SiteIQ helps Boral reduce consumables waste and increase tool time during shutdown

Learn how SiteIQ reduced the cost and improved the efficiency of the annual shutdown at Berrima Cement Works

The project

Boral’s Berrima Cement Works is an integrated clinker and cement manufacturing plant in NSW’s Southern Highlands. Boral’s manufacturing process involves heating limestone and other elements to extreme temperatures to produce clinker, which is then ground down into a base cement powder.

To maintain the performance of its clinker-producing kiln, Boral delivers a planned shutdown every January. Coates Industrial Solutions has supported the annual shutdown for 27 years.

Boral's Berrima Cement Works is an integrated clinker and cement manufacturing facility. Coates has supported its annual shutdown for 27 years.

The challenge

To minimise downtime, it’s important that critical maintenance activities are delivered safely, efficiently and cost effectively.

“To deliver its schedule of works, Boral had to cater for an influx of approximately 350 employees and contractors. This meant having the right tools, equipment and consumables on site, tagged, maintained and ready for use,” explains Jimmy Cergovski, Coates Industrial Solutions Manager, NSW.

Sourcing and managing the use of consumables was also increasingly challenging for Boral. “January is a problematic time for the supply of consumables, and the incumbent supplier could not consistently deliver the required stock for these events,” Jimmy continues. “These supply issues caused inefficiencies during Boral’s previous shutdowns, and unnecessary delays in returning to production.”

The solution

In January 2023, Coates partnered with Boral to deliver a comprehensive shutdown solution.

• Coates Industrial Solutions provided an end-to-end managed tool store solution. For the first time, all event assets were tracked, managed and optimised using SiteIQ, Coates’ next-gen proprietary asset management system.

• Coates also had the opportunity to supply and manage consumables for Boral and Veolia, the main contractor assigned to perform repair works and rebricking on the kiln.

• When temperatures in the kiln shed hit more than 50°C, Coates Power & HVAC team designed, supplied and installed an emergency spot cooling system to provide relief for contractors.

The impact

As shutdowns are complex events to plan and deliver, Coates and Boral have worked together for many years to refine this process. Here’s how this partnership approach positively impacted the delivery of Boral’s shutdown in 2023:

• SiteIQ data reduced consumables wastage and created cost savings for Boral by providing usage reports, allowing for greater accountability and traceability of items used by contractors

• New Zebra scanners helped to speed up tool store transactions and equipment turnaround times

• The efficiency of Coates’ tool store processes and personnel also increased tool time for contractors

• SiteIQ’s comprehensive reporting was easy for Boral to interpret and action.

Driving more efficient use of consumables

Consumables represent a large component of Boral’s shutdown expense, making the efficient sourcing and allocation of consumables critical to the event’s success.

“Historical data allowed Coates to scope and accurately pre-order consumables without the need for re-ordering. SiteIQ also helped Coates to efficiently manage stock levels throughout the shutdown,” says Jimmy. “This process was so effective that Boral had surplus stock at the end of the shutdown to allocate to other activities.”

Boral also valued the accountability and integrity that Coates brought to this process. “Where other providers might not care how many pairs of safety glasses they hand out, Coates’ tool store managers would ask contractors to return damaged pairs before issuing replacements,” says Mick Davis, Asset Planning Superintendent at Boral Berrima. “This small act made a big difference.”

SiteIQ technology allowed all assets to be tracked, managed and optimised during the shutdown.

Fast response to changing demands

To help Boral deliver its shutdown safely and efficiently and get the Berrima plant back to production, Coates provided all of the support Boral required – regardless of the original project scope. According to Mick, this unique approach made a notable difference to Boral’s recent shutdown.

“When Boral runs out of something, our purchasing system can take time to source it, but Coates has the scope and willingness to quickly meet our needs,” Mick says. “And when we asked Coates to get hold of something quite urgently, they managed to get it on site within a couple of hours.”

Coates’ investment in its fleet and technologies like SiteIQ, add further value to Boral’s shutdowns. “When Coates is offering is high-quality, innovative and cost-competitive equipment and solutions, we would be mad not to work with them on these occasions,” Mick says.

A true partnership approach

“Coates’ understanding of our business grows with each shutdown they support. Going into each shutdown, there is clear ownership and accountability on the support they will provide,” says Mick. “This means Coates comes in ready to start with all of the equipment and services that we need.”

“Coates is also strong on engagement and usually gets in contact at least a few months before our shutdown each year to start our planning discussion,” Mick continues. “The same is true of the de-brief process, with Coates initiating discussions around what they can do better and what needs to change. This focus on continual improvement helps Boral to improve the delivery of its shutdowns year on year.”

Connect with the Coates Industrial Solutions team to improve the cost, safety and efficiency of your next shutdown or maintenance event