Proactive, real-time support service helps paper producer reduce unplanned downtime and improve operational efficiencyMILWAUKEE, May 3, 2004 — Fifteen months after implementing In.Site Continuous Support service from Rockwell Automation, Finch, Pruyn & Co. Inc. has reported that it has saved the company over $1 million through a 50-percent reduction in unplanned downtime and a one-percent improvement in efficiency.Based in Glens Falls, N.Y., Finch, Pruyn & Co. Inc. is a leading manufacturer of fine uncoated papers for marketing, book publishing and business office uses. Finch, Pruyn’s four paper-producing machines generate more than 240,000 tons of paper per year with its premium uncoated text and cover paper machine accounting for 55 percent of total output. With more than half of the company’s revenues dependent on a single machine, the ability to ensure maximum uptime on this production line is critical.To minimize the number and length of costly unplanned downtime events and shift the company’s maintenance strategy to a more proactive, preventative approach, Finch, Pruyn implemented In.Site Continuous Support program. The program allows Finch, Pruyn to better meet customer demands on quality, price and delivery by minimizing product damage, reducing lost production and solving problems quickly. “By proactively monitoring the control system on our largest paper production line, In.Site has helped us significantly reduce downtime costs and improve operational efficiency,” said John Zak, drive system specialist, Finch, Pruyn. “This allows us to focus on higher priorities, such as producing high-quality printing paper and improving business profitability.” The Rockwell Automation In.Site Continuous Support program provides around-the-clock monitoring and analysis of production status by a team of Rockwell Automation process and controls engineers at the In.Site Command Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Through a high-speed, broadband connection to Finch, Pruyn’s premium uncoated paper machine, Rockwell Automation off-site engineers continuously compare real-time process variables to predefined optimal operating ranges. If a variable deviates outside of the range, plant floor managers at Finch, Pruyn are immediately notified, and the In.Site Command Center proactively begins troubleshooting the problem to quickly diagnose the cause and determine corrective measures. The Rockwell Automation engineers, who average over 20 years of automation experience, then work closely with the plant maintenance staff to execute the necessary actions and restore normal operations. “In addition to proactively identifying problems that could lead to unplanned downtime, we are calling our customers immediately to let them know that we are already working to correct it,” said John Strohmenger, manager of the Rockwell Automation In.Site Command Center. “Very few product vendors can provide that level of service. For Finch, Pruyn, this level of service not only helped reduce production costs but allowed the company to concentrate its employees’ time on its core competency — making paper.” Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) is a world-leading provider of industrial automation power, control and information solutions that help customers meet their manufacturing productivity objectives. The company brings together leading brands in industrial automation for Complete Automation solutions, including AllenBradley controls and engineered services and Rockwell Software factory management software, Dodge mechanical power transmission products, and Reliance Electric motors and drives. The company also is a leading provider of contact management technologies and applications that help companies more efficiently manage interaction with their own customers. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., USA, the company employs about 22,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries. For more information on solutions from Rockwell Automation, please contact the Rockwell Automation Response Center, 10701 Hampshire Avenue South, Bloomington, Minn., 55438, 800.223.5354, Ext. 1476.
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