About Precision Lubrication Magazine

 

Our Mission

A well-executed lubrication program represents an enormous opportunity for most industrial plants. Even though the benefits are significant, only a tiny segment of industry treats lubrication as a serious maintenance activity. When lubrication programs are run haphazardly, aren’t properly supported, and aren’t championed as a critical component to an organization’s mission, machine reliability suffers, and equipment fails.

Our mission is to equip lubrication, maintenance, and reliability professionals with solid guidance and tools for developing precision lubrication and fluid analysis programs that are properly executed, sustainable and serve as a center of excellence for their companies.

Editorial Advisory Board

Kenneth Bannister

Ken Bannister has 40+ years of experience in the lubrication industry. For the past 30, he’s been a Managing Partner and Principal Asset Management Consultant with Engtech Industries Inc., where he has specialized in helping clients implement best-practice asset-management programs worldwide. Ken is currently on the ICML Board of Directors and is a founding member and past director of the Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association of Canada. He has written several books about lubrication, predictive maintenance, and energy reduction strategies.

Mark Barnes

Mark has over 25 years of experience in the fields of lubrication management, oil analysis, and contamination control, and has published more than 190 technical articles and whitepapers. He is frequently invited to share his subject matter expertise at conferences around the globe and has worked with a number of blue chip companies, including Chevron, DuPont, Alcoa, ExxonMobil, Goodyear, Cargill, International Paper, General Mills, and the U.S. Army to extend asset life through precision lubrication. For numerous years now, Mark Barnes leads Des-Case’s reliability services team, helping customers identify opportunities for improvements to their industrial lubrication programs through training, consulting and product solutions.

Prior to joining Des-Case, Mark was Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Services for Noria Corporation, a global leader in lubrication and oil analysis training and consulting. Mark holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom and is a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP).

Rafe Britton

Hi, I’m Rafe Britton, the Lubrication Expert. I’m known within the industry for my YouTube channel and podcast, and I work with mid-size industrials to improve their equipment uptime while reducing the cost of their lubrication program. I’m a mechanical engineer with 13 years of experience on both sides of the industry, both as an operator and lubricant supplier. I hold a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering and a Bachelor of Physics from UNSW.

I’ve helped dozens of industrial clients upskill their workforce, reduce waste, improve reliability and take great strides toward their corporate sustainability goals. I serve on the Australian Lubricant Association technical committee to push the lubricants industry forward and help end-users better understand the importance of lubrication. 

Bryan Debshaw

As CEO of POLARIS Laboratories, Bryan brings over 25 years of entrepreneurial and business management experience to POLARIS Laboratories®. Two years after joining POLARIS Laboratories®, he was a finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in management and finance from Indiana State University and a master of business administration degree from Auburn University. Bryan retired from the Indiana Air National Guard as Lt. Colonel after 30 years. In his last post, he served as the Inspector General at the 181st Intelligence Wing. Bryan is an adventure enthusiast and ultra-runner, running numerous ultra-races, including Tahoe200, Bigfoot 200, and Moab240.

Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson is the President of AMMRI and has 35+ years of practical experience in industrial lubrication and equipment reliability management. He has assisted in developing reliability improvement strategies and implementing reliability-centered machine lubrication programs for many well-known multinational manufacturers, including Cargill, International Paper, Ford Motors, Goodyear, General Mills, Southdown, Chemetals, Arcadian Group, Diesel Recon, and many others.

Mike has an extensive background in theoretical and practical tribology and uses this knowledge to assist organizations that want to improve machine reliability through training, in-plant coaching, failure analysis, and advice and support in developing standards for precision lubrication practices. Learn more at https://amrri.com

Greg Livingstone

Greg Livingstone is Chief Innovation Officer for Fluitec. He has three decades of industrial lubrication experience focused on how lubricants degrade and to mitigate the risks associated with oil failure. He’s developed oil analysis tests, filtration technologies, solubility enhancers and other technologies used to increase the life and performance of industrial lubricants. He has volunteered in multiple industry organizations, such as STLE, ICML, and ASTM. Along his journey, he’s published over 70 papers on these subjects and has helped hundreds of clients in over 50 countries.

Sanya Mathura

Sanya is the Founder of Strategic Reliability Solutions Ltd based in Trinidad and operates in the capacity of Managing Director and Senior Consultant. She works with global affiliates in the areas of Reliability and Asset Management to bring these speciality niches to her clients. She holds her BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering, MSc in Engineering Asset Management and is an ICML certified MLE (Machinery Lubrication Engineer) – the first female in the Caribbean. Sanya was also the first female in the world to achieve the ICML Varnish badges (VIM & VPR).

She is the author and co-author of three books; Lubrication Degradation Mechanisms, A Complete Guide, Lubrication Degradation – Getting into the Root Causes and Machinery Lubrication Technician (MLT) I & II Certification Exam Guide. Recently, she also edited the book, Empowering Women in STEM – Personal Stories and Career Journeys from Around the World. When not writing or managing the business, you can find her supporting projects to advocate for women in STEM.

Alejandro Meza

Alejandro is a Senior Reliability and Application Engineer with Kluber NA. He is a Multilingual Mechanical Engineer showcasing 25+ years of experience supporting machine reliability optimization through Reliability-Centered Lubrication, Oil Condition Monitoring, and Quality Assurance, providing solutions for diverse plants and industries. He is known for improving production asset management, providing advanced technical training, and resolving lubricated equipment’s relevant reliability issues. Alejandro enjoys analyzing client/user project needs and delivering solutions to improve customer satisfaction.

Scott Selting

I’m a Reliability Supervisor with Domtar and have 33 years of experience in the Pulp and Paper industry. I’m passionate about applying my experience and training to improve the reliability of manufacturing equipment. My credentials include Reliability & Maintainability Implementation Certification (RMIC), Reliability Solutions Leadership Couse, Machine Lubrication Analyst Level 3 (MLA 3), WI State Millwright and Wisconsin licensed industrial E&I technician and certified Vibration analyst (Category 1). In my free time, I enjoy spending time outdoors hunting and fishing.

 

Terry Southall

Terry Southall spent 15 years in the United State Air Force and quickly found his way into manufacturing. He spent time as a contractor developing a Learning Management System (LMS) at an Aeronautical Turbine facility and then as the Learning & Development Specialist for 6 facilities within Wood Products centered around Oriented Strand Board (OSB). Terry is the Global Brand & Distribution Manager for Hamar Laser Instruments, Inc. and their X-Series™ Laser Shaft Alignment Systems. His roles include brand awareness, sales, marketing, training, and he also works directly with 39 Distributors worldwide. Before this position, Terry spent 6 months as the Business Development Manager for a well-known consulting firm out of Florida. And before that, he spent 8 1/2 years as the Business Development Coordinator, Client Account Manager, and then the Strategic Account Manager for a well-known hands-on training company, also out of Florida, where he managed over 523 company, corporate, and facility accounts. Terry has a Bachelor’s in Management and a Master’s in Adult Education and Training.

 

Matt Spurlock

Matt Spurlock brings nearly 30 years of oil analysis knowledge to Precision Lubrication Magazine. He has developed lubrication and oil analysis programs for manufacturing facilities in Iceland, Canada, and throughout the United States. Spurlock’s history includes eight years in the United States Marine Corps as an Amphibious Assault Vehicle Technician where he utilized oil analysis as a primary troubleshooting tool for diesel engines, transmissions, propulsion systems & hydraulic systems. Matt also managed the maintenance efforts on vehicle fleets worth approximately $32M.

From the Marines, Spurlock remained in the field of oil analysis and industrial lubrication. From working in an oil analysis laboratory writing test procedures, through designing and managing multiple onsite oil analysis programs, Matt then moved into teaching and development of optimized lubrication and oil analysis program design initiatives.

Spurlock is an accomplished instructor in the field of industrial lubrication and oil analysis, has many published articles in trade magazines, and is considered a thought leader in the field. He brings a unique approach to oil analysis and has spent the past five years researching the use of inline oil sensors and mapping this data back to laboratory instrumentation and lubrication failure modes. Additionally, he holds a BSc in Business Administration, an MBA, and is currently a doctoral student working towards a PhD in Organizational Leadership with an estimated dissertation defense in May 2025.

 

Lisa Williams

Lisa is a results-focused solution provider working in reliability engineering and tribology for over 15 years. Currently, she serves as Ametek Spectro Scientific’s Global Technical Training Manager. Lisa is certified by the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) as a Certified Lubrication Specialist® and certified by the International Council of Machinery Lubrication as a Machinery Lubrication Analyst (MLA I) and Laboratory Lubricant Analyst (LLA II).

Lisa serves as Chair of the in-service lubricant testing committee at American Standards of Testing and Materials (ASTM D02 CS96) and served as the technical lead on several ASTM Standards related to grease and oil analysis.  She has published over 25 journal articles and technical papers related to developing and executing effective lubricant condition monitoring programs.  Lisa holds an MBA and BS in Chemistry.

 

Martin Williamson

Martin Williamson is the founder and managing director of KEW Engineering Ltd., a company specializing in lubrication and reliability engineering services. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Martin is recognized for his expertise in oil analysis, lubricant management, and condition monitoring. He has authored numerous technical articles and presented at conferences worldwide, further solidifying his reputation as a thought leader in the lubrication industry. Martin is a certified Machine Lubricant Analyst (MLA) and Machinery Lubrication Engineer (MLE).

 

Nathan Wright

Nathan is the President of Transformational Performance Solutions LLC and has 40 years of experience in the field and a doctorate degree in Organization, Development, and Leadership Style. Nathan has a proven record of transforming organizations into revenue-producing powerhouses. He also helps corporate leaders develop first-line managers into top-caliber professionals, capable of effectively navigating and utilizing the tools available to them.

Using a unique coaching approach, Nathan helps organizations achieve peak performance by focusing on leadership development, people development (strategies and programs), maintenance and reliability, executive coaching, strategic planning, and meeting facilitation. Nathan has been involved in technology, strategic business management, and leadership development throughout his professional career and education.

 

Rich Wurzbach

Rich Wurzbach has 30+ years of experience developing condition-monitoring programs, including Infrared Thermography, Lubricant Analysis, and Ultrasound. He has maintenance department experience at several US nuclear power plants and has worked in and developed the Condition-Based Facility Maintenance program at the National Institutes of Health. He has served on research teams in Denmark, studying lubrication and sampling practices for wind turbines. He currently works as the SME for the US Army’s Oil Analysis Program (AOAP).

He is certified by the International Council on Machinery Lubrication (ICML) as a Machinery Lubrication Engineer (MLE) and all other available ICML certifications. He is ASNT Level III in PdM-Infrared and Thermal Testing.

He has designed numerous innovative products to improve the practice of lubricant sampling and analysis, holding four patents. He authored the Electric Power Research Institute’s “Effective Grease Practices” report and was a co-author of the EPRI Report “Lube Oil PdM, Handling, and Quality Assurance Guideline.”  He has presented and published over 70 scientific papers.

 

Khaled Zanoon

Khaled is a Rotating Equipment and Reliability SME in the Mechanical Tech Service (MTS) Group of Albemarle Corporation. As a Mechanical Engineer, he has more than 20 years of experience in maintenance, reliability, and project management. He serves as the Albemarle corporate subject matter expert on the design and maintenance of all types of rotating equipment. He has vast experience in developing and implementing mechanical seals, alignment, lubrication, and vibration analysis best practices.

 

 

Timothy Holmes
Dupont