Challenge
CP Kelco’s operations depend on the smooth performance of highly specialized equipment-particularly in fermentation, where failures can bring production to a standstill.
Despite monthly PMs, the team was struggling with:
- Unexpected breakdowns on critical equipment
- High costs from reactive maintenance
- Missed early warnings that could have prevented failures
- Manual inspections that consumed time but lacked precision
One asset class in particular-the fermenter agitators-posed a significant risk. A failure here could shut down production for 3-4 days, requiring cranes and manual gearbox replacements. These incidents weren’t just expensive-they were disruptive and dangerous.
If a critical asset fails: 72+ hours of Downtime
Solution
To move beyond reactive maintenance, CP Kelco implemented Tractian’s Condition Monitoring solution-using vibration sensors combined with AI-powered diagnostics to gain real-time visibility into asset health.
With Tractian, they now:
- Detect failures early, thanks to real-time vibration and temperature monitoring
- Act faster with clear recommendations on what needs fixing and when
- Monitor 280+ critical assets, generating 400+ insights from over 3.7 million data samples
- Eliminate unnecessary PMs and shift to proactive, condition-based maintenance
Impact
Within months of implementation at their San Diego facility, the team at CP Kelco saw:
- $446.9K total cost savings, including $380K in production uptime
- 84 hours of downtime avoided, including a major unbalance incident on a dryer bearing
- Reduced reliance on manual PMs and guesswork
- More predictable, proactive maintenance planning
What's Next
CP Kelco is using Tractian to build a more reliable maintenance strategy-not just for one site, but across its operations. The team now spends less time reacting and more time preventing.
With Tractian Condition Monitoring, they're not just saving time-they’re protecting uptime, avoiding expensive emergency repairs, and setting a new standard for maintenance.
