The pilot implementation study for checking the practical feasibility and
validity of applying benchmarking for strategic maintenance quality
improvement was conducted in two Indian companies. In one company,
TPM is currently being implemented while, in the other, TPM has not been
formally implemented. First, an Indian cement producing company was
approached. In this company, TPM has been implemented since 1994. Because
SMQE is a new model, the management was initially briefed about it. After
negotiations, the management agreed to permit the use of their premises and
facilities for an implementation study. The company is, in fact, one unit of a
major Indian cement producing company. It is estimated that all the 11 units of
this company combined produce about 45 percent of the cement requirements
of India. In all the units, the TPM program is being implemented. This case
study was restricted to Coimbatore-based unit (Coimbatore is a small city
located in the Tamil Nadu state of India). In this unit, there are 741 regular
employees. There are also about 300 casual laborers, but this number
varies depending on the quantum of production. As in almost any
mechanical engineering-based company, in this unit there are eight functioning
departments.