A leading customer in Tunisia’s paper and pulp industry was facing significant challenges with the manual lubrication of their paper machine. Operating in extreme temperatures, the maintenance team had limited access to lubrication points while the machine was running, which hindered both effective process monitoring and timely, accurate lubrication. In order to minimise safety risks for employees, lubrication tasks were deferred to coincide with planned shutdowns. However, in addition to bearing failures caused by insufficient lubrication, this approach also led to excessive and costly grease consumption.
The customer, already familiar with the quality and reliability of the SKF brand through their use of various SKF products including bearings, seals, as well as MaPro and CoMo (condition monitoring) tools, requested support in improving the reliability of their paper machine during a visit to their premises by the SKF Tunisia team.
Hassan Missaoui, SKF Sales Engineer Lubrication – Northwest Africa, explains that some two years ago they successfully installed a Maxilube system for a paper and pulp customer in Morocco. “The exceptional performance of the Maxilube system, coupled with positive customer feedback, clearly established it as the ideal solution for the demanding needs of this industry, enabling us to confidently recommend Maxilube to our customer in Tunisia.”
During a planned shutdown in Q1 2025, Team SKF Tunisia successfully installed and commissioned the system, working in close collaboration with their local Authorised Distributor and subcontractor.
Equipped with a combination of SG dual-line and VPG progressive dividers, the SKF Maxilube system services 130 lubrication points on the paper machine. “This advanced configuration allows for precise control of grease dosage at each point, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency,” explains Missaoui. “We also replaced the previously used concurrent known grease, with LGHB 2 grease that is specifically suited to this application, enabling us to accurately calculate the exact quantity of grease required for optimal bearing lubrication.” He adds that this calculation also provided a clearer understanding of the actual expected grease consumption per bearing, resulting in a more efficient and measurable reduction in overall grease usage for the customer. “In addition to reducing grease consumption, the implementation of this complete lubrication solution also significantly extends bearing life by improving lubrication performance, ultimately leading to better resource utilisation and substantial cost savings for our customer.”
Moving on to the critical topic of safety, Missaoui emphasises that the new Maxilube system has dramatically reduced, if not entirely eliminated, direct human interaction with machinery, which has significantly lowered the risks associated with working in high-temperature environments near high-speed equipment. “This improvement not only enhances operator safety by minimising the likelihood of accidents but also supports uninterrupted machine operation by reducing the need for frequent manual interventions, subsequently boosting production levels.”
Overall, the integration of the Maxilube system with SG dual line and VPG progressive dividers, along with LGHB 2 grease, has provided the customer with a reliable, efficient, and safer lubrication solution for their paper machines. By enhancing lubrication monitoring and enabling predictive maintenance, the SKF Maxilube solution is delivering significant economic and sustainability benefits for the customer. Key outcomes include improved operator safety, fewer equipment failures, extended bearing life and increased machine uptime, all contributing to more reliable production. Moreover, grease consumption was optimised, reducing operating costs and environmental impact, with less grease pollution around the machine and in the water system. Additionally, the customer saw substantial cost savings from reduced bearing replacements and lower grease usage. One of the most impactful results was the boost in uptime, directly translating into higher productivity and improved output.
SKF provided the customer with comprehensive training on the lubrication system, covering its functionality, operating principles, and routine maintenance tasks such as filter cleaning. In the first year, maintenance responsibilities will be managed by their Authorised Distributor in partnership with SKF, after which the customer will assume full responsibility.
This integrated solution was a collaborative effort involving SKF Northwest Africa with Hassan Missaoui, Marwen Chebbi, Sales Manager Tunisia, and Maher Khouaja, Manager Industrial Sales North Africa and Industry Leader Metals and P&P Africa, being instrumental in developing and proposing the solution, as well as in the commissioning and training processes. Missaoui highlights the fact that this project has fostered a climate of understanding and trust between SKF, the distributor, and the customer. “This positive relationship has opened the door to new opportunities, igniting discussions around equipping the rest of the machine, almost tripling the current system, in the coming months. This expansion will further enhance the reliability and efficiency of the customer’s operations, ensuring consistent lubrication across all critical points. Moreover, the project’s success has initiated conversations about improving the lubrication of the customer’s dryer cylinder oil system. By addressing this aspect, we aim to provide a comprehensive lubrication solution that covers all essential components, thereby maximising the overall performance and longevity of the machinery.”
Wrapping up, Missaoui also points out that the positive outcomes and reliability demonstrated by Maxilube has significantly increased the customer group’s confidence in SKF’s solutions and expertise and has reinforced the group’s trust in SKF. “This is encouraging the customer and other entities to consider SKF for other ongoing and future projects. In addition to adding value to the current project, this strengthened SKF–customer partnership also paves the way for continued collaboration and innovation, ensuring that the group remains at the forefront of industry advancements.” /Ends/
