As the second largest producer of lime in North America, Graymont needed an efficient maintenance system to complete repairs quickly and keep the mine operating at peak performance. As Darrell, the maintenance superintendent, explained, "We were completely changing the way we do our maintenance system, moving toward structured planning and scheduling week to week, with a strong emphasis on preventive maintenance. Part of changing the culture was organizing our parts and inventory so everything could be easily found. We needed to know what was in stock and what needed to be ordered."

Graymont’s management team proposed a solution combining Spider® shelving, mini-racking, and shelving unit drawers. The most popular dimensions and configurations were presented, along with guidance on layout and functionality. “They pointed us in the right direction and helped with the design and layout,” explained Graymont’s manager. To confirm it was the right choice, he visited a nearby company that had recently upgraded its warehouse with Rousseau products. After seeing the quality firsthand, the decision was clear.

The project was completed in phases because multiple warehouses required updates. As Darrell explained, “We did it in two steps. We handled the mobile end first and learned from that. Then we moved into designing the stationary warehouse.” Graymont employees installed nearly all of the products themselves. Ease of installation was one of the major reasons Graymont selected Rousseau solutions.

Versatility proved to be one of the most valuable features of the system. Darrell noted, “The big draw for me was that everything fits together. You can go down a row and go from regular shelving to drawers in the same unit and connect that directly to mini-racking.” In a mine where part sizes vary significantly, the ability to keep everything organized and within reach is critical.

Graymont also saw immediate improvements in inventory visibility. Darrell explained that knowing where parts are located and how many are on hand is essential when operating a facility that produces more than 2,000 tons of lime per day. After installation, managers discovered that many parts previously thought to be out of stock had simply been misplaced. Suppliers even noticed a drop in orders in the months that followed. “Once all our parts were organized, we realized we had many more parts than we thought. We are running our business better now,” Darrell added.

The improved organization has resulted in reduced costs and significantly increased efficiency. With clear visibility into parts inventory across warehouses, repairs can be completed faster and productivity remains high.

The success of the Pleasant Gap mine installation has not gone unnoticed. As Darrell shared, “We were the first plant to take the initiative, and now other plants across Canada and the United States are pushing to install the same system.”