Reliability Champions: Inside SKF's Maintenance Excellence Journey with Pablo Porcelana SKF

Send us Fan MailWhat does it really take to keep 81 manufacturing sites around the world running at world-class reliability standards?In this episode, I sat down with Pablo, the Reliability Champion at SKF, the world’s leading bearing manufacturer, to find out. And this chat was packed with gold.Pablo opened up about how SKF have built something seriously special. Their Maintenance Excellence system brings together the best of Japanese TPM and reliability-centered maintenance to create a global standard that actually works, site to site, culture to culture.But here’s the standout bit for me. It’s not just about the systems or tools. It’s about the people. SKF have cultivated a real community of over 400 maintenance professionals across the globe. They’re not just clocking in and out. They’re sharing wins, solving problems together, and raising the bar as a unit.We also talked about their week-long Maintenance Excellence Bootcamps run across three continents, combining deep-dive training with hands-on work to embed excellence into their culture. Add in their push towards smarter CMMS rollouts and the integration of AI for predictive maintenance, and it’s clear these guys aren’t just keeping up. They’re leading the way.The part that stuck with me most was this quote from Pablo:"You can have the most perfect system in the world, but if the people aren’t on board, it’s worthless."That hits home. It’s not the tech. It’s the trust. It’s the culture. It’s the belief that people make reliability real.Whether you’re running one site or a global operation, there’s something in this conversation for everyone who believes in better maintenance. Tune in and see how SKF keep evolving while staying true to what matters most: people, purpose, and precision.Support the show