In the realm of industrial operations, the efficient and dependable performance of critical assets is paramount. To ensure sustained success and minimize costly disruptions, organizations are increasingly recognizing the need for a dedicated Reliability Director. This key leadership role oversees the strategic implementation of reliability programs, fostering a culture of excellence in asset management and maintenance practices.
What led you to Mazzella Companies?
Tim began his career at Mazzella Companies working intermittently during his college breaks in the shop and rigging areas. After college, Tim began working in the food and beverage industry and eventually mad the move to Nestle Waters in Dallas, TX which he says really opened his eyes to a new understanding of how things can and should work, best implementation practices, and how to strategize.
Tim went on to say that a lot of what he learned in his time at Nestle Waters was transferable in terms of maintenance standards, having spent the majority of his time as a maintenance planner, owning the company’s preventative maintenance programs.
“On top of establishing those programs, it was also about owning the work order system and backlog. Prioritizing those work order requests, getting the appropriate parts, tools, and drawings and making sure that the work could be scheduled and executed.”
Almost 10 years after leaving Mazzella Companies to gain this experience, the company had grown exponentially, which meant that new roles were open for application. “Safety and Quality had been around for a fair amount of time at Mazzella Companies, but until more recent acquisitions they hadn’t had transportation and once they did then the maintenance and reliability side of things followed.”
Nervous about taking an opportunity in the middle of a global pandemic and the move from Dallas to Cleveland that would ensue, Tim was ultimately really excited to be able to use his past experience to assist with the company’s growth and expansion, and applied to and was hired for the role of Reliability Director at Mazzella Companies.
What do you believe is the role of the Reliability Director?
Tim says that the role he’s been in for three years now is in place to allow the individual business and operating units within Mazzella Companies to be able to rely on their equipment. “The equipment is the means to produce for the customer, so it really is revenue generating in some way, shape, or form. Not just the functionality of it, but also being sure it’s safe and that there’s no risk to the operator.”
Tim went on to say that he also wants to make sure there isn’t a risk to the quality of the product either. “Just because something is running doesn’t mean it’s running right. We want to make sure we know we have a very good understanding of what good likes like and keep it at that level.”
Related: What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Does Mazzella Companies Offer?
What is a project you’re working on that excites you?
Tim said that the big project he’s working on that is directly applicable to reliability is the implementation of the highly anticipated Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). Already within the end user testing phase of the system, Tim shared, “That’s going to be in addition to a module existing within our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software so we can digitize a lot of our existing preventative maintenance programs as well as capture a lot of our reactive and planned maintenance. After getting that holistic view we’ll be able to start stocking spare parts in inventory.”
What is the biggest challenge facing the Reliability department today?
Tim said while there really isn’t anything as a business that Mazzella Companies hasn’t done well at some point, that it’s really a matter of getting all those standards and systems documented, which he says is something that is a necessary challenge. “That way as people move on to different roles or retirement, we won’t lose that knowledge or momentum.”
How do you stay connected to team members around the country?
Tim said that the tool they use most to stay connected is video conferencing. While some look at the pandemic as causing a huge disconnect, Tim said that it really sped up the use of telework through emails, video calls, and phone calls, which has allowed for the team he is on to grow without having to be in the same building.
What professional podcasts or books can you recommend that have helped you on your career path?
Tim shared that he gets a monthly email from Life Cycle Engineering, which covers various topics related to equipment reliability. “It focuses a lot on how to maintain an asset through its entire life cycle. The proper way to scope it, getting the right equipment for your process, all the way through disposition – making sure you get every last cent that you intended to get out of that machine before you retire and dispose of it.”
What advice would you give someone looking to join the Reliability team?
Tim said that anyone looking to join the team needs to subscribe to the fundamentals of maintenance – maintaining a piece of equipment or machinery to an acceptable standard. “A lot of people may want to associate maintenance with broken items they fix, but the biggest thing about reliability goes into making sure that you don’t have those breakdowns and that there’s always a piece of functioning equipment that you can use when needed.”
Evidence of a Business Moving Forward
Tim said that when he looks back at the growth Mazzella Companies has experienced in his short time as Reliability Director and the plans they’ve made as a team are evidence of a business moving forward.
“I’m proud to be on the QSTR team. I think the way we’ve been constructed as a team, there is a lot of cross functionality when it comes to building out these systems. Our team is really having an impact on capturing a lot of those standards and making them a part of the company culture as we continue to grow.”
