October - Library

7
Optimizing The Role Of The Maintenance Department
Optimizing
The Role
Of The
Maintenance
Department
Joel Leonard
E-mail: leonard.joel@mpactlearning.com
Despite its often misconceived reputation, maintenance is more
than a “fix it when it breaks”function. But because it is often treated
as such, it’s not utilized to its full capacity. In order to avoid a “just fix
it” maintenance department, plant managers must take re s p o n s i b i l i t y.
Unless the maintenance organization is given (or develops) a pro a c t i v e
list of goals and objectives, it will always be sub-optimized.
Maintenance Goals
In order to determine the proper goals and objectives for the
maintenance organization, it is first necessary to define its
responsibilities. Close examination reveals that the true goal of
maintenance is to maintain the capability of the company’s assets to
p e rf o rm their designed function. When one views maintenance in this
w a y, many of the negative stereotypical perceptions about
maintenance will change. For example, determining the “customer”
of the maintenance organization takes on a new focus. In many
companies, there is a belief that maintenance’s customer is the
operation or production group, but the real customers of the
maintenance department are the shareholders of the company. By
caring for assets in which the shareholders have invested, plants can
be sold with pro d u c t i o n - re a d y, well-maintained assets worth more
than poorly maintained ready-to-scrap assets.
The second goal of maintenance is to be as efficient and eff e c t i v e
as possible in carrying out the repairs and services that are re q u i re d .
By taking more responsibility for the costs within their depart m e n t ,
maintenance personnel ultimately protect their jobs. Keeping costs
down maximizes profitability and prevents wasted dollars while
making a case against the idea that it is more economical to contract
out maintenance functions.
The third goal of maintenance is to reduce energy usage or energ y
c o n s u m p t i o n . Well-maintained equipment re q u i res less energy to
operate. The maintenance organization can have a large impact on
the company’s bottom line by ensuring that all energ y - re l a t e d
equipment is up to standard performance levels.
Judicious Cost Cutting
in the Maintenance Department In order to compete in this
hypercompetitive global economy, companies strive to become more
e fficient and effective. In order to do this, companies have taken to
rolling out plans to elevate the bar of perf o rmance while again
restricting available re s o u rces.”Doing more with less” has become a
standard business mantra.
Many companies have become so fanatical about cost cutting that
many eff o rts have yielded disastrous and even dangero u s
consequences. Indiscriminate cost cutting can handicap companies’
ability to respond to new opportunities as well as to maintain and
expand production capacity.
Typical Objectives
While the objectives of maintenance may vary from org a n i z a t i o n
to organization, some typical maintenance objectives are defined as
the following:
1. Maximize production at the lowest cost, the highest quality, and
within the optimum safety standards. This statement is very
broad, but it is important for maintenance to have a proactive
vision to help focus its activities. In fact, this statement should
be tied to any corporate objective.