TLT: How long have you worked in a lubrication-related field, and how did you decide to pursue a career in the lubricants industry?
Messuti: I have worked in some type of manufacturing/industrial field for more than 25 years. The lubricants field was appealing to me because I wanted to take a deep dive into engineering; engineering had always been an integral aspect of most of the organizations I worked for in the past. I wanted to make a meaningful impact on this industry and was excited about some of the new technology that was coming along. There’s so much I like about the lubricants industry. Oil analysis, in particular, has a bottom-line impact on companies. There are a lot of people that, believe it or not, don’t have an oil analysis program and don’t understand the benefits. Then there are others that have a program but aren’t fully leveraging it. It’s exciting when companies start seeing results.

Management has always been a good fit for me—although I wouldn’t call it managing, rather it’s leadership—leading into new spaces that haven’t been engaged in before. I really love to see people develop and grow along with a business. And I’m energized by pushing the envelope both internally and across the industry.



TLT: What has been your most rewarding accomplishment throughout your career in the lubricants industry?
Messuti: There’s not one, but if I had to choose, I would say adding new business lines, such as onsite services and training. They really round out staff and have been embraced by customers.

Another key accomplishment for me has been creating principles that focus on continuously improving work processes, purposes and people in every business where I’ve worked. I spent five years implementing them in a lot of different manufacturing environments and saw the power of that. It will change the way a business is run. As I have gone on to lead companies, I’ve implemented them at every single one. They increase knowledge, increase throughput and clearly add to the bottom line.

TLT: What is the No. 1 piece of advice you would give to a person who might be interested in starting a career in the lubricants industry?
Messuti: Go for it! Get in there. We need fresh minds and new ideas. We want people with a variety of mindsets—that’s where the best innovations take shape. It’s that combination of technical knowledge and practical knowledge that makes a difference. Most fundamental is to seek out a workplace culture that is nurturing. We create professional development plans for employees and create a roadmap for them to grow their career. We want an encouraging culture.

TLT: Throughout the different segments within your career, which one has been the most interesting, challenging and/or rewarding?
Messuti: Over the trajectory of my career, I have had overseas expat assignments twice. Being immersed in a new culture was challenging for a number of reasons, including learning how people think differently. Once you understand that, it expands your thought process—it makes it easier to think outside the box.

TLT: What are some of the most technical lubrication-based concepts or topics you have encountered throughout your career? 
Messuti: Assessing and implementing new test methods has always been exciting. When choosing a new method, look at what the customer really needs and what methods are available. If you can’t find something that fits, start looking at a modified method. It’s good to spend a lot of time with new customers when onboarding them so that you can get a clear picture of what they need. An example would be the pore blockage test for particle count. While many labs have moved away from it, some have chosen to continue using it, along with other methods, because it yields the data customers need. The market for oil analysis is almost recession proof. When in a tough economic climate, customers want to take every step they can to ensure their equipment will remain operational as long as possible. I have seen the market grow and be very resilient.

TLT: What is the one thing you wish you would have learned earlier in your career?
Messuti: While being a woman in leadership in largely male-dominated industries was a challenge earlier in my career, I learned that male-dominated or not, there are businesses that aren’t culture friendly for women. If I had been able to work in a more open culture when I was younger and didn’t have to deal with politics, I would have accomplished a lot more. Today, most organizations—not all—really value diversity. That is the culture young women, in particular, need to find.

There are many facets of the reliability engineering space left to explore and more opening up every day. The lubricants industry is a very exciting and rewarding field to be in right now.

You can reach Mary Messuti at mary.messuti@et.eurofinsus.com.