Nutrien Named Lube Room Challenge Winner

Winners of the 2024 Lube Room Challenge: Brent Harmon, Clint Rieke, Kyle Shaffer, and Robert Hiss

For the first time since 2019, Noria revived its annual Lube Room Challenge Competition, sponsored by OilSafe.

Machinery Lubrication reached out and asked readers to submit and show off their exceptional lube rooms that incorporate best-practice features. Many submissions meet the challenge and were able to show off how their storage and handling methods have been transformed. However, one entry in particular stood out. Nutrien's Lima, Ohio plant underwent a truly remarkable transformation that goes back to 2017. 

Learn how Nutrien's lube room transformation unfolded over the course of 7 years. 

Nutrien's starting point was outdoor storage, open containers, and lack of lubricant cleanliness. Knowing the consequences of poor storage, they decided it was time for a change. Over the next several years, Nutrien's staff got MLT certified and ordered bulk storage tanks, quality transfer containers, and labels. Eventually, the lubricants were moved indoors and the lube room, with all its bells and whistles, was completed early 2024. 

Accepting the Award

Nutrien's team accepted the Lube Room Challenge award at Noria's 26th annual Reliable Plant Conference where OilSafe presented them with a championship belt. Nutrien will also receive a brand new filter cart from OilSafe for winning the challenge. 

2024 Lube Room Challenge Finalists

Listed below are the 2024 Lube Room Challenge finalists and the winner, Nutrien.

Nutrien

Nutrien believes that reliable machinery depends on clean and correct lubricants. They needed to make it easy for technicians to make the right choices when lubricating equipment. Most shortcuts are taken by technicians because they do not have the tools they need to make good decisions. They make sure everyone has what they need to do the best job possible. Setting the bar high for cleanliness and organization in their lube room has created an environment where technicians want to keep it that way. The lube room is a pleasure to use, and the exceptional reliability of our plant is the benefit.

Bearing Distributors Inc. (BDI)

Coca-Cola East Hartford, Connecticut, reached out to BDI to streamline its lubricant room and help minimize cross contamination. Along with the assistance of Oil Safe, BDI designed a 10-tank wall to standardize all the lubes and create tank labels. This greatly reduced any uncertainty of which lubricant(s) to use and in turn saved money on oil consumption. BDI is a global company known for developing and deploying custom distribution and supply chain solutions. From 200-plus locations in 12 countries, BDI serves multiple industries, such as automotive, primary metal, food processing, public utilities, pulp and paper, mining, and material handling, to name a few.

DP World

DP World aims to make trade flow and change what’s possible for everyone with fast, sustainable movement of products through a single platform of trade. DP World understood the importance of upgrading its lube room. Basic contamination control starts at the heart of machines and the ability to allow engineers the best practice in oil storage, filtration, transfer and minimizing defects from human errors is essential to encourage world class maintenance and reliability improvements.

Jack Daniels Distillery

With more than 150 years of knowledge Jack Daniels Distillery was on its way to becoming NSF certified when it acknowledged opportunities to enhance its lube room and lubrication management. They had to address Food Grade vs. Non-Food Grade and had to implement an easy identifiable, repeatable process to manage their oils and greases. Today, they have a very simple color coded and numbered system that everyone can understand.

Mars/Wrigley

As a family-owned business, Mars/Wrigley thinks in generations, rather than just business quarters and have their Purpose to guide them along the way. They believe what they do is only as good as how they do it, a goal reflected in their Purpose. They saw a need for dedicated oil pumps and filter systems in their Oil Management System. Over time and prioritizing budget money, they were able to improve their oil room to improve the sites oil storage, filter, and transport.

Woodgrain

The main reason Woodgrain entered the challenge is they put a lot of time and effort into upgrading their oil room along with their lubrication program. They want to reach the best in class and wanted to show their improvements. They upgraded to 55-gallon workstations, oil safe containers to limit contamination and filter oils in and out. Woodgrain brought in an oil analysis lab to sample their hydraulic oils monthly for their critical equipment and take oil samples as needed on other pieces of equipment when issues arise. A workstation was set up for the oilers to use with Lube PM and oil safe cabinets for storage. According to their downtime data they have saved approximately $365,000 downtime savings regarding contamination along with another $290,000 in savings in correlation with bearings.

About the Lube Room Challenge

The Lube Room Challenge was created in 2013 to recognize incredible lube room transformations. These transformations lead to significant improvements in machine reliability and cost savings by ensuring lubricants are kept clean, cool, and dry in storage. The best part of this challenge, however, is seeing maintenance & reliability teams take pride in their efforts to create a new standard for their organization. Think you have what it takes to be a lube room champion? Stay tuned for more information about next year's challenge!