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A few words about the Metals & Mining Industry

As the global economy struggles to meet the ongoing challenges including decarbonization and digitalization, Metals and Mining are at the forefront of change. In key global markets, the metals and mining industry defines economic success, and its ability to thrive is critical to the region.

Kepner-Tregoe has worked with leading companies throughout the world, helping to make rapid operational improvements, integrate safety into maintenance and operations, enhance project management and improve quality, throughput, and profits. Our clients rely on us to help individuals and teams to address complex issues, use data efficiently, accelerate issue resolution, and surpass operational goals for productivity and safety.

As digitization transforms production systems, our structured processes accelerate the way complex problems are solved in high-tech environments. The KT approach becomes “the way work gets done” because it is not tied to a single high or low technology but to a logical structured method for efficient complex issue resolution. KT is a critical part of improvement initiatives at leading metal and mining companies worldwide.

To learn more about Kepner-Tregoe consulting and capability development for the Metals and Mining industry, contact Kepner-Tregoe.

Success Stories

Challenge

Kennecott Utah Copper operates the Bingham canyon mine concentrator plant, a smelter and a refinery. Ore from this mine is concentrated into slurry, piped to where the smelting process occurs, and then sent to the refinery. Efficient operation at the concentrator stage is critical to maintaining uptime of the smelter. Each year the concentrator plant is shutdown a total of 36 times. This is necessary to maintain critical equipment—as essential repairs and upgrades are completed. The issue at Bingham was that the length of downtime was causing a bottleneck in the overall process.

$11M

saved in the first year

60%

improvement in on-time performance

Results

The shutdown process saved over $11 million in the first year of implementation. On-time performance improved by 60% and is tracking towards world-class results. key performance Indicators (KPls) for shutdown performance improved over all prior years. Team performance (on-scope, on-cost) improved by 60%. Shutdown administrative work load fell by over 50% allowing team members to focus on other areas such as reducing cost or generating more revenue. All Injury Frequency Rate (AIFR) improved, advancing a strong safety culture which is a core value of KUCC.

50%

reduction in admin workload

Insights

Asset-intensive organizations are increasingly relying on Asset Performance Management and predictive analytics to maximize asset performance that run their business. While technologies offer real benefits in the form of data-driven insights, dependable and consistent success will result only when people are a main driver of your strategy.

Lonnie Wilson, the author of the Lean classic, How to Implement Lean Manufacturing, describes a real-life example of how, in record time, refinery engineers avoided a major shutdown by using a structured problem-solving process.

Continuous Improvement is more than an ongoing effort to improve products, services or processes. A continuous-improvement mindset can focus energy and attention on taking structured action in the face of unexpected change.

Consider the type of decision you are facing before determining the way to go about resolving it. Sometimes past experiences, going with your gut or simply flipping a coin is enough. However, looking ahead by knowing your objectives can save time and trouble later on and asking What could go wrong? before taking action can improve your results.

Testimonials

Our Experts
in Metals & Mining Industry

Debra Wooldridge
Business Solutions Senior Consultant
North America
Matthieu Coupeau
Senior Consultant
Europe
Jeng Yi Choong
Business Solutions Senior Consultant
Asia
Masahiro Fushida
Business Solutions Consultant
Japan

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For inquiries, details, or a proposal!