My Take: Let's Get The Lead Out

Just ask ‘em… the two guys in the picture to the left. They made up our “2011 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year” Grand Prize-winning team. Going out on a limb here, I’m betting they would tell you that the prizes they won for their snazzy SNAP Tool innovation were nice, but the publicity and bragging rights they walked away with were even better.

 We’re currently in the short rows of our “2012 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year” competition. Let me remind everybody that if you haven’t yet submitted whatever innovation you and/or your maintenance team have been pondering on, tinkering with or using around your operations, you have no time to waste—and plenty to lose. Deadline for entries is December 31, 2012. The Grand Prize winner and three runners-up will be announced in early 2013.

As the ad on the facing page notes, the three categories are: 1) Innovative Devices, Gizmos & Gadgets; 2) Innovative Processes & Procedures; and 3) Innovative Use of Third-Party Resources. Entries will be judged on their practicality, simplicity and impact.

Chris Lebat, of LOOP, LLC, and Chuck Reames, of Shaw Group Maintenance, Inc., show off their “Innovator” award certificates at MARTS 2012. Their prize-winning SNAP Tool reduces time and resources needed to deal with valve stem-nut thread wear and simplifies valve-replacement decisions.

What about this year’s prizes? Applied Technology Publications, MT’s parent company, will treat the Grand Prize winner (or one member of the Grand Prize-winning team) to an all-expense-paid trip to MARTS 2013 (with full-ride conference registration), in Chicagoland next spring. But, that’s not all. 

Among other things in the goody-bags will be some noteworthy items from this year’s award sponsors: The innovators at Dreisilker Electric Motors, Inc., and Scalewatcher™ are throwing in some great stuff.

Dreisilker will provide individual iPads: one for the Grand Prize winner or winning team, as well as one for each runner-up or runner-up team. Scalewatcher will supply individual environmentally friendly water-treatment systems: one to the Grand Prize winner or winning team, as well as one for each runner-up or runner-up team. Be sure to check out pages 42 and 43 to learn more about these valued sponsors and what their innovative products and services can do for you.

For now, you need to get the lead out (either from an individual or team standpoint). Let’s be clear: We’re not looking for rocket science, but rather practical, simple innovations that can significantly impact (make that “improve”) a maintenance/reliability situation. As Contributing Editor Ken Bannister exhorts, “Don’t Procrastinate. . . Innovate”—and, oh by the way, get some credit where credit is due. 

I encourage you and/or your team to go immediately to www.reliabilityinnovator.com for details and entry forms. We’re looking forward to hearing from you soon! MT

jalexander@atpnetwork.com