Maintenance is key, say
Published: 05 August, 2010
Manufacturers see the performance of their maintenance function as crucial in the fight to remain competitive. This is the clear message in the results of a new survey conducted by Benchmark Research.
The just-published "People, Performance and Productivity Survey 2010” asked participants a range of questions regarding their attitudes to the current industry landscape including skills, recruitment, training and productivity improvement. Respondents across the full spectrum of manufacturing industry repeatedly cited the importance of effective maintenance as a significant means to maximise future productivity.
Commenting on the results, Andy Neilson, marketing manager for CMMS providers Spidex Software said: “This survey bears out what Spidex has always said - that a well-run maintenance department plays a crucial contributory role in manufacturing improvement.”
“Any manufacturer which still sees maintenance simply as an overhead is missing a colossal opportunity – with the right data at its disposal, your maintenance department can transform your production output.”
Although 80% of those questioned said that they had already adopted some degree of preventative maintenance, most saw further efficiency in their maintenance function as a key factor in improving productivity.
Respondents also identified what they saw as significant risks to improvement; among them were ageing plant & equipment, a shortage of maintenance skills, the gradual loss of older, experienced technical personnel and plant downtime.
Neilson commented: “These are substantial barriers to improving productivity, but they can be overcome with the right information at your disposal using a CMMS system like Spidex's Mainsaver.”
“Older equipment can have its life prolonged when you have its maintenance and breakdown history to hand, because you can use that data to tailor the most effective PM schedule for each asset – and as a direct consequence, production downtime will be commensurately reduced.
“Manufacturers are also very concerned about losing the technical skills of their mature workers as they gradually retire – but a CMMS can store the knowledge and experience of your older engineers within each machine"s maintenance history, so that it can be accessed and shared by the next generation.”
For further information please visit: www.spidex.co.uk
