Clopay Recognized For Outstanding Achievement

After receiving the ICML's inaugural John R. Battle award for excellence in machinery lubrication (2004), Clopay Plastics (Augusta, Kentucky) was recently awarded the 2006 Augustus H. Gill Award for excellence in oil analysis. The award was presented to Clopay during the Lean, Reliable and Lubed Conference and Exhibition in Louisville, Kentucky. Clopay has achieved worldwide recognition of its lubrication and analysis programs. As a result, Scotty Lippert, planned maintenance technician and lubrication leader, has been visited by several companies worldwide regarding the changes implemented by Clopay Augusta in its lubrication and analysis programs. Scotty has been an inspiration to many in the industry and his team has demonstrated that commitment, knowledge and hard work makes a world of difference in taking a plant from "less than desirable conditions" - as Scotty labeled their original lubrication and analysis practices - to the improved condition of "world-class".

Scotty Lippert (Right) Accepts Gill Award

Achievement in Oil Analysis
When Clopay received the 2004 John Battle award, its lubrication program was fully implemented while its used oil analysis program was still underway, according to Scotty. There was, however, buy-in from management which has fully supported Scotty and his team in the changes necessary to elevate Clopay's practices to world-class. The team was determined to achieve the same level of improvement in their analysis program that they had achieved in their lubrication program. By the end of 2006, Clopay Augusta had developed and implemented practices in the area of used oil analysis for machine condition monitoring that earned them the prestige of receiving ICML's Gill Award.

Previous recipients of the Augustus H. Gill Award are Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (Arizona Public Service) in 2001, Smoky Canyon Mine (J.R. Simplot) in 2002, Georgia Power (Southern Company) in 2003 and Kennecott Energy (Rio Tinto) in 2004.

The Augustus H. Gill Award was formed to recognize organizations which have exhibited excellence in the application of used oil analysis in machine and lubricant condition monitoring. This distinguished award was designed to motivate companies to improve machine reliability and maintenance quality through the application of oil analysis. As such, the focus of the award is not just to identify award recipients, but to encourage performance of excellence and create a means to share best practices among user organizations on a global scale. Scotty Lippert is a living example of best-practice sharing. Scotty will gladly take the time to help you understand how Clopay improved its programs and offer suggestions to help you in your path to excellence.

Winning Characteristics
The Gill award is intended to raise the bar by recognizing role models for benchmarking and setting performance standards by the oil analysis community, with the Gill criteria serving as a road map for organization seeking to develop excellence in used oil analysis. What are the qualities of a user organization which might receive the distinction of being an Augustus H. Gill Award recipient? Following is a list of some of the characteristics and criteria that the ICML Awards Committee evaluates for organizations which apply:

• commitment to education

• maintenance culture and management support

• performance measurements used

• proactive/predictive maintenance

• use of standardized procedures

• technology integration

• contamination control

• lubrication management

• oil analysis methods and strategies

• use of information technology

• continuous improvement

ICML awards are open to organizations worldwide and a company does not need to be involved with ICML in any way to receive the award. At present, there is no charge to participate in the awards process, however in order to avoid bias, ICML has chosen a policy by which it does not nominate companies. Nominations must come from the companies directly via application for the award.

Nominations Welcome
Is there an organization in industry you feel should be recognized for its used oil analysis programs? If so, encourage them to apply for the Gill award. Do you think your organization meets the qualifications of being honored by ICML for such an award? The opportunity to apply for the Gill award is available to you and your organization, and with that comes the opportunity to be recognized by the oil analysis community for excellence. To apply for the Gill award contact info@lubecouncil.org.