Netherlands-based Rubix Haarlem, a specialist provider of more than 400,000 MRO
(maintenance, repair and overhaul) products to industrial and maintenance customers from
all sectors, has become an NSK Certified AIP Service Branch. An intensive qualification
process was concluded with a series of end user visits by teams from both NSK and Rubix
Haarlem.
Founded in 1994 and formerly known as AKN or Brammer, Rubix Haarlem is a highly proactive
branch of the Rubix Group with a strong track record of adding value and engineering specific
solutions to suit individual customer requirements. The company’s relationship with NSK is very
strong and the management team wanted to build on this foundation by using AIP (Added Value
Programme) to make a statement of joint collaboration.
AIP comprises NSK engineering and service solutions designed to add value for end users by
improving their machine reliability, technical knowledge and overall profitability (via lower total cost
of ownership – TCO). As a Certified AIP Service Branch, Rubix Haarlem will ensure its customers’
operations and maintenance processes are even more efficient and therefore more profitable,
saving them money at every step of the process.
Certified AIP Service Branch training commenced in the summer of 2018, with a Rubix team
attending two sessions at NSK’s training centre in Tilburg, Netherlands. The first session
encompassed the basic principles of AIP and how it is best applied to customers, while the second
focused on important aspects such as return on investment calculations, how to perform AIP
surveys, and how to deliver bearing training and undertake successful AIP+ demonstrations.
Rubix Haarlem has a full applications engineering team that is focussed on adding value for
customers, so embarking on the AIP programme was a logical extension that would allow the
company to form a close preferential partnership with NSK.
Once all of the training was completed, joint visits were staged with Rubix Haarlem to two snack
food manufacturing facilities. This activity formed the final stage of the Certified AIP Service Branch
process and involved launching AIP with these customers and developing process maps for each
site. From these visits significant potential cost savings were identified, all of which will be
documented and presented back to the end users.
The NSK Certified AIP Service Branch award ceremony for Rubix Haarlem took place in July 2019.
Ultimately, the company wants to become a centre of excellence, and is in the process of
developing its own MRO training capability at Haarlem using NSK products and materials.
