Red Spots, Missed Prayers, and the Rule of 80/20 | Diary Entry - 22nd May 2025
A Rough Continuation
Yesterday’s poor performance wasn’t an anomaly - it was a pattern continuing today.
Stoppages in the kilns and mills were nearly as bad as the previous day. This level of breakdown frequency is no longer operational turbulence - it’s structural failure in discipline and basic maintenance practices.
By evening, a red spot was detected at the 33-metre mark on Kiln #1, just uphill from the middle tyre. For any experienced kiln man, that location rings alarms - it’s a tension zone prone to brick-failure or ring formation issues.
Line #2 was stopped, and we’re now planning a kiln entry tonight for inspection. Let’s hope we catch it early - before it spirals into a shell deformation or a longer shutdown.
Morning Meeting - Faith and Habits
The morning meeting was short again, but Mr. Yendabre brought a thoughtful touch to it.
He spoke about the value of daily prayer, not just as a religious act, but as a discipline-building habit. He reminisced how our parents made sure we never skipped Sunday Church - sometimes using tough love. Their goal wasn’t just spirituality; it was structure and commitment.
He related it to the poor attendance in our own morning meetings - a practice meant to align minds, reinforce safety, and create shared momentum for the day. Sadly, it’s becoming optional for many. That reflects in the plant too - loose habits, poor ownership, and fading accountability.
Grinding Silence Continues
By 5:30 PM, the Raw Mill still hadn’t started. Another entire day without feed.
The silo levels must be dangerously low by now - any more delays, and we’ll have to deal with kiln starvation or compromised blending.
It’s heartbreaking to see how a single line of missed basics - lubrication, inspection, timely intervention - can cascade into a full production collapse.
The DCT Detour
Post-lunch, I thought of visiting our DCT Grinding Unit (Diamond Cement Togo). A quick drive to check pulse of operations, especially now when our main unit is struggling.
But mid-way through the 2-hour drive - just as I passed Vogan town, I got a call that the PDG visit to WACEM had been scheduled for today. I immediately turned back.
And then - a classic twist - after rushing back, I found out the PDG visit got cancelled too.
To top it off, the car’s AC failed again, despite being sent to Lomé for repair just this Monday. With heavy rain lashing for 10 minutes and humidity rising, the ride back was anything but pleasant.
Rain greeted me back at the plant too. Not soothing - more like nature sharing the weight of the day.
No DPM Today
The Daily Production Meeting (DPM) had to be cancelled, as most of the team was still knee-deep in firefighting the ongoing breakdowns.
Ironically, the one meeting that could -plan the unplanned- and structure response - we couldn’t hold that.
Also known as the Pareto Principle, the 80/20 Rule suggests that 80% of the results come from 20% of the efforts or causes.
In business, that could mean:
- 80% of sales come from 20% of customers
- 80% of problems arise from 20% of root causes
- 80% of productivity can be traced back to 20% of tasks done right
In a cement plant, this principle applies beautifully.
> More than 80% of our Operational Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) can be achieved just by consistently doing the basics - what I call C.L.T.I.
> Cleaning - Lubrication - Tightening - Inspection
> Add to this: Preventive Maintenance (PM), and you have the full toolkit to prevent 90% of avoidable failures.
But are we doing it? No.
We’re skipping inspection rounds. Lubrication is erratic. Cleaning is superficial. Tightening is rarely scheduled.
And that’s how red spots show up uninvited.
Key Points of the Day:
1. Plant continued to underperform - similar number of stoppages as yesterday.
2. Red spot detected on Kiln #1 at 33m - inspection scheduled for tonight.
3. Raw Mill still down by 5:30 PM - worsening feed situation.
4. Morning meeting led by Mr. Yendabre - spoke on prayer, habit-building, and poor attendance.
5. PDG visit to WACEM was scheduled, prompting return from mid-way DCT visit - later cancelled.
6. AC in car not functioning - difficult drive in humid rainy weather.
7. Daily Planning Meeting cancelled - team busy with breakdown management.
8. Explained 80/20 Rule and how CLTI + PM can solve majority of operational problems if done sincerely.
“Discipline isn't about doing big things occasionally. It's about doing small things consistently. In cement - that makes all the difference.”
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