Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: The 4th Annual Plant Reliability and Major Maintenance Summit kicked off in Rio at the Sofitel Copacabana Hotel yesterday. Gathering leaders from various sectors such as energy, manufacturing, automobile and utilities, the summit aimed at finding solutions to major challenges faced by reliability and maintenance engineers.

Addressing the audience on day one with the keynote speech was Joao Ricardo Lafraia, General Manager from Petrobras, speaking about developing a culture of reliability to achieve business goals. Followed by him was another keynote address by Joe Park, Global Reliability Director from Novelis, explaining the Novelis perspective of how reliability is not maintenance. He talked about the reliability life cycle of an asset, its process and elements, and its importance in today's organisational structure. Co authors of the book Reliability and Maintenance Decision Analysis, Prof. Adiel Teixeira de Almeida and Rodrigo Ferreira, presented a session on multi-criteria and multi-objective models for reliability and maintenance decision analysis.

A panel discussion on ideas for reducing costs without compromising on reliability was conducted with the moderators deliberating on aspects that are occupying a major portion of the expenses and steps that can be taken to contain their costs. The day also featured sessions by experts representing leading companies such as DOW Chemical, ReliaSoft Brasil and INTELIGÊNCIA EM LUBRIFICAÇÃO.

Day two of the event will begin with the keynote address by Rogerio Arcuri Filho, Chairman of the Board, ABRAMAN. He will speak on sustainability centered maintenance - maintenance management revolving around sustainability. Another panel discussion on operation strategies to support reliability goals will be conducted with panelists from MOL Group and Petroamazons to name a few. Other sessions will be presented by leaders from Toyota, Ecopetrol, MOL Group and Petroamazons. The event is sponsored by leading reliability and maintenance solution providers Des Case and Ausenco.