AIP: Get with the Programme!

By Dennis Briggs-Price, UK Aftermarket Field Sales Manager - NSK Europe

 

The wheels of industry never stop turning, so it’s critical that companies keep raising their productivity through continuous process improvements and machine reliability, enabling them to remain competitive in the market. At NSK, we’ve made it our business to make sure they do. Making a commitment to continuous improvement clearly extends far beyond the simple supply of bearings. We know it also demands finding better, more cost-effective and increasingly sustainable ways to operate, which is where the application of our AIP Added Value Programme can make all the difference.

AIP has been available for over 20 years, supporting customers in their efforts to save money and be more efficient. NSK and Hayley share the same goals, helping customers to improve machine reliability, increase technical knowledge, and boost productivity and profitability by reducing total cost of ownership (TCO). We have a long history of working together in the UK and can recount many success stories showing documented cost savings. NSK and Hayley work as trusted partners with customers to identify areas for improvement that will deliver the most returns.

This is the underlying principle of AIP: a journey of improvement towards a better, more rewarding future for everyone, which is precisely the reason why the programme carries the strapline ‘improvement pays’. We deliver this improvement by taking time to understand critical business issues, pinpointing challenges and recommending optimal, ongoing improvements that create changes for the better. The programme itself comprises a clear, structured, five-step methodology, offering a logical path to improvement: evaluation, recommendation, implementation, validation and extension.

Working in close liaison with Hayley, the NSK team begins by identifying and analysing the principal challenges and issues as part of the ‘evaluation’ step. ‘Recommendation’ is next, when we create a robust value proposition including, where possible, anticipated savings forecasts.

Supplying the new bearings is part of the subsequent ‘implementation’ step, which also includes installation, test and assistance with process refinement, if required. From there, the fourth step is ‘validation’, where NSK and Hayley confirm that the new solution has effectively improved the situation in line with estimates and timeframes.

The final ‘extension’ step is about driving further cost savings and advantages across all of your operations. Here, we collate data, share learnings and leverage success for continued growth and improvement. It is normal for bearing users to realise significant cost savings from the application of AIP, with reductions of 50% or more commonplace across the UK.

At NSK, we understand today’s business pressures and, through AIP, help you to evolve and improve, ensuring you’re in a better place to face these pressures and thrive in a changing world. AIP is at the core of our vision as a business: setting the world in motion to enrich lifestyles and build a brighter future. And we achieve this through AIP’s collaborative approach to continuous improvement.

Our focus is very much on value over price. Long-term improvement over short-term gains and quick fixes. Helping to build sustainable businesses that evolve and grow rather than stagnate. This value delivers tangible improvements, from plant reliability to employee and customer satisfaction, to brand loyalty and reputation, and increased sales and reduced TCO. All of which invariably pays in productivity, revenue and profitability.

The AIP process is such that it ensures a quality customer experience every step of the way: from surveys and inspections, to selection and training. With regard to the latter, NSK training enables maintenance personnel to strengthen their bearing knowledge, leading to optimum use of NSK products and genuine cost savings. Notably, NSK tailors its training to match the needs of each bearing user.

Ultimately, we find that working in close unison – NSK, Hayley and the bearing user – provides the best way to share ideas, responsibilities and insights that can dramatically improve customer profitability.

Want to learn more about NSK’s AIP Added Value Programme? Contact your local Hayley Group branch today. Find their details online.