# Operational Excellence, Part 3: AM/PM and Focus Improvement

## Manufacturing Meet Up

**August 14, 2024**  
**38:46 Min Listen**

Ed and Alvaro wrap up their three-part series on operational excellence. In this episode, they hone in on AM/PM (autonomous maintenance/predictive maintenance) and FI/CI (focus improvement/continuous improvement).

When it comes to operational excellence, the guys say “let’s win together”!

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## Meet Our Hosts

### Alvaro Cuba
Alvaro Cuba has more than 35 years of experience in a variety of leadership roles in operations and supply chain as well as tenure in commercial and general management for the consumer products goods, textile, automotive, electronics and internet industries. His professional career has taken him to more than 70 countries, enabling him to bring a global business view to any conversation. Today, Alvaro is a strategic business consultant and advisor in operations and supply chain, helping advance start-ups in the AI and advanced manufacturing space.

### Ed Ballina
Ed Ballina was formerly the VP of Manufacturing and Warehousing at PepsiCo, with 36 years of experience in manufacturing and reliability across three CPG Fortune 50 companies in the beverage and paper industries. He previously led a team focused on improving equipment RE/TE performance and reducing maintenance costs while improving field capability. Recently, Ed started his own supply chain consulting practice focusing on supply chain operational consulting and equipment rebuild services for the beverage industry.

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## Episode Highlights

### Introduction  
Ed and Alvaro start the podcast discussing current trends around operational excellence, emphasizing the importance of AM (Autonomous Maintenance) and PM (Predictive Maintenance).

### AM/PM Discussion  
- **Autonomous Maintenance**: A practice that involves all employees in maintenance efforts, encouraging operators and management to work alongside mechanics in maintaining equipment. This approach includes deeper cleaning, inspecting, and identifying defects to maintain equipment efficiency.
- **Predictive Maintenance**: Using AI and technology to anticipate failures before they occur, allowing for just-in-time repairs and better planning for machinery maintenance.

### Benefits of AM/PM  
1. **Shared Responsibility**: Encourages a culture where everyone on the team focuses on clean and functional machinery, enhancing ownership.
2. **Reduced Downtime**: Prolonged periods between maintenance events ultimately lead to lower costs and fewer disruptions in operation.

### Focus Improvement and Continuous Improvement  
- Continuous improvement is essential for operational excellence. The culture of always striving for better performance ensures competitiveness in the market.
- Ed emphasizes that businesses must keep evolving to meet challenges and maintain efficiency, referring to industry trends, recent surveys, and AI's role in enhancing operations.

### Conclusion  
Operational excellence is not just a goal but a continuous journey. Both hosts highlight that embedding these principles into the workforce leads to better engagement, understanding, and efficiency across operations.

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## Contact  
To keep the conversation going, feel free to reach out via email at [mmu@augury.com](mailto:mmu@augury.com) or visit [The Endpoint](https://endpoint.augury.com/).  
Join us next time!