TETRA Pak South Africa, the local operation of the world leading food processing and packaging solutions company, has announced that it has been honoured with the 2023 Total Plant Maintenance (TPM) Consistency Award from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance. This award recognises consistency in plant maintenance.
Tetra Pak South Africa received the prestigious TPM Consistency Award for its Pinetown manufacturing facility in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Pinetown converting factory is the only producer of aseptic carton packages in the Southern Africa region
Established in 1964 by the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM), the various TPM Awards rigorously evaluate a company- or plant-wide factory’s commitment to sustain superlative production capabilities and world-class quality standards. The awards have been instrumental in strengthening the improvement of enterprises and contributing to the development of industry by promoting the loss eradication methodologies and the development of plant maintenance strategies.
In its 43-year history in South Africa, Tetra Pak’s factory in Pinetown has already achieved several certification milestones. The factory has been certified against various international standards such as ISO 9000 Quality Management System, ISO14000 Environment Management System, ISO 18000 Occupational Health, and Safety, BRC IOP Food Safety Standards. On the path to achieving this latest award Tetra Pak introduced its World Class Manufacturing (WCM) philosophy to consciously pursue attainment of the award.
“This recognition of Tetra Pak’s Pinetown factory capabilities is a testament for the maturity in improving the quality and reliability of performance. This Consistency Award shows that the factory is on track towards the next challenge,” says Tetra Pak South Africa Pinetown Factory Director Waqas Ali. “We are extremely proud of the dedication of our Pinetown factory team members. This award is proof that we are serving our customers with the best service levels. This is a great honour, and it validates the team’s efforts in maintaining the highest standards in plant maintenance, thereby providing world class service, and helping our customers to achieve success within their businesses.”
Achieving a Consistency Award is clearly not achieved overnight – as ‘consistency’ must be amply demonstrated. Ali notes the journey at the Pinetown factory started quite some time ago, when the team achieved their first JIPM Award in 2019. “Since then, there has been a meticulous focus on continuing this journey – a journey which this recent achievement proves has been on an uninterrupted upward trajectory,” says Ali.
He notes that the journey was achieved by having a clear roadmap, targeting every step of improved performance – and teamwork. “I believe the entire team takes credit for setting bold targets for each individual and jointly as a team to achieve this milestone. Everyone is committed to take this process of excellence even further.”
Ali added, “This recognition is an extremely proud moment for all of us at Tetra Pack South Africa, particularly as a world-renowned independent expert organisation such as JIPM has certified that we have attained a benchmark standard for most effective plant maintenance systems.” “At Tetra Pak we leverage TPM to continuously improve our productivity, product quality, cost effectiveness and work culture.”
