Loading
Rockwell Automation Home
  • Industries
    • Industries Chevron RightChevron Right
      • Automotive & Tire
      • Cement
      • Chemical
      • Entertainment
      • Fibers & Textiles
      • Food & Beverage
      • Household & Personal Care
      • Infrastructure
      • Life Sciences
      • Marine
      • Metals
      • Mining
      • Oil & Gas
      • Power Generation
      • Print & Publishing
      • Pulp & Paper
      • Semiconductor
      • Water Wastewater
      • View All
    Industries
    Case StudyRockwell Automation's case studies Case Studies DistributorDistributor How to Buy EventEvent Events
  • Capabilities
    • Capabilities Chevron RightChevron Right
      • The Connected Enterprise®
      • Consulting & Integration Services
      • Cybersecurity
      • Digital Transformation
      • Industrial Analytics
      • Industrial Automation & Control
      • Industrial Maintenance & Support
      • Industrial Networks
      • Lifecycle Services
      • Machine & Equipment Builders
      • MES Solutions
      • Process Solutions
      • Safety Solutions
      • View All
    Capabilities
    Blogs DistributorDistributor How to Buy EventEvent Events
  • Products
    • Hardware Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Software Chevron RightChevron Right
      • Circuit & Load Protection
      • Condition Monitoring
      • Connection Devices
      • Distributed Control Systems
      • Drives & Motors
      • Energy Monitoring
      • Human Machine Interface
      • Independent Cart Technology
      • Industrial Computers & Monitors
      • Input/Output Modules
      • Industrial Control Products
      • Lighting Control
      • Motion Control
      • Motor Control
      • Networks Security & Infrastructure
      • Packaged Solutions
      • Power Supplies
      • Programmable Controllers
      • Push Buttons & Signaling Devices
      • Relays & Timers
      • Safety Instrumented Systems
      • Safety Products
      • Sensors & Switches
      • Signal Interface
      • View All Hardware Products
    • DesignSuite
      • Dynamic Digital Twin Software
      • Studio 5000 Design Software
    • OperationSuite
      • FactoryTalk Edge Gateway
      • FactoryTalk Batch
      • FactoryTalk Historian
      • FactoryTalk View - HMI Software
      • FactoryTalk Metrics
    • MaintenanceSuite
      • FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices
      • FactoryTalk AssetCentre
      • FactoryTalk Emonitor
      • FactoryTalk Network Manager
      • FactoryTalk TeamONE
      • Fiix CMMS
    • InnovationSuite
      • Augmented Reality
      • FactoryTalk Analytics
      • MES
      • ThingWorx IIoT Platform
    Products
    Find Products by Our Brands: Allen-Bradley FactoryTalk
  • Support
    • Product Support Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Documentation Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Knowledgebase Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Training Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Downloads
      • 2D & 3D Drawings
      • Activations
      • Add-on Profiles
      • Application Code Libraries
      • Compatibility & Downloads
      • Drivers & Firmware
      • Electronic Datasheets
      • EPLAN Macros
      • Sample Code Library
      • Software Patches
      • View All
    • Selection & Configuration
      • Control Systems Configuration Tools
      • Procurement Specifications
      • ProposalWorks Proposal Builder
      • Global Short-circuit Current Ratings Tool
      • Integrated Architecture Builder
      • View All
    • Compatibility & Migration
      • Migration & Modernization
      • Lifecycle Status
      • Product Replacement Lookup
      • View All
      • Technical Documentation Center
      • Technical Specifications
      • Product Certifications
      • Product Drawings
      • Release Notes
      • Literature Library
    • Support Center
      • Support Options
      • Search for Answers
      • Chat Online
      • Call Us
      • View All
    • Online Forum
      • My Inbox
      • My Favorites
      • My Subscriptions
      • View All
    • My TechConnect
      • Chat History
      • Service Ticket History
      • Manage Your Favorite Answers
      • Field Service Request
      • View All
      • E-Learning Courses
      • Training Workstations
      • Training Calendar
      • View All
    Support
    Contact Us HelpHelp Get Support LaunchpadTools and applications View All Tools
  • Company
    • Events Chevron RightChevron Right
    • News Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Careers Chevron RightChevron Right
    • PartnerNetwork Chevron RightChevron Right
    • About Us Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Featured Events
      • Automation Fair
      • Process Solutions User Group
      • Smart Machine Workshops
      • VirtualConnect: Smart Manufacturing
      • View All
    • Webinars
      • Live
      • On-Demand
      • View All
      • Blogs
      • Case Studies
      • Automation Today
      • Podcasts
      • Press Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • View All
      • View Jobs
      • Teams & People
      • Hackathon
      • Employee Video Spotlight
      • Authorized Distributors
      • Encompass Product Partners
      • Licensed Developers
      • OEM Partners
      • Strategic Alliance Partners
      • System Integrator Partners
      • PartnerNetwork Portal
      • View All
      • Our Brands
      • Our Community
      • Our History
      • Integrity & Sustainability
      • Investor Relations
      • View All
    Company
    ProductivityProductivity Investor Relations
  • Sales
  • Sales
  • View All Industries
  • View All
  • View All
  • View All
  • View All
  • Automotive & Tire
  • Cement
  • Chemical
  • Entertainment
  • Fibers & Textiles
  • Food & Beverage
  • Household & Personal Care
  • Infrastructure
  • Life Sciences
  • Marine
  • Metals
  • Mining
  • Oil & Gas
  • Power Generation
  • Print & Publishing
  • Pulp & Paper
  • Semiconductor
  • Water Wastewater
  • View All
  • The Connected Enterprise®
  • Consulting & Integration Services
  • Cybersecurity
  • Digital Transformation
  • Industrial Analytics
  • Industrial Automation & Control
  • Industrial Maintenance & Support
  • Industrial Networks
  • Lifecycle Services
  • Machine & Equipment Builders
  • MES Solutions
  • Process Solutions
  • Safety Solutions
  • View All
  • Circuit & Load Protection
  • Condition Monitoring
  • Connection Devices
  • Distributed Control Systems
  • Drives & Motors
  • Energy Monitoring
  • Human Machine Interface
  • Industrial Computers & Monitors
  • Input/Output Modules
  • Industrial Control Products
  • Lighting Control
  • Motion Control
  • Motor Control
  • Networks Security & Infrastructure
  • Packaged Solutions
  • Power Supplies
  • Programmable Controllers
  • Push Buttons & Signaling Devices
  • Relays & Timers
  • Safety Instrumented Systems
  • Safety Products
  • Sensors & Switches
  • Signal Interface
  • View All Hardware Products
  • View All
  • View All
  • Technical Documentation Center
  • Technical Specifications
  • Product Certifications
  • Product Drawings
  • Release Notes
  • Literature Library
  • View All
  • Training Workstations
  • Training Calendar
  • View All
  • View All
  • Blogs
  • Automation Today
  • Podcasts
  • Media Contacts
  • View All
  • View Jobs
  • View All
  • Authorized Distributors
  • Encompass Product Partners
  • Licensed Developers
  • OEM Partners
  • System Integrator Partners
  • PartnerNetwork Portal
  • View All
  • Our Brands
  • Our History
  • Investor Relations
  • View All
  • iTRAK Intelligent Track Systems
  • MagneMover Lite Intelligent Conveyor System
  • QuickStick Intelligent Conveyor System
  • View All
  • Dynamic Digital Twin Software
  • Studio 5000 Design Software
  • FactoryTalk Edge Gateway
  • FactoryTalk Batch
  • FactoryTalk Historian
  • FactoryTalk View - HMI Software
  • FactoryTalk Metrics
  • FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices
  • FactoryTalk AssetCentre
  • FactoryTalk Emonitor
  • FactoryTalk Network Manager
  • FactoryTalk TeamONE
  • Fiix CMMS
  • Augmented Reality
  • FactoryTalk Analytics
  • MES
  • ThingWorx IIoT Platform
  • 2D & 3D Drawings
  • Activations
  • Add-on Profiles
  • Application Code Libraries
  • Compatibility & Downloads
  • Drivers & Firmware
  • Electronic Datasheets
  • EPLAN Macros
  • Sample Code Library
  • Software Patches
  • View All
  • Control Systems Configuration Tools
  • Procurement Specifications
  • ProposalWorks Proposal Builder
  • Global Short-circuit Current Ratings Tool
  • Integrated Architecture Builder
  • View All
  • Migration & Modernization
  • Lifecycle Status
  • Product Replacement Lookup
  • View All
  • Support Options
  • Search for Answers
  • Chat Online
  • Call Us
  • View All
  • My Inbox
  • My Favorites
  • My Subscriptions
  • View All
  • Chat History
  • Service Ticket History
  • Manage Your Favorite Answers
  • Field Service Request
  • View All
  • My Training
  • View All
  • Automation Fair
  • Process Solutions User Group
  • Smart Machine Workshops
  • VirtualConnect: Smart Manufacturing
  • View All
  • Live
  • On-Demand
  • View All
  • Digital Transformation at Norbord
  • View All
  • Brighter, More Flexible Tower Light Now Available from Rockwell Automation
  • Delphi Award Received For Asset Management
  • Internal Bypass Expands Smart Motor Functionality
  • New IaaS Bundle Eases Industrial Networking
  • Rockwell Automation Names Sebastien Grau as Regional Sales Director for Middle East, Turkey and Sub Saharan Africa
  • Expanded Power Range for PowerFlex 6000 MV Drives
  • Studio 5000 Software Update Optimizes Productivity
  • FLEX 5000 I/O Modules Bring Greater Productivity and Flexibility to a Connected Enterprise
  • New Cable-Pull Switch Enhances Industrial Safety
  • Instant Industrial Device Analytics
  • Rockwell Automation to name Al Ghandi Electrical & Automation as Authorised Distributor in the UAE
  • Rockwell Automation to Broaden Connected Enterprise Consulting Expertise with Acquisition of Kalypso
  • Single-Control Multi-Well Pad Solution Cuts Costs
  • Advanced Light Curtain System Improves Flexibility and Safety
  • Automation University
  • Rockwell Automation to Showcase the ConnectedProduction Solutions and Premieres its ThinManager Software at ADIPEC 2018
  • Safe Torque Off Option Simplifies Machine Design
  • Machine Performance Analytics Bring OEM Expertise Into Producer’s Digital Environment
  • Software-Powered Connected Services
  • New Managing Director of Rockwell Automation for Sub-Saharan Africa announced
  • Rockwell Automation Simplifies Analytics for Industrial Productivity
  • New Managing Director of Rockwell Automation for Sub-Saharan Africa announced
  • Securely Deploy Cloud and Mobile Technologies with New Network Guidance
  • Rockwell Automation drive system selected for Sumitomo Rubber’s rubber mixers
  • PlantPAx DCS Roadmap
  • View All
  • Students & New Grads
  • View All
  • Hackathon Use Case for Manufacturing Optimization
  • Hackathon Use Case for Sustainability
  • Hackathon Use Case for Visual System Modernization
  • Hackathon Use Case for Dynamic Filtering
  • View All
  • 24toCode Event Recap - Winter 2019
  • 24toCode Event Recap // IT Internal Hackathon
  • Meet the 2019 IT Summer Interns
  • 24toCode Promo Video
  • Harbor View Plaza Ribbon Cutting
  • Check Your Blind Spots Mobile Tour at Rockwell Automation
  • Mechanic & Tool Apprenticeship at Rockwell Automation
  • Working at Rockwell Automation in Karlsruhe
  • Summer Internships at Rockwell Automation
  • The Intrapreneurial Skills Accelerator at Rockwell Automation
  • Makers Wanted
  • #LifeatROK w Katowicach
  • IT Summer Internship Program
  • #LifeatROK with Diogo
  • View All
  • Cisco
  • Endress+Hauser
  • FANUC
  • Microsoft
  • Panduit
  • View All
  • Our Focused Giving
  • STEM Education
  • Lifelong Learning
  • View All
  • Sustainability Report
  • Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Environmental, Health, & Safety
  • Ethics & Compliance
  • Global Supply Chain & Sourcing
  • Product Environmental Compliance
  • Quality Management Systems
  • Trust & Security
  • Workforce of Tomorrow
  • View All
Case StudyRockwell Automation's case studies Case Studies DistributorDistributor How to Buy EventEvent Events
Blogs DistributorDistributor How to Buy EventEvent Events
Find Products by Our Brands:
Allen-Bradley FactoryTalk
Contact Us HelpHelp Get Support LaunchpadTools and applications View All Tools
ProductivityProductivity Investor Relations
  • Literature LibraryLiterature Library
    Literature Library

    Access technical and commercial publications for hardware and software products, applications, services and solutions.

    PCDCProduct Compatibility and Download Center
    Compatibility & Downloads

    Find downloads including firmware, release notes, associated software, drivers, tools and utilities.

    KnowledgebaseKnowledgebase Support Center
    Knowledgebase

    Browse the database of questions and answers on a variety of products and technologies.

    Product ConfiguratorProduct Configurator
    Product Configurator

    Configure and select products rapidly.

    Software SubscriptionsSoftware Subscriptions
    Software Subscriptions

    One stop shopping for software and subscription services.

    2D & 3D Drawings Bill of Materials CrossWorks Electronic Datasheets Motion Analyzer My Equipment My Training E-Learning Portal Product Lifecycle Status Product Registration Product Selection Toolbox Repairs Sample Code Library Software Activations View All
    Tools
    UserUser Sign In/Create an Account
  • User Account User
Tools
Literature LibraryLiterature Library
Literature Library
PCDCProduct Compatibility and Download Center
Compatibility & Downloads
KnowledgebaseKnowledgebase Support Center
Knowledgebase
Product ConfiguratorProduct Configurator
Product Configurator
Software SubscriptionsSoftware Subscriptions
Software Subscriptions
2D & 3D Drawings Bill of Materials CrossWorks Electronic Datasheets Motion Analyzer My Equipment My Training E-Learning Portal Product Lifecycle Status Product Registration Product Selection Toolbox Repairs Sample Code Library Software Activations View All
Case Study
Recent ActivityRecent Activity

Johns Manville Saves Costs in Storeroom Redesign

Share This:

LinkedInLinkedIn
TwitterTwitter
FacebookFacebook
PrintPrint
EmailEmail
Main Image

Challenge

  • Re-design and organize storeroom, limiting disturbance to the maintenance department

Solutions

  • Storeroom Inventory Analytics - Analyzed lead time, usage levels and theoretical optimum inventory to determine ideal on-hand inventory
  • Storeroom Cleanup Services - Developed single-level layout, Split storeroom into general storeroom and limited-access room, Assessed parts and removed excess from storeroom, Reorganized parts by commodity type

Results

  • Savings of Time and Money - Reduced time searching for storeroom parts and duplicate purchase orders, Removed 3,000 obsolete and excess SKUs and $1.3 million in inventory

Background
Celebrating its 155th birthday in 2013, Johns Manville (JM) is older than Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. Like Darwin's theory suggests, JM has survived by consistently evolving to meet the conditions of the roofing, insulation and other specialty industries.

During the course of its long history, the Denver-based company has become a leading provider of roofing, insulation and engineered products to businesses and consumers around the world. JM serves its customers from the ground up as industries – from flooring to aerospace and almost everything in between – call upon JM for personalized solutions that create great products.

Serving so many industries requires JM to have many types of equipment that operate within 45 manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe and China. This equipment needs hundreds, and sometimes thousands of parts, which need to be efficiently stored in accessible locations.

When David McGeachy took on the role of plant maintenance manager at JM's Etowah, Tenn. facility in the fall of 2011, he did not realize the enormity of that task.

Challenge
“When I started at JM, it wasn't very long before I realized one of my first challenges was to organize and create a more user-friendly storeroom, which would give us the ability to better understand what we had on the shelves and make it easier to fi nd what we were looking for,” McGeachy said. The storeroom had worked well in earlier days, but was past due for a change that would bring its functionality in line with the storerooms of today.

Only 17 percent of the storage keeping units (SKUs) were moved in the year and a half before he took over. “We really didn't know what we didn't know,” McGeachy said. “We only had a rough idea of what was actually in the storeroom, and we suffered a lot of setbacks in our
productivity because of it.”

When machines shut down for maintenance or emergent repairs, it was often difficult to search the storeroom of open bins to find the correct parts. The team would spend several hours searching for the needed parts, which led to longer downtime while trying to locate those parts.

“Eventually we would order the parts we needed,” McGeachy said. “And, on some occasions, a few weeks later we would come across that part we had been looking for on the previous job. We had it all along.”

Instead of spending time and resources performing actual maintenance tasks, McGeachy and his crew spent their time searching the storeroom. That time should have been spent repairing machines and limiting downtime instead of prolonging it.

After months of frustration and little progress organizing the storeroom, McGeachy realized he did not have the time, resources or manpower to complete the project in-house. So, he turned to Rockwell Automation.

Solution
In the spring of 2012, the Rockwell Automation reliability and storeroom services team approached McGeachy with a proposal that would completely overhaul the plant's storeroom – a stark contrast from the approaches of other firms.

“Other resources seemed to off er a Band-Aid solution. I was looking for a solution that would drive us to continual improvement,” McGeachy said. “Rockwell Automation was the only team that actually wanted to solve our problem – to touch every part while partnering with us to completely revamp the storeroom.”

Before that could happen, the Rockwell Automation team needed to analyze the storeroom and the parts it housed. Through lead-time analysis, usage analysis, ABC analysis and a theoretical optimum-inventory analysis, the team determined the ideal amount of on-hand inventory, order frequency and quantity. This information allowed them to better assess the requirements of the new storeroom and to design the layout according to those requirements before making any physical changes to the storeroom.

One of the bigger adjustments in layout came in the form of switching from an open-bin to a closed-bin system. Instead of all parts sitting disorganized on open shelves, smaller parts were placed neatly into 55 high-capacity Vidmar® cabinets while larger, easily-located parts were left on the shelves.

These cabinets would more adequately protect the parts from the harsh manufacturing environment, but their greater benefit was that they allowed the company to better utilize its new ERP system (SAP). Though SAP was implemented 18 months before the project began, the system had yet to be used successfully to locate and track parts.

“Even though we technically had access to SAP, we relied a lot on our memories and visually searching for what we needed with our open-bin layout,” said McGeachy. The switch to a closed-bin system changed all that. These new cabinets allowed them to better organize and categorize their parts, and made finding parts in the system much easier.

But to do this, the Rockwell Automation team needed to remove parts from their current shelf locations scattered throughout the storeroom and arrange them neatly in the high-capacity Vidmar cabinets organized by commodity type. To prevent their work from hindering the JM maintenance staff, two rows of parts were relocated and shelves were torn down to make room for a temporary staging area that did not interfere with the work of the JM team. The Rockwell Automation team then went through every part in the storeroom and placed it in the appropriate cabinet or shelf, making sure each location change was documented so any storeroom parts required by the maintenance team could be easily found during the project.

“It was like peeling back the layers of an onion,” McGeachy said. “The deeper they dove into the parts, the more parts they found.”

After about 17 weeks of work, the team had managed to locate, tag and organize all of the storeroom's parts. Small parts were placed in cabinets and large parts on shelves, even larger ones were moved to racks in the back, and a new system to store belts by hanging them on the walls was created – all organized by commodity group.

Upon completion, about 8,000 parts were moved to their new homes in two adjoining storerooms – one to house the high-use parts that employees throughout the plant could access, and the other for higher-value parts accessible only by maintenance personnel.

“We like to call the first of these the general store, and our employees know that all their basic needs can be met there,” McGeachy said. “This saves a lot of time as they no longer have to search through many things – and risk accidentally breaking something expensive – to find what they want.”

Both storerooms feature an open, single-level design that makes for a cleaner, more accessible and navigable storeroom, instead of the former, cluttered, multilevel one.

Results
The new storeroom design – especially its organization, use of cabinets, and the removal of parts no longer needed – cut its part-storage footprint by 40 percent and drastically simplified maintenance tasks throughout the facility. But more importantly, it significantly cut the time employees spent looking for parts, reduced the cost associated with duplicate purchase orders, and dramatically lessened the downtime associated with both.

In total, the design allowed for the removal of 3,000 excess and obsolete SKUs, and $1.3 million in inventory from the storeroom for future disposition.

The savings caught the eye of the plant manager, the corporate maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) manager, and even the CEO. They toured the storeroom and were impressed enough by what they saw to consider implementing similar solutions in other JM plants across the country.

“So many people helped make this a successful project,” McGeachy said. “I would like to thank everyone on my team for their dedication and patience during the 17 weeks it took to reorganize the storeroom. They're a great team, and I'm proud to work with them.”

McGeachy continued by saying it really was a smooth and successful project for JM. “Like any project, there were some challenges that we didn't foresee – like the shelves full of parts that weren't organized or tracked on our inventory list – but the Rockwell Automation team guided us every step of the way.”

And they still are. The team embedded an asset management professional (AMP) in the Etowah, Tenn. plant for the following year. The AMP assists Johns Manville in properly disposing of the excess and obsolete inventory. He is also creating a repair program, processing all MRO repairs, implementing an MRO warranty-tracking program and, perhaps most importantly, bringing employees up to speed on the new storeroom processes.

“Rockwell Automation delivered and continues to deliver everything they promised. They did it in a way that made working with them extremely easy. If I ever had another storeroom like this, I'd turn to them in a heartbeat,” McGeachy said.

The results mentioned above are specific to Johns Manville's use of Rockwell Automation products and services in conjunction with other products. Specific results may vary for other customers.

Published 01 January 2014

Subscribe

Subscribe to Rockwell Automation and receive the latest news, thought leadership and information directly to your inbox.

Subscribe

Recommended For You

Loading
  • Technical Question
  • Chat Technical Support
  • Phone Support
  • Contact Sales
  • General Questions
  1. Chevron LeftChevron Left Home Chevron RightChevron Right
  2. Chevron LeftChevron Left Company Chevron RightChevron Right
  3. Chevron LeftChevron Left News Chevron RightChevron Right
  4. Chevron LeftChevron Left Case Studies Chevron RightChevron Right
Discover
  • The Connected Enterprise®
  • Create Your Account
  • Case Studies
  • Events
Information for...
  • Distributors
  • OEM
  • System Integrators
  • Encompass Partners
  • Investors
  • Career Seekers
Contact Us
  • General Questions
  • Technical Questions
  • Local Sales & Service
  • Pricing & Availability
  • Report Ethical Concerns
  • Customer Experience Survey
Site Information
  • Legal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Preferences
  • Terms of Use
  • Trademarks
Change Country Site SelectionChange RockwellAutomation.com site selection to a different country, region or language Change Country
South Africa/English

Keep Updated With Us

Sign up to receive our latest headlines for free.

Stay Informed Now
Follow Us
BlogRockwell Automation's Blog
Copyright ©2021 Rockwell Automation, Inc.
Home