a grave miscalculation.
Purchasing in the Pulp and Paper Industry: Creating Predictability Where None Exists
Profit margins for forest products industry firms are volatile, at best, due to raw materials availability and pricing, competitive pressures and market forces. PCA helped one paper mill gain a measure of predictability — and save $1 million per year — by moving to best practices machine parts purchasing.