Bob Curelo
Maintenance group leader,
Signode (ITW),
Bridgeview, Ill.

Bob is the classic old-school maintenance pro, having started with Signode some 35 years ago and working his way from mechanical maintenance craftsman maintaining and repairing facility equipment into his current role as group leader. Today, Bob’s main functions include overseeing the tool crib, Signode’s knife grinding operations and scheduling and supervising outside contractors. In addition, he handles all the building and grounds maintenance work.

“We have a 56-inch rolling mill here where we reduce steel coil and gauges to our specific gauges before they run through our slitting lines,” explains plant engineer Mark Hollo, who has worked with Bob for 22 years. “Bob is extremely proficient in maintaining the slitter stands, the knife stands themselves, our strap lines and our 30 seal presses.”

Since the plant has a staff of only 11 maintenance professionals, Signode relies on a number of outside contractors for contract work on HVAC systems, forklift repair and downtime tasks.

“We’ll bring in a crew of mechanical and electrical contractors to repair the lines on down days, and Bob schedules and supervises the mechanical end of that type of work,” Hollo says.

Bob also helps train younger workers coming up.

“Bob trains our new craftsmen in the expectations and aspects of machining, hydraulics, pneumatics, weld wheels, machining parts for PMs and so on,” Hollo says.

What places Bob in the above-and-beyond category of worker in Hollo’s eyes is the work he has done to reengineer the plant’s pulley sets, including changing pulley configurations and chrome plating them, which has significantly extended their life. 

“When you give Bob a project, you don’t have to look back over his shoulder; you know it will get done,” Hollo states.

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