Being a Maintenance Manager can be a very rewarding, yet challenging role. A Maintenance Manager is typically accountable for ensuring maintenance is executed correctly, on time and within budget to assure the safety and integrity of the facility, and that uptime and reliability targets are achieved. 

If you look after your people, they will in turn look after your clients and business. It is therefore fundamental that you influence correctly and lead them in the most effective way possible, to help them evolve, grow and deliver great work. 

With an increasing number of knowledgeable and skilled people leaving the energy industry, and less experienced people stepping into managerial positions, there is a growing skills gap emerging across the globe that is brewing the perfect storm.

Having an effective computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) is vital for running a facility successfully, allowing the maintenance of equipment and assets to be more proactive as opposed to reactive. 

All decisions should be made based on accurate, reliable data - but for many companies, data within the CMMS is inaccurate or missing altogether. This can cause significant knock-on issues, for example high levels of backlog or conducting more corrective maintenance than preventative, which could be easily avoided.

While training may seem like a costly and unnecessary venture right now, it will inevitably unlock ROI opportunities and savings in the long run. As new skills are learned, knowledge is enhanced and efficiencies will be gained in relation to enhanced production, reliability, HSE performance and cost optimization. 

This is especially true within the world of asset management and maintenance optimization at the moment, as there are a wealth of efficiency savings and production optimization  opportunities that can be unearthed and capitalised upon. And effective training can be the much-needed catalyst for these savings. 

Managing operational expenditure is a challenge for any asset, but as the age of an asset increases, additional challenges are introduced, and the cost of operational expenditure typically rises. These additional costs are usually driven by equipment failure, obsolescence, and lack of sufficient maintenance.

To help manage the costs of aging assets, maintenance and operational stakeholders need to consider, and invest into proven initiatives that optimise ways of working, increase equipment reliability and assure safety integrity of the facility.

The biggest enemy of maintenance and reliability is unplanned downtime. While planned downtime is inevitable when managing a plant, unplanned downtime is often one of the largest challenges and expenses.

When production has to cease unexpectedly because of a broken part or safety issue, time needs to be urgently spent to identify the problem, fix it, and ensure there are no ancillary issues before restarting. This is highly disruptive and costly, and maintenance teams are therefore always striving to avoid unexpected failures or breakdowns. 

A computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) is a critical element to efficient maintenance management. It is used to help meet production demands, reduce OPEX costs, increase profits, and minimize risk of incidents. In particular, an effective CMMS can provide better management and control of: