【Weekly Topic】Status of repairing and repurposing old items? (2011.07.19-07.25)

To facilitate the orderly implementation of waste recycling efforts and boost employees’ enthusiasm for such activities, positive incentives were adopted: a financial reward was given to those who recycled waste, based on a certain percentage of the value of the spare parts resulting from that recycling, with the payment made in the same month. This approach gradually encouraged employees to take the initiative to recycle waste and make use of their free time for this purpose, thereby enhancing their motivation at work and achieving satisfactory results. I. Establish rules and regulations to ensure the orderly progress of work aimed at repairing the old and making use of what can be reused. To better promote the work of reusing existing materials and clarifying the responsibilities of various departments, the Biotechnology Department took the lead in drafting the \"Management Measures for Reusing Existing Materials\" in November 2009. By relying on positive incentives along with necessary assessment measures, the feasibility and seriousness of this system were effectively ensured. II. Optimize management processes, reduce red tape, and improve operability. 1. Once a week, the Supply Department takes the lead, with the support of the Production Department, to assess the spare parts that have been repaired or replaced during that week. These parts are stored separately based on whether they can be repaired or should be scrapped, allowing for timely monitoring of the condition of those that can be repaired. 2. Based on the assessment results, each production section prepares a \"Plan for Repurposing Waste Materials\" on a monthly basis and submits it to the Production Technology Department. At the end of each month, led by the Biotechnology Department with the participation of the Supply Department and various production units, the company conducts another assessment of the waste materials stored in its warehouses. It also reviews the repair plans submitted by each unit, thereby formulating the company’s monthly plan for repairing and reusing such materials. This plan is distributed to all departments for implementation, with specific responsible persons and completion deadlines specified within it. 3. At the end of each month, the responsible persons designated in the monthly recycling plan fill out the recycling assessment form based on the progress of the recycling work, and submit it to the Biological Technology Department. The Biotechnology Department and the Supply Department jointly review the maintenance costs, and calculate the value of the repair parts as well as the amount of compensation. 4. By the 4th of each month, the Biotechnology Department prepares a report based on the plans and the information provided by various departments regarding the completion of repairs (including those outside the planned schedule). This report outlines the performance in terms of repair and reuse activities from the previous month, the value of the repaired items, suggestions regarding rewards and incentives, as well as requirements for future management. III. Cash rewards offer a visual impact and yield significant results. In 2010, by carrying out efforts to repair and reuse items, the company achieved certain results in terms of spare parts management; by August, a total of 385 spare parts had been repaired, with a repair value of 46,175.07 yuan, and 38 people received cash rewards. The reward funds are obtained by the Biotechnology Department through filling out a funding application form; the cash is then given directly to the relevant personnel during the shift meeting. By distributing the rewards in cash, it motivates the staff to recycle and reuse materials – the benefits are visible and tangible, which ultimately encourages everyone to take part in this activity, thus gradually fostering a culture of recycling.

Improve the utilization rate of waste materials, enhance employee training in this regard as well as their maintenance skills, and establish relevant rules and systems to ensure the orderly progress of efforts to reuse old items. Establish reward and punishment measures.

1. Utilize equipment repair techniques to restore the performance of some old equipment that has been idle for a long time, enabling them to be put back into use in the company’s production processes in order to meet the urgent demand for such equipment in production activities. 2. Repairing old equipment to make use of it and tapping potential to improve efficiency, which specifically includes: (1) Repairing certain components of discarded equipment by making use of them, thereby restoring the performance and technical condition of older equipment and saving on maintenance costs. (2) Use new technologies, materials, and processes to carry out technical upgrades of equipment, improve its technical performance, expand its range of services, and extend its service life. (3) Repair, modify, and replace equipment and accessories to improve the level of maintenance. (4) The company’s equipment management team organizes relevant personnel to screen the results of the application of various repair technologies, evaluates and assesses the selected outcomes in accordance with the established evaluation criteria, and awards bonuses accordingly. In the first half of the year, our unit saved over 600,000 yuan by reusing existing materials, which played a significant role in reducing costs related to materials and spare parts.

Waste recycling mainly takes place in the following 2 aspects. 1. Utilization of existing pipelines: high-quality old pipelines are applied in technical upgrades. 2. Utilization of old containers. Old pressure vessels can be converted to be used as atmospheric pressure vessels.

1. Raise awareness and carry out extensive publicity. 2. Establish organizations, set up systems, and conduct thorough evaluations. 3. Ensure safety and implement it gradually.

Let me add something: Reusing vulnerable components such as gland plates and bolts – Bearings and sealing gland plates that are replaced during maintenance can be repaired and reused through cleaning, grinding, lubrication, etc., and should be stored separately according to their specifications for future use； Bolts in used materials that can be repaired can be cleaned with kerosene, threaded using die sockets, and after the nuts are inserted, they are organized according to specifications and stored in the warehouse for future use.

The key is to implement a good system consistently; in fact, there are many used items at the production sites that can be repaired simply and then put to use, especially in state-owned enterprises where waste and extravagance are particularly severe. The establishment of systems must be rational; it has to be a reward mechanism, and the implementation process must be fair and just (which is likely to be difficult, as this is how many people’s enthusiasm is dampened).

As long as it does not compromise production safety, make use of any obsolete items that can still be used!

The original companies also had this practice of repairing and reusing existing materials, but the \"mechanism\" was rather rigid. Employees’ enthusiasm is very low, and many good things are wasted needlessly. Last year, the company underwent restructuring, and various management systems were gradually introduced. There is currently a specialized team for restoring and repurposing items, divided into valve groups, flange groups, instrument groups, and so on. The quality is assessed and inspected by planners from the professional materials department as well as by the specialists in various departments. (Naturally, separate account books must be established.) Waste valves, flanges, instruments, etc. from each production workshop are sent to the specialized team responsible for repairing and reusing such items; these items are registered and invoices are issued (when requesting equipment through a procurement plan, replacement is done using the old items). If the specialized team has spare parts that meet the needs of certain units, this should be indicated. The costs vary depending on the professional assessment of the repairs, ranging from 30% to 70%. Conduct summaries and analyses on a quarterly basis to improve the systems and incentive mechanisms. Prizes are awarded based on factors such as utilization rate, cost savings, usage time, and effectiveness. The first group is the “repairing old items to make use of them” team; followed by the sending unit, the using unit, and the inspection team………… Through less than a year of implementation, remarkable results have been achieved, with increased enthusiasm and efficiency………… There’s really much more to discuss………… This is just some basic corporate experience, for reference only…………

Old materials can be used at a lower standard: for example, old pipelines that can no longer withstand pressure can be used as pipe supports or brackets; valves discarded in the petrochemical industry are still more than sufficient for use in water treatment.