Maintworld Magazine 3/2025
- maintenance & asset management
- maintenance & asset management
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3/<strong>2025</strong> www.maintworld.com<br />
maintenance & asset management<br />
FROM COST TO<br />
VALUE: HOW<br />
NORWAY IS<br />
RETHINKING<br />
MAINTENANCE<br />
page 18<br />
European Industrial<br />
Excellence in Focus:<br />
Diego Galar at the<br />
Helm of EFNMS page 10<br />
JAN STOKER: HUMAN-CENTRIC MAINTENANCE FOR INDUSTRY 5.0 page 20
EDITORIAL<br />
Print media is not<br />
dead – it is alive,<br />
stronger than ever<br />
YOU ARE HOLDING THE<br />
FRESHLY PRINTED MAINT-<br />
WORLD – the voice and<br />
trailblazer of the maintenance<br />
sector, now carefully<br />
crafted into a visual<br />
magazine.<br />
At <strong>Maintworld</strong>, we believe<br />
that in today’s digital<br />
era, print is more than<br />
just a medium – it is an<br />
experience. Print is tangible,<br />
authentic, and valuable.<br />
When a reader opens<br />
Photo: Sami Perttilä<br />
a magazine, they pause<br />
and dive in – receiving a<br />
calm, structured reading experience that leaves a lasting impression.<br />
Well-curated print content is at its best personalized, multisensory,<br />
and above all, trustworthy.<br />
Of course, <strong>Maintworld</strong> is also easily accessible online and through its<br />
newsletters. Going forward, we aim to further develop a content strategy<br />
where print and digital complement each other seamlessly. While our belief<br />
in print remains strong, we are equally committed to expanding our<br />
digital services together with you.<br />
<strong>Maintworld</strong> has reached its audience well online, too. Our ambition is<br />
to offer members and readers the best possible combination: the quality<br />
and presence of print alongside the speed and flexibility of digital.<br />
In this issue as well, we want to open the world of maintenance as<br />
broadly as possible. Be inspired and motivated. Share your feedback or<br />
send us your story ideas – we are curious and highly motivated to create<br />
the very best maintenance content for you.<br />
Print lives on and thrives wherever a community values depth, trust,<br />
and the opportunity to pause with important information. Print is not<br />
yesterday – it is today’s premium and a strong partner for all of us working<br />
in the field.<br />
And that is precisely why our professional magazine is an investment<br />
for you and the community you represent. Together, we want to strengthen<br />
trust within the maintenance profession, build on our shared expertise,<br />
and leave a lasting mark in our common story.<br />
Jari Kostiainen<br />
Editor-in-Chief, <strong>Maintworld</strong><br />
4 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong><br />
34<br />
Galvatek's<br />
Global<br />
Transformation:<br />
From Chrome to<br />
Defense Industry
IN THIS ISSUE 3/<strong>2025</strong><br />
16<br />
Machinery<br />
Regulation<br />
2027: The Clock is<br />
Ticking for Safety,<br />
Compliance and<br />
Competitive Edge<br />
=<br />
40<br />
What<br />
the Future<br />
Holds for Large-Scale<br />
Floating Solutions<br />
4 Editorial<br />
7 EFNMS questionnaire<br />
10<br />
European Industrial Excellence in<br />
Focus: Diego Galar at the Helm of<br />
EFNMS<br />
16<br />
18<br />
Machinery Regulation 2027:<br />
The Clock Is Ticking for Safety,<br />
Compliance and Competitive Edge<br />
From Cost to Value: How Norway<br />
Is Rethinking Maintenance<br />
Human-Centric Maintenance for<br />
20 Industry 5.0<br />
22<br />
24<br />
28<br />
32<br />
34<br />
Future-Proofing Maintenance:<br />
Why Sustainable Asset<br />
Management Is Mission Critical<br />
Meet the Bright Minds Shaping the<br />
Future of Maintenance<br />
From Firefighting to Forecasting:<br />
Van Geloven’s Journey Toward<br />
Smart Maintenance<br />
Future of Sustainability:<br />
What Maintenance Leaders<br />
Need to Know<br />
Galvatek's Global Transformation<br />
Toward Defense Industry<br />
37<br />
40<br />
42<br />
44<br />
46<br />
Rising Role of Smart Coatings<br />
What the Future Holds for<br />
Large-Scale Floating Solutions<br />
Multitasking to keep course<br />
Industrial AI to double<br />
within a year<br />
The New Arsenal of Military<br />
Readiness Part I -<br />
Eight Trends Transforming<br />
Defence Maintenance<br />
50 News<br />
Issued by Finnish Maintenance Society, Promaint, Messuaukio 1, 00520 Helsinki, Finland, tel. +358 50 441 8915, Editor-in-chief<br />
Jari Kostiainen, jari.kostiainen@kunnossapito.fi Advertisements Otso Aunola, +358 45 315 8233, otso@maintworld.com<br />
Mika Säilä, +358 50 352 3277, mika.saila@totalmarketing.fi Layout Sirli Siniväli, sirli.fotod@gmail.com Printed by Savion Kirjapaino Oy<br />
Frequency 4 issues per year, ISSN L 1798-7024 (print), ISSN 1799-8670 (online) Cover photo Luleå University & Sisteplant.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 5
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QUESTIONNAIRE<br />
Compiled: MIA HEISKANEN<br />
What do you think is currently the biggest<br />
challenge in industrial maintenance?<br />
What is the top priority in solving it?<br />
Our biggest challenge by far is attracting<br />
the right people. Specifically mechanics with<br />
a special focus on Electrical, Instrumentation<br />
and Automation.<br />
Jan Teun Koningen<br />
Chairman, EFNMS EHSEC Committee<br />
Manager Site Projects<br />
Most of the top management don’t see<br />
the unleashed potential in maintenance.<br />
Christian Jorgensen Storm<br />
Chairman EFNMS EMAC Committee<br />
Foreman / Inspector / Supervisor<br />
Today’s biggest challenge in industrial maintenance<br />
is turning abundant data into dependable, scalable<br />
decisions—hampered by skills gaps, fragmented systems,<br />
and uneven trust in AI.<br />
The top priority is to build disciplined assetmanagement<br />
governance (aligned with ISO 55000)<br />
and shift decisively to condition-based maintenance<br />
at scale, underpinned by interoperable data architecture.<br />
Pair that with targeted upskilling and humanin-the-loop<br />
AI focused on clear ROI, safety, and reliability<br />
outcomes.<br />
Diego Galar<br />
EFNMS Chairman<br />
Professor of Condition Monitoring<br />
Division of Operation and Maintenance Engineering<br />
Luleå University of Technology<br />
The biggest challenge in European industrial maintenance<br />
is scaling the twin transition on the frontline: a structural<br />
skills shortage/mismatch coincides with fragmented, noninteroperable<br />
industrial data, slowing the diffusion of AIenabled<br />
condition-based and predictive maintenance across<br />
ageing assets. The top priority is to build a pan-European<br />
“skills-and-data infrastructure”: align training and certification<br />
to ISO 550XX:2024 and the EN/TC319 standards<br />
(leveraging EFNMS), and deploy interoperable manufacturing<br />
data spaces under the EU Data Act so asset data can<br />
be shared and made AI-ready. This requires coordinated,<br />
large-scale investment consistent with the Draghi report’s<br />
competitiveness agenda.<br />
Jan Stoker<br />
Chairman EFNMS ETC Committee<br />
Sr. Strategic Advisor Asset & Maintenance Management<br />
Digitalisation and sustainability are reshaping<br />
maintenance and asset management, driving<br />
innovation and new ways of working. The<br />
challenge, and the opportunity, is to integrate<br />
these advances into asset lifecycle management,<br />
share best practices, and embed them into<br />
daily operations. By doing so, we can deliver<br />
real impact and contribute to a stronger, more<br />
sustainable future.<br />
Timo Lehtinen<br />
Executive director<br />
Finnish maintenance society, Promaint<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 7
NEWS<br />
Text: NINA GARLO-MELKAS Photos: TAPIO KATKO’S PHOTO GALLERY<br />
Dispelling Myths<br />
About Water Services<br />
Water is invaluable to life, yet water services remain among the least<br />
understood public infrastructures. A newly published book, Dispelling Myths<br />
About Water Services, explores and debunks widespread misconceptions<br />
that distort public understanding, hinder good governance, and endanger<br />
sustainable management of this vital resource.<br />
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN in Finnish and<br />
now extensively revised in English, this<br />
book draws on global case studies and<br />
expert insights from six continents. It<br />
challenges common assumptions about<br />
water supply and sanitation—the invisible<br />
lifelines of modern life—and urges<br />
readers to view these systems with a<br />
more informed, critical perspective.<br />
In high-income countries, water<br />
flows effortlessly from taps and disappears<br />
down drains, often taken for<br />
granted. Meanwhile, billions worldwide<br />
lack reliable access to safe water<br />
and sanitation, with nearly 1,000<br />
children dying daily from waterborne<br />
diseases. The authors argue that public<br />
complacency, especially in wellserviced<br />
regions, masks the complexity<br />
and critical importance of water infrastructure.<br />
The book emphasizes that much of<br />
this infrastructure is hidden underground,<br />
overlooked until failure occurs.<br />
This invisibility fosters underinvestment<br />
and vulnerability, threatening<br />
public health and societal stability.<br />
“In developed countries, the greatest<br />
challenge is aging infrastructure<br />
and insufficient investment in network<br />
renewal,” says Tapio S. Katko, one of<br />
the book’s key authors.<br />
Tapio S. Katko is a Finnish water services<br />
expert and former UNESCO Chair<br />
(2012–2020), known for his global work<br />
in infrastructure history, environmental<br />
policy, and water governance.<br />
“IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES,<br />
THE GREATEST CHALLENGE<br />
IS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE<br />
AND INSUFFICIENT<br />
INVESTMENT IN NETWORK<br />
RENEWAL,” SAYS TAPIO S.<br />
KATKO, ONE OF THE KEY<br />
AUTHORS OF THE BOOK.<br />
Why Myths Matter<br />
Water services refer primarily to the<br />
provision and production of clean<br />
water and sanitation—specifically, the<br />
collection, treatment, and disposal<br />
of wastewater. Stormwater management,<br />
while related, is not the central<br />
focus of the book.<br />
Since 2010, the authors—researchers<br />
from Tampere University’s<br />
Capacity Development of Water<br />
and Environmental Services team<br />
(CADWES)—have identified recurring<br />
misconceptions about water services<br />
through lectures, interviews, and public<br />
discussions. These myths range<br />
from misunderstandings about water<br />
sources and treatment technologies to<br />
misconceptions about pricing, ownership,<br />
and governance.<br />
One prominent example, Myth<br />
17, tackles the belief that privatising<br />
water services inherently improves<br />
efficiency and would increase competition.<br />
The book examines the UK’s experience,<br />
where privatisation in 1989<br />
led to soaring customer bills, poor<br />
infrastructure investment, and £64.4<br />
billion in corporate debt by 2023. Despite<br />
rising costs to consumers, companies<br />
paid generous dividends and<br />
avoided significant tax obligations.<br />
8 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
NEWS<br />
THE AUTHORS ARGUE THAT<br />
PUBLIC COMPLACENCY,<br />
ESPECIALLY IN WELL-<br />
SERVICED REGIONS, MASKS<br />
THE COMPLEXITY AND<br />
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF<br />
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.<br />
Instead of increasing competition,<br />
privatised firms became regional monopolies—an<br />
outcome that challenges<br />
the very rationale behind privatisation<br />
in essential public services.<br />
Linking Water Services to<br />
Global Goals<br />
The book connects water governance<br />
to broader global challenges, particularly<br />
the UN’s Sustainable Development<br />
Goals (SDGs). Reliable water<br />
and sanitation services underpin<br />
SDG 6 and are essential to progress in<br />
health, education, poverty reduction,<br />
and climate resilience and many other<br />
SDGs as well.<br />
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored<br />
the fundamental role of<br />
water in public health. Handwashing<br />
emerged as a frontline defence, yet<br />
billions still lack access to clean water.<br />
The authors stress that investing in<br />
sustainable water systems is crucial<br />
PUBLISHING DATE:<br />
4 SEPTEMBER <strong>2025</strong><br />
• Publisher: IWA Publishing<br />
(International Water<br />
Association)<br />
• Title: Dispelling Myths<br />
About Water Services<br />
• © 5 Sept, <strong>2025</strong> IWA Publishing<br />
• DOI: https://doi.org/<br />
10.2166/9781789064162<br />
not only for routine health and hygiene<br />
but also for navigating future<br />
crises—from pandemics to conflicts<br />
and climate disruptions.<br />
Built on over 120 interdisciplinary<br />
research projects, the book integrates<br />
perspectives from engineering, health<br />
sciences, economics, governance, and<br />
environmental policy. Reflective essays<br />
from professionals around the world<br />
enrich the book’s core messages and<br />
encourage readers to consider diverse<br />
solutions for water service challenges.<br />
An Open-Access Resource and<br />
a Call to Action<br />
By uncovering and explaining 21 core<br />
myths, Dispelling Myths About Water<br />
Services aims to bridge the gap between<br />
scientific knowledge and public understanding.<br />
Published as an open-access<br />
book in both digital and print formats, it<br />
is intended as a practical tool for educators,<br />
decision-makers, and advocates of<br />
sustainable development. It will be available<br />
also as a print on demand version.<br />
– Dispelling Myths About Water<br />
Services is not just about water — it's<br />
a deep dive into how infrastructure<br />
is misunderstood, underfunded, and<br />
poorly managed due to persistent<br />
myths, explains Katko.<br />
– For industrial maintenance professionals,<br />
it provides a mirror: many<br />
of the challenges, misconceptions,<br />
and solutions discussed are directly<br />
transferable to factories, plants, and<br />
technical service operations. It’s a call<br />
to revalue maintenance as a foundation<br />
for resilience, sustainability, and<br />
societal well-being, Katko adds.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 9
LEADERSHIP<br />
European Industrial Excellence in Focus:<br />
Diego Galar at the<br />
Helm of EFNMS<br />
Text:<br />
NINA GARLO-MELKAS<br />
Photos: LULEÅ UNIVERSITY & SISTEPLANT<br />
When Professor Diego Galar took over as Chair of the European Federation<br />
of National Maintenance Societies (EFNMS) in May, he inherited not only the<br />
leadership of Europe’s umbrella organisation for maintenance but also the<br />
responsibility to redefine its role in a fast-changing industrial landscape.<br />
BASED AT LULEÅ University of Technology<br />
in Sweden, where he serves as<br />
Professor of Condition Monitoring,<br />
Galar is also Director of Technology<br />
and Research at Madrid-based industrial<br />
solutions company, Sisteplant.<br />
This dual role keeps him grounded in<br />
both academia and real-world industrial<br />
challenges.<br />
In his new role as Chair of EFNMS,<br />
Galar is committed to advancing a progressive<br />
vision that<br />
ensures EFNMS<br />
remains a strong<br />
and influential<br />
representative of<br />
European maintenance<br />
interests<br />
both within the European<br />
Union and<br />
internationally.<br />
As the Galar<br />
puts it:<br />
“Our mission is<br />
not only to promote excellence in<br />
maintenance but to embed it firmly<br />
within the broader discipline of asset<br />
management—ensuring that European<br />
industry remains globally competitive,<br />
technologically advanced, and sustainably<br />
resilient.”<br />
At its core, EFNMS exists to connect<br />
and amplify expertise: “So that<br />
we speak with one coherent European<br />
voice.” “This is critical in international<br />
AT ITS CORE, EFNMS EXISTS<br />
TO CONNECT AND AMPLIFY<br />
EXPERTISE: “SO THAT WE<br />
SPEAK WITH ONE COHERENT<br />
EUROPEAN VOICE.”<br />
forums, whether we are shaping global<br />
standards, influencing EU policy, or defining<br />
the industrial research agenda.”<br />
Painting the Future of<br />
Industrial Maintenance<br />
Galar anticipates that the European<br />
maintenance industry will rapidly shift<br />
from a reactive, operational task to a<br />
proactive, strategic discipline, supporting<br />
the entire value lifecycle of industrial<br />
assets.<br />
“In this future,<br />
maintenance is defined<br />
not by breakdowns<br />
or scheduled<br />
checks, but<br />
by an ‘intelligence<br />
layer’ that keeps<br />
equipment continuously<br />
healthy and<br />
high performing.<br />
Emerging technologies<br />
are driving<br />
this shift,” Galar explains.<br />
Artificial Intelligence (AI), advanced<br />
analytics, and predictive algorithms<br />
will play an increasingly significant<br />
role in identifying problems early, preventing<br />
failures, and enhancing planning<br />
and decision-making. Meanwhile,<br />
robotics—from drones to tracked<br />
crawlers—will increasingly operate in<br />
hazardous or inaccessible areas, transmitting<br />
real-time data to digital twins<br />
10 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
LEADERSHIP<br />
that replicate physical assets. Combined<br />
with AI, these twins will predict<br />
maintenance needs, support repairor-replace<br />
decisions, and optimise<br />
resources, enabling a truly conditionbased,<br />
predictive approach.<br />
While the efficiency gains from<br />
such technological developments can<br />
be significant, Galar stresses that the<br />
human factor must remain a priority.<br />
“Technology must go hand in hand<br />
with human capability,” he emphasises.<br />
“We need skilled professionals<br />
to interpret AI outputs, validate digital<br />
twin predictions, and manage robotic<br />
systems within an asset management<br />
strategy that balances risk, cost, and asset<br />
lifespan.”<br />
GALAR STRESSES THAT<br />
MACHINES CAN FIND<br />
ISSUES, BUT HUMANS<br />
MAKE THE FINAL CALL.<br />
The professor underscores the<br />
importance of human expertise in<br />
the face of technological progress. He<br />
warns that an overreliance on automation<br />
could lead to a loss of fundamental<br />
knowledge about how machines work.<br />
For him, the solution lies in Industry<br />
5.0, a phase where people remain at the<br />
center and technology supports rather<br />
than replaces them.<br />
“In Industry 5.0, technology is a<br />
partner, not a substitute,” Galar explains.<br />
Robotics will take on tasks<br />
that are risky, physically demanding,<br />
or repetitive—such as inspecting tall<br />
structures, navigating pipelines, or performing<br />
precision work in hazardous<br />
settings—while AI analyses sensor data<br />
to predict failures earlier than before.<br />
Galar stresses that machines can<br />
find issues, but humans make the final<br />
call. “AI might detect a gearbox problem,<br />
but it’s the engineer who must<br />
consider the bigger picture, safety, and<br />
long-term plans before deciding what<br />
to do. For EFNMS, this means putting<br />
people first: using AI and robotics to<br />
provide better tools, richer data, and<br />
safer work environments while respecting<br />
human judgment.”<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 11
LEADERSHIP<br />
Diego Galar works at Luleå University as a Professor of Operation, Maintenance and Acoustics at the Department of Civil, Environmental<br />
and Natural Resources Engineering.<br />
“The future isn’t about replacing<br />
workers, but about raising their roles—<br />
turning technicians into system designers,<br />
supervisors into data analysts,<br />
and engineers into strategic managers.<br />
The best maintenance teams will be<br />
those that combine human insight with<br />
technological precision.”<br />
Building the Foundations<br />
of Industry 5.0<br />
Translating the promise of Industry 5.0<br />
into reality requires more than technology<br />
and ambition, Galar reminds.<br />
“It demands robust frameworks,<br />
credible research, and supportive policy<br />
to ensure AI, robotics, and digital<br />
twins are deployed safely, effectively,<br />
and with human expertise at the core.”<br />
Galar highlights that under his<br />
leadership, EFNMS will focus on three<br />
interconnected pillars – standards,<br />
research, and policy. This, he says, will<br />
help steer the maintenance profession<br />
through this transformation.<br />
“Standardisation is not just technical,”<br />
Galar explains. “It ensures innovations<br />
like AI-driven diagnostics or<br />
robotic inspections are implemented<br />
safely, interoperably, and in ways that<br />
maximise value across sectors.”<br />
On the research front, EFNMS<br />
will strengthen its role as a bridge<br />
between academia and industry, ensuring<br />
research is relevant, applied,<br />
and scalable to help tackle Europe’s<br />
most urgent maintenance challenges.<br />
Current priorities include<br />
AI prognostics, hazardous-environment<br />
robotics, sustainable lifecycle<br />
management, and even metaversebased<br />
training. “Our role is to turn<br />
academic insight into operational<br />
best practice,” Galar notes.<br />
The professor emphasises EFNMS's<br />
role in advocating for maintenance as<br />
a strategic enabler. The organisation<br />
continues to push for recognition of<br />
maintenance's importance, particularly<br />
in the context of the European Green<br />
Deal, the circular economy, and competitiveness<br />
agendas.<br />
“By the end of my term, I want EFNMS to<br />
be recognised not only as Europe’s maintenance<br />
authority but also as a global thought<br />
leader, shaping how assets are managed,<br />
maintained, and valued,” Galar says.<br />
“This means pushing for frameworks<br />
that incentivise investment in condition-based<br />
maintenance, digitalisation,<br />
and workforce development – ensuring<br />
Europe leads rather than follows in the<br />
next industrial revolution.”<br />
12 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
LEADERSHIP<br />
Empowering the Next<br />
Generation<br />
With discussions about work shortages<br />
in many technical fields, including maintenance,<br />
engaging young talent is not just<br />
a strategic priority but a crucial necessity<br />
for maintaining Europe's leadership in<br />
industrial innovation. The active involvement<br />
of young professionals is key to<br />
shaping the future of maintenance and<br />
ensuring its continued relevance in the<br />
rapidly evolving industrial landscape.<br />
“We need clear pathways for students,<br />
graduates, and early-career<br />
engineers to connect with our network,<br />
contribute to projects, join working<br />
groups, and see the scale of opportunities<br />
available,” Galar says,<br />
He adds that cross-border collaboration<br />
is not just essential, but also a<br />
cornerstone of EFNMS's approach.<br />
“Maintenance challenges—from<br />
AI-driven diagnostics to robotics in<br />
hazardous environments and sustainable<br />
lifecycle management—are global.<br />
Involving young professionals in multinational<br />
teams fosters knowledge<br />
transfer and exposes them to diverse<br />
approaches and innovations.”<br />
ON THE RESEARCH<br />
FRONT, EFNMS WILL<br />
STRENGTHEN ITS ROLE<br />
AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN<br />
ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY,<br />
ENSURING RESEARCH<br />
IS RELEVANT, APPLIED,<br />
AND SCALABLE TO HELP<br />
TACKLE EUROPE’S MOST<br />
URGENT MAINTENANCE<br />
CHALLENGES.<br />
Galar notes that EFNMS’s extensive<br />
network enables exchanges, mentorship<br />
programmes pairing emerging<br />
talent with seasoned experts, and<br />
participation in EU-funded research.<br />
“A young engineer in Portugal could<br />
work alongside a robotics specialist<br />
in Finland and a digital twin expert<br />
in Germany—accelerating innovation<br />
and ensuring continuity.”<br />
Galar notes that nurturing talent<br />
is not just about technical skills, but<br />
also about building curiosity, adaptability,<br />
and systems thinking—qualities<br />
essential for integrating asset<br />
management with the potential of<br />
new technologies.<br />
“We have to meet young professionals<br />
where they are—online, connected,<br />
and ready to collaborate in real time.<br />
And we must cultivate not just technical<br />
skills, but curiosity, adaptability,<br />
and systems thinking.”<br />
If the EFNMS Chair<br />
Had One Message<br />
When asked what single message he<br />
would deliver to industry leaders, policymakers,<br />
and young professionals,<br />
Galar doesn’t hesitate:<br />
“If I had to distil my message into<br />
one call to action, it would be this:<br />
treat maintenance not as a cost to be<br />
contained, but as a strategic investment<br />
in the future of your assets, your<br />
organisation, and your people.”<br />
MAINTWORLD: EUROPE’S VOICE IN MAINTENANCE & ASSET MANAGEMENT<br />
<strong>Maintworld</strong> magazine bridges research,<br />
industry, and policy—translating complex<br />
developments, such as AI-driven predictive<br />
maintenance or sustainability-focused asset<br />
strategies, into practical insights.<br />
“Maintenance is the invisible backbone<br />
of industry,” says EFNMS Chair<br />
Diego Galar. “When maintenace<br />
work is performed well, no one<br />
notices. When it’s neglected,<br />
it suddenly becomes<br />
the centre of attention –<br />
usually for the wrong<br />
reasons.”<br />
Galar emphasises<br />
that stronger<br />
visibility is crucial,<br />
as industrial media<br />
effectively connects<br />
asset reliability to<br />
profitability, safety,<br />
and sustainability.<br />
<strong>Maintworld</strong>,<br />
published quarterly and read worldwide,<br />
delivers features, case studies, and<br />
interviews spanning energy, transport,<br />
manufacturing, and more—sharing best<br />
practices across borders.<br />
“My goal is to spark dialogue,<br />
not just share ideas,” he adds.<br />
“This exchange is the heart<br />
of a strong professional<br />
community, and <strong>Maintworld</strong><br />
is the ideal place for it.”<br />
“<strong>Maintworld</strong> is more<br />
than a media partner –<br />
it’s a strategic ally,” Galar<br />
says. “What works in one<br />
country can be adapted in<br />
another.” As digitalisation<br />
and decarbonisation<br />
reshape industry, the<br />
magazine’s role grows—<br />
producing thematic reports,<br />
benchmarking, and expanding<br />
into interactive formats.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 13
LEADERSHIP<br />
To industry leaders, Galar urges<br />
placing maintenance and asset management<br />
at the heart of strategy. The<br />
era of reactive, invisible maintenance<br />
is over. Today, it is a data-rich, technology-driven,<br />
innovation-led discipline.<br />
AI, robotics, digital twins, and condition-based<br />
maintenance are no longer<br />
emerging ideas—they are operational<br />
realities that, when used strategically,<br />
deliver measurable gains in performance,<br />
safety, and sustainability. Those<br />
who embrace this shift will lead; those<br />
who ignore it will fall behind.<br />
To policymakers, Galar calls for recognising<br />
maintenance as a key enabler<br />
of their agendas. The European Green<br />
Deal, the circular economy, and industrial<br />
decarbonisation all depend on assets<br />
operating efficiently for as long as possible,<br />
with minimal waste and maximum<br />
safety. Policies that incentivise proactive<br />
maintenance, accelerate the adoption<br />
of advanced technologies, and invest in<br />
workforce skills will not only strengthen<br />
industries but also drive Europe’s environmental<br />
and social progress, he notes.<br />
And to young professionals, Galar’s<br />
message is one of opportunity and purpose.<br />
Maintenance and asset management<br />
offer a career path that is intellectually<br />
challenging, technologically<br />
advanced, and socially relevant.<br />
“This is the field where you can<br />
work with robotics one day, AI algorithms<br />
the next, and sustainability<br />
strategies the day after. You will be<br />
solving real problems that keep factories<br />
running, infrastructure safe, and<br />
societies functioning.”<br />
The future of maintenance will be<br />
integrated, autonomous, and intelligent,<br />
Galar continues.<br />
“If we work together—industry, academia,<br />
policymakers, and professionals<br />
across borders—we will not only keep<br />
our assets in operation; we will ensure<br />
that they operate at their best, delivering<br />
value to both business and society<br />
for decades to come.”<br />
As a regular contributor to <strong>Maintworld</strong><br />
magazine, the EFNMS Chair<br />
also highlights the role of industrial<br />
media in driving this shift. By reporting<br />
on innovations, sharing best practices,<br />
and amplifying success stories, such<br />
media can change perceptions—moving<br />
maintenance from the background<br />
to the centre of strategic conversations<br />
on performance, sustainability, and<br />
competitiveness, Galar concludes.<br />
STANDARDISATION AND EU POLICY INFLUENCE:<br />
HOW EFNMS MAKES A DIFFERENCE<br />
EFNMS plays a crucial role in shaping European policies on maintenance, sustainability,<br />
and industrial competitiveness. Rather than just observing, it works<br />
closely with policymakers, offering practical, trusted advice based on real-world<br />
experience in maintenance and asset management.<br />
A significant part of EFNMS’s impact stems from its collaboration with standardisation<br />
groups, including CEN, ISO, and IEC. Here, it helps create clear rules<br />
for new technologies, such as AI, digital twins, and robotics, used in challenging<br />
environments. As EFNMS Chair Diego Galar says, “standards act as the bridge<br />
between technical innovation and regulatory acceptance.”<br />
These standards facilitate the safe and confident adoption of new technologies<br />
across European industries.<br />
EFNMS also engages directly with European institutions to demonstrate that<br />
effective maintenance is crucial to key initiatives such as the European Green<br />
Deal and the EU’s Industrial Strategy. They explain how smart maintenance<br />
reduces waste, digital tools improve efficiency, and robotics make work safer —<br />
all of which help Europe meet its environmental and economic goals.<br />
EFNMS also guides the types of research that should receive funding, focusing<br />
on smart assets that can monitor themselves, advanced robotics, AI for predicting<br />
failures, designing for reuse, and cybersecurity for connected systems.<br />
Most importantly, EFNMS supports its advice with real-world examples. As<br />
Galar says: “Real-world results speak more convincingly to policymakers than<br />
theoretical arguments, showing them that well-managed assets are not only more<br />
efficient but also more sustainable and more resilient.” By highlighting successful<br />
projects, EFNMS is proving that maintenance is vital for Europe’s future green<br />
and digital progress.<br />
The European Federation of National Maintenance Societies (EFNMS) is the<br />
leading umbrella organisation for maintenance and asset management across<br />
Europe, representing 24 national societies. More than just a thought leader,<br />
EFNMS backs its advice with real-world success stories. As Chair, Diego Galar<br />
notes: “Real-world results speak more convincingly to policymakers than theoretical<br />
arguments.” By showcasing proven projects, EFNMS demonstrates how wellmanaged<br />
assets drive efficiency, sustainability, and resilience—making maintenance<br />
a cornerstone of Europe’s green and digital transformation.<br />
14 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
REGULATION<br />
Text: MIA HEISKANEN Photos: ABB<br />
Machinery Regulation 2027:<br />
The Clock is Ticking for Safety,<br />
Compliance and Competitive Edge<br />
The new EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 takes full effect on January 20,<br />
2027, replacing the long-standing Machinery Directive. It’s not just an update—it’s a<br />
whole new rulebook. Are you ready to play by it?<br />
THE OLD MACHINERY Directive<br />
(2006/42/EC) has governed machine<br />
safety and compliance for over two<br />
decades, but its time is up. In its place<br />
comes the Machinery Regulation<br />
(EU) 2023/1230, bringing changes that<br />
every OEM, automation specialist, and<br />
maintenance professional in the EU—or<br />
selling into the EU—must understand.<br />
And this time, there are no opt-outs,<br />
no delays, no loopholes: unlike a directive,<br />
a regulation applies directly and<br />
uniformly across all EU Member States.<br />
Translation: you either comply—or<br />
you’re out.<br />
ABB’s recent webinar, led by standardisation<br />
and certification specialist Anette<br />
Wester-Odbratt and market developer<br />
Andree Hoffmann, served up a timely<br />
breakdown of what’s coming. Here’s what<br />
Mainworld readers need to know—and do.<br />
The regulation’s scope is broader<br />
and tougher than ever. It now formally<br />
includes “quasi-machinery”, digital<br />
safety components (including software),<br />
partly completed machinery, and<br />
introduces new categories like related<br />
products (e.g., sensors, slings, chains).<br />
One of the most significant gamechangers<br />
is mandatory third-party<br />
“ARE YOU READY?”<br />
CHECKLIST FOR<br />
MANUFACTURERS:<br />
Reviewed machine portfolio<br />
for affected products<br />
Identified if Annex I applies<br />
Updated CE mark labeling<br />
Shifted to digital<br />
documentation<br />
Prepared cybersecurity<br />
protections<br />
Established change-log<br />
tracking for software<br />
16 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
REGULATION<br />
certification for six types of machinery<br />
listed in Annex I, especially those with<br />
self-evolving behavior or AI-driven<br />
functions. For the first time, cyber risks<br />
and software integrity are part of the<br />
safety equation.<br />
And this is not theoretical. From 2027<br />
onwards, any new machinery placed on<br />
the EU market must meet these standards.<br />
Practically it means, if your machine<br />
isn’t compliant, it isn’t sellable.<br />
Even the documentation game<br />
has changed. Manufacturers can now<br />
provide digital-only instructions, but<br />
customers can still request printed<br />
manuals at the time of purchase. CE<br />
markings also get a digital upgrade—<br />
products certified by a notified body<br />
must now include that body’s ID number<br />
next to the CE mark. QR codes are<br />
encouraged to streamline access to declarations<br />
of conformity, instructions,<br />
and technical files.<br />
The regulation also raises the bar<br />
for machine software updates, which<br />
now require detailed logging of safetyrelevant<br />
changes—retained for five<br />
years and accessible by authorities. That<br />
means more traceability and less room<br />
for error—or excuses—when accidents<br />
happen.<br />
Then there’s "substantial modification",<br />
a term now legally defined. If a<br />
machine is modified post-market in a<br />
way not planned by the original manufacturer—and<br />
that change introduces<br />
new hazards—it must be recertified<br />
from scratch. Think of it as a forced reset<br />
button on your compliance obligations.<br />
One standout element in the new<br />
regulation is its emphasis on cybersecurity<br />
and communication integrity.<br />
Machines must now withstand not only<br />
physical stress but also intentional digital<br />
interference—in line with the EU’s<br />
Cybersecurity Act. A new standard, EN<br />
50742, is in development to guide manufacturers<br />
through these challenges.<br />
Another critical evolution:<br />
human-machine collaboration is addressed<br />
with stricter rules. From ergonomic<br />
design to minimizing psychological<br />
stress when working near collaborative<br />
robots, the regulation is catching up<br />
with how automation functions today.<br />
As for harmonized standards, over<br />
850 are in the process of being revised or<br />
transferred to align with the new regulation.<br />
For machines not covered by an<br />
updated harmonized standard, a full notified<br />
body certification will be required.<br />
TIMELINE: KEY DATES TO WATCH<br />
• July 19, 2023 – Machinery Regulation enters into force<br />
• NOW – Transition period (voluntary preparations, documentation updates,<br />
training)<br />
• January 20, 2027 – Machinery Regulation fully replaces Machinery Directive<br />
• After Jan 20, 2027 – All new machinery must be compliant to be marketable<br />
in the EU<br />
MUST-KNOW CHANGES IN MACHINERY REGULATION 2023/1230<br />
• Applies from: January 20, 2027<br />
• Direct replacement for: Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC<br />
• Mandatory third-party certification: For six machine types (incl. AI-enabled)<br />
• New requirements on: Cybersecurity, corruption protection, remote/autonomous<br />
machines<br />
• Digital instructions allowed: But printable copies must be supplied on request<br />
• Software updates: Must be logged and traceable for 5 years<br />
• New term: “Substantial modification” may trigger full recertification<br />
• Scope widened: Includes digital safety components, software, quasi-machinery<br />
• New harmonized standard incoming: EN 50742 for corruption protection<br />
WHERE SHOULD COMPANIES START?<br />
• Audit your machinery portfolio: Which products fall under new rules?<br />
• Engage your notified body: For those in Annex I, certification isn't optional.<br />
• Digital infrastructure check: Are your instructions, labels, declarations QR-ready?<br />
• Cyber-hardening your systems: Communication interfaces must be corruption-proof.<br />
• Documentation and version control: Set up update tracking and change logs now.<br />
REGULATION ALSO<br />
RAISES THE BAR FOR<br />
MACHINE SOFTWARE<br />
UPDATES.<br />
To sum it up, the EU Machinery<br />
Regulation (2023/1230) marks a shift<br />
in how machines are certified, documented,<br />
and maintained across the continent.<br />
It’s not a bureaucratic reshuffle—<br />
it’s a digital, legal, and safety revolution.<br />
ABB’s experts made one thing clear:<br />
2027 is not far away. If you're waiting<br />
until then to prepare, you’ve already<br />
waited too long. This isn’t just about<br />
ticking a regulatory box. It’s about<br />
staying competitive in an industrial<br />
world increasingly shaped by digitalization,<br />
AI, and traceable accountability.<br />
Companies that prepare now won’t<br />
just be compliant—they’ll be ahead of<br />
the curve.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 17
MAINTENANCE SOCIETY<br />
Text: NINA GARLO-MELKAS Photos: NORSK FÖRENING FOR VEDLIKEHOLD<br />
From Cost to Value: How Norway<br />
is Rethinking Maintenance<br />
The Norwegian Maintenance Association (Norsk Förening for Vedlikehold, NFV) plays<br />
an increasingly vital role in promoting best practices, competence development, and<br />
strategic thinking across Norway's maintenance sector. With almost 200 corporate<br />
and individual members, the association focuses on advancing the perception of<br />
maintenance as a value-generating activity, rather than a cost centre.<br />
FAHAD REHMAN, the current head of<br />
the NFV association, is also responsible<br />
for maintenance operations at Elkem, a<br />
major Norwegian industrial company.<br />
He has been on the association's board<br />
for four years and is now serving his<br />
third year as chairman.<br />
"The mission of our association is to<br />
help our members promote and structure<br />
maintenance in a way that shows it creates<br />
value," Rehman explains.<br />
"We want to help them explain to management<br />
that maintenance is not just an<br />
expense, but a strategic investment for the<br />
future."<br />
Activities and Services<br />
The Norwegian Maintenance Association<br />
provides a range of services and events specifically<br />
designed to meet the needs of its<br />
members. These include quarterly online<br />
meetings that are open and accessible to<br />
all members, as well as in-person site visits<br />
and networking events that encourage peer<br />
learning and industry collaboration. In addition,<br />
the association organises a range of<br />
courses and conferences, with the flagship<br />
programme being the World Class Maintenance<br />
(WCM) certification.<br />
Designed to be practical and accessible,<br />
the WCM programme is based on<br />
well-established European best practices<br />
in maintenance and asset management.<br />
It has recently been modernised<br />
and partially digitised to meet the needs<br />
of today's professionals better. One of<br />
the key improvements is increased flexibility—participants<br />
can now choose<br />
to complete individual modules, such<br />
as those focused on key performance<br />
indicators (KPIs) or reliability, without<br />
having to commit to the full certification<br />
programme from the outset.<br />
18 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong><br />
"We want our courses to be accessible.<br />
That's why we now offer individual<br />
modules as well as full programmes," says<br />
Rehman.<br />
Addressing Workforce and<br />
Competency Gaps<br />
A challenge faced across the Norwegian<br />
maintenance sector is the recruitment and<br />
development of skilled professionals. Like<br />
many countries, Norway is struggling to<br />
attract younger workers to industrial and<br />
technical roles.<br />
"It's not easy to find the right competence<br />
anywhere right now, including<br />
in Norway. Attracting young talent to<br />
the maintenance industry is a challenge,<br />
which is why we focus on offering practical,<br />
low-threshold courses and certifications<br />
to upskill people already in the field<br />
and make the industry more accessible,"<br />
Rehman explains.
MAINTENANCE SOCIETY<br />
Digitisation and predictive maintenance<br />
are seen as key to attracting younger<br />
professionals to the industry. However,<br />
Rehman notes that these technologies<br />
require a solid operational foundation to<br />
be effective—and many businesses, particularly<br />
smaller ones, are not yet fully prepared<br />
to implement them successfully.<br />
"You need a competent organisation and<br />
well-established processes in place before<br />
you can truly capitalise on investments in<br />
predictive maintenance," he explains.<br />
"I have seen first-hand cases in which<br />
millions were spent on predictive systems<br />
without any return on investment. It led to<br />
even more business disruptions—systems<br />
would issue alerts, but no one knew how<br />
to interpret them. You'd stop operations,<br />
send someone to investigate, and still not<br />
understand what was wrong."<br />
Rehman stresses that the transition<br />
from preventive to predictive maintenance<br />
cannot be rushed. Companies must<br />
first ensure that the fundamentals—such<br />
as structured preventive maintenance<br />
routines and adequate organisational capacity—are<br />
entirely in place.<br />
"That's the catch. Many companies still<br />
lack the basics. Predictive maintenance<br />
sounds appealing, but without the right<br />
infrastructure and organisation, it simply<br />
won't deliver the expected benefits."<br />
Strategy and Future<br />
Development<br />
The NFV association's strategic focus in<br />
recent years has prioritised member value.<br />
Approximately 70% of the organisation's<br />
efforts have gone into improving and refining<br />
existing services, while the remaining<br />
30% has supported development of<br />
new offerings, Rehman explains.<br />
Among the new initiatives is an upcoming<br />
asset management programme, designed<br />
with the same modular approach as<br />
the World Class Maintenance programme.<br />
"We're also developing smaller, topicspecific<br />
courses that people can choose<br />
from, depending on their needs. That<br />
makes our training more flexible and relevant."<br />
The State of Maintenance<br />
in Norway<br />
According to Rehman, key focus areas<br />
in the Norwegian industry today include<br />
safety, profitability, and environmental<br />
responsibility.<br />
"Safety is a top priority. Many companies<br />
run their internal safety programmes.<br />
Profitability and environmental impact<br />
follow closely."<br />
Board members from left to right: Jan Erik Salomonsen, MainTech AS, Fahad Rehman,<br />
Elkem ASA, Nils Martin Rugsveen, Equinor ASA, Svein Daae, AMOF-Fjell Process<br />
Technology AS, Mina Bjerke, Elkem ASA, Janecke Pemmer, PWC<br />
NORWEGIAN MAINTENANCE<br />
ASSOCIATION – KEY FACTS<br />
• Name: Norsk Förening for Vedlikehold<br />
(Norwegian Maintenance<br />
Association)<br />
• Leader: Fahad Rehman (Head<br />
of Maintenance, Elkem)<br />
• Members: Approx. 200 (companies<br />
and individuals)<br />
• Services: Member meetings,<br />
courses, conferences, certifications<br />
• Flagship programme: World<br />
Class Maintenance (with modular<br />
format)<br />
• Commercial partner: Quality<br />
Norway (for tailored internal<br />
training)<br />
• Website: www.qualitynorway.no<br />
This focus is reflected in both operational<br />
practices and strategic decision-making.<br />
Companies are increasingly expected to<br />
demonstrate how their maintenance strategies<br />
support emissions reduction, regulatory<br />
compliance, and responsible resource<br />
use. In many cases, maintenance teams are<br />
directly involved in sustainability efforts,<br />
such as energy efficiency improvements<br />
and equipment lifecycle management.<br />
Rehman says that the association collaborates<br />
with Quality Norway, a commercial<br />
training provider jointly owned by the association<br />
and two other organisations. Quality<br />
Norway delivers tailor-made internal<br />
training programmes for companies upon<br />
request, often focusing on topics such as<br />
safety management, condition monitoring,<br />
and reliability-centred maintenance.<br />
"Some companies have asked for assistance<br />
in developing their internal programmes,<br />
and our partnership with Quality<br />
Norway enables us to support them<br />
with customised content and delivery,"<br />
Rehman notes.<br />
External Cooperation and<br />
Industry Trends<br />
Rehman continues that although the association<br />
is a founding member of the European<br />
Federation of National Maintenance<br />
Societies (EFNMS), active cross-border<br />
collaboration has not been a top priority in<br />
recent years.<br />
"We currently have limited structured<br />
cooperation with other national associations.<br />
Following the COVID-19 pandemic<br />
and the war in Ukraine, the industry has<br />
become increasingly volatile. We are<br />
focusing on strengthening our internal offerings<br />
before expanding externally."<br />
Post-pandemic changes have also altered<br />
how the association delivers value to<br />
its members. Online participation has increased,<br />
while physical course attendance<br />
has become more unpredictable.<br />
"Virtual meetings are easier to join—<br />
but also easier to leave. We are adapting to<br />
that shift and rethinking how we structure<br />
our events."<br />
With a renewed focus on modular<br />
education, digital access, and member<br />
support, the Norwegian Maintenance Association<br />
is helping to modernise industry<br />
understanding of maintenance as a driver<br />
of long-term value.<br />
Fahad Rehman believes that his dual<br />
role—as association head and corporate<br />
maintenance leader—creates synergies.<br />
"It gives me insight into both the challenges<br />
and the opportunities in the industry.<br />
That knowledge helps us steer the<br />
association in a direction that benefits our<br />
members."<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 19
EDUCATION<br />
Text: MIA HEISKANEN Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
Human-Centric<br />
Maintenance for<br />
Industry 5.0<br />
For Jan Stoker, Researcher & Strategic<br />
Advisor for Asset & Maintenance<br />
Management, the transition from Industry<br />
4.0 to Industry 5.0 marks a fundamental<br />
shift: “Technology is no longer the goal—it’s<br />
the tool that helps us create sustainable,<br />
resilient, and human-centric value.”<br />
JAN STOKER<br />
is Strategic Advisor for Asset & Maintenance<br />
Management at the Ministry of<br />
Infrastructure and Water Management in<br />
the Netherlands. He is founder of SSAMM<br />
and SSAMM Academy, Visiting Fellow at<br />
Cranfield University (UK), Chair of the<br />
European Training Committee of EFNMS,<br />
and active in the EU Community of Practice<br />
on Industry 5.0. With more than 30 years’ experience, he<br />
combines practical expertise with academic teaching and is a<br />
recognised authority on ISO 55000:2024, RCM, OEE, and sustainable<br />
asset management.<br />
“Step into any maintenance department and you’ll see both”,<br />
Stoker says. “Younger professionals (the digital natives) navigate<br />
dashboards and AR interfaces with ease, while their more experienced<br />
colleagues (the digital immigrants) recognize subtle signs<br />
in equipment behaviour that no algorithm can yet interpret. The<br />
challenge is not to replace one with the other, but to combine<br />
them. That mix is our strength.”<br />
This intergenerational blend, Stoker emphasizes, is fundamental<br />
to building resilience in Industry 5.0. As he explains in his recent<br />
insights on generational dynamics, Digital Natives—Millennials<br />
and Gen Z who grew up with data, smart technologies, and<br />
AI collaboration—bring agility and digital fluency to maintenance<br />
operations. Meanwhile, Digital Immigrants—Baby Boomers and<br />
Generation X who witnessed the evolution from CMMS to riskbased<br />
maintenance and ISO 55000 implementation—contribute<br />
deep judgment, tacit knowledge, and process mastery.<br />
"These two digital cultures view Asset & Maintenance Management<br />
through very different lenses," Stoker notes. "Where Digital<br />
Immigrants value structured processes, standards, and deep<br />
experience, Digital Natives emphasize agility, connectivity, and<br />
continuous innovation. Both perspectives are valid—but too often,<br />
they operate in parallel rather than in synergy."<br />
The key, according to Stoker, lies in creating frameworks that<br />
connect these generational approaches. His Asset & Maintenance<br />
Management Lemniscate and SSAMM Maintenance Landscape<br />
Model provide what he calls "a shared language, rooted in standards,<br />
where both experience and innovation can thrive."<br />
"It's not about speed alone," he adds. "It's about combining perspectives<br />
to ensure long-term value. In Industry 5.0, where humancentric,<br />
resilient, sustainable, and intelligent systems converge, bridging<br />
these digital mindsets isn't optional—it's essential."<br />
New roles are emerging as well. One is the “information steward,”<br />
who guarantees the accuracy and accessibility of operational<br />
data. The other is the “AI model trainer,” who ensures that intelligent<br />
systems align with international frameworks such as ISO<br />
55000:2024 and CEN/TC 319. “When these two roles work in harmony,<br />
AI stops being a mysterious black box and becomes a trustworthy<br />
partner,” Stoker explains. “That’s when digitalisation truly<br />
serves the human, not the other way around.”<br />
Education becomes the bridge to this future. Training programmes<br />
must remain rooted in Reliability-Centred Maintenance,<br />
FMEA, and condition-based maintenance, yet be modular and<br />
adaptive enough to integrate new technologies in the Maintenance<br />
5.0. “Immersive learning is essential,” he notes. “Federated twins<br />
and VR simulations allow people to practise real-world complexity<br />
without real-world risk.” Stoker also predicts that scenario-based<br />
“disruption drills” will become more common, preparing professionals<br />
to adapt when supply chains break down or extreme weather<br />
interrupts operations.<br />
International certification is another corner stone. EFNMS<br />
qualifications such as the European Maintenance Manager (EMM)<br />
and European Maintenance Technician (EMT) provide Europewide<br />
recognition, while WPiAM’s CAMA and Global Certification<br />
Scheme ensure global mobility. “Certification gives us a shared<br />
language of competence,” he says. “It allows professionals to move<br />
20 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
across borders with credibility and organisations to know exactly<br />
what skills they are hiring.”<br />
But competence alone is not enough. Diversity is equally critical.<br />
“We cannot afford to leave talent untapped,” Stoker argues.<br />
Gender balance widens the pool, but neurodiversity brings unique<br />
capabilities. He points out that “many neurodiverse professionals<br />
excel at pattern recognition, lateral thinking, and creative<br />
problem-solving. These are exactly the skills needed for Industry<br />
5.0, where challenges are complex and non-linear.”<br />
Some countries are already leading the way. Finland integrates<br />
human-centric digitalisation and neurodiverse inclusion into its<br />
education system. Germany has modernised its dual apprenticeship<br />
model to include AI and sustainability. The Netherlands embeds<br />
ISO and EN standards directly into higher education, while<br />
Sweden actively recruits underrepresented groups into engineering<br />
programmes. “These are best practices Europe should share<br />
more widely,” Stoker notes. “Cross-border collaboration ensures<br />
no country is left behind.”<br />
Looking ahead, Stoker envisions 2035 as a milestone. By<br />
then, he believes maintenance education will have matured into<br />
a stable yet agile learning ecosystem. “Its stability will come from<br />
timeless standards and proven methodologies,” he says. “Its agility<br />
will come from modular design that adapts as technology<br />
changes. Professionals will follow two clear but complementary<br />
paths—information stewards and AI model trainers—working in<br />
deliberately mixed teams of digital natives, digital immigrants, and<br />
neurodiverse thinkers.”<br />
And above all, education will no longer be seen as a phase of<br />
professional life, but as an ongoing ecosystem shaping industrial<br />
culture itself. “By 2035, education won’t just prepare people for<br />
jobs,” Stoker concludes. “It will shape a culture where technical<br />
excellence, sustainability, resilience, and human-centric values<br />
are inseparable.”<br />
GIS<br />
Next<br />
Generation<br />
EAM<br />
BIM<br />
PdM<br />
AI<br />
Mobile<br />
APM<br />
AIP<br />
BI<br />
PPM<br />
TWO EMERGING ROLES<br />
Information Steward: Maintains data accuracy and accessibility,<br />
ensuring that decisions are based on trustworthy<br />
information.<br />
AI Model Trainer: Develops and validates AI systems so<br />
that they follow internationally recognised standards.<br />
Together, these roles make sure AI is a transparent partner<br />
in decision-making — not an uncontrollable black box.<br />
INSIGHT – HOW TO FUTURE-PROOF TRAINING<br />
Stoker highlights three essentials for training programmes<br />
in the Industry 5.0 era:<br />
• Scenario-based learning: Use digital twins and AR/VR<br />
to simulate real-world disruption.<br />
• Modular design: Allow rapid updates when new tools<br />
or standards emerge.<br />
• Certification pathways: Ensure that skills are recognised<br />
beyond borders (EFNMS & WPiAM).<br />
“The goal is not just to keep up with change, but to<br />
design training that thrives on change,” Stoker says.<br />
PERSPECTIVE – DIVERSITY AS A STRATEGIC ASSET<br />
Diversity is more than fairness — it’s a resilience strategy.<br />
• Generational mix: Digital natives bring agility, digital<br />
immigrants bring tacit wisdom.<br />
• Neurodiversity: Many excel in pattern recognition and<br />
unconventional problem-solving.<br />
• Gender balance: Expands the talent pool and widens<br />
perspectives.<br />
“Complex challenges need complex thinking,” Stoker<br />
notes. “Diversity is how we future-proof our teams.”<br />
Many companies use their Enterprise Asset Management<br />
(EAM) system mainly as an electronic card index or a<br />
digital work order system, unaware of the possibilities it<br />
has for Asset Management. EAM Systems like Maximo,<br />
IFS Ultimo, HxGN EAM and SAP EAM have evolved<br />
tremendously. They now offer functionalities for Asset<br />
Investment Planning, Project Portfolio Management,<br />
Asset Performance Management, Business Intelligence<br />
and Predictive Maintenance. Major steps have also been<br />
taken in the field of Mobile, GIS and BIM integration.<br />
Are you ready for Next Generation EAM?<br />
Our VDM XL experts can assist you with further<br />
professionalisation and automation of your Maintenance<br />
& Asset Management organisation.<br />
www.mainnovation.com
SUSTAINABILITY<br />
Text: NINA GARLO-MELKAS Photos and images: BEMAS<br />
Future-Proofing Maintenance:<br />
Why Sustainable Asset Management Is Mission Critical<br />
Sustainability has become a decisive factor in industrial competitiveness,<br />
shaping how companies invest, operate, and survive. For Europe’s maintenance<br />
professionals, this shift offers both a challenge and an opportunity: embracing<br />
energy-efficient, low-emission practices is now vital for long-term success.<br />
Backed by the Interreg North-West<br />
Europe program, the project aims to train<br />
professionals working in Maintenance,<br />
Overhaul, Repair and Engineering on how<br />
to adopt sustainable asset management at<br />
industrial production sites.<br />
The MORE4Sustainability project<br />
kicked off with a study revealing that<br />
companies maintaining consistent effort<br />
over nine years are achieving up to a<br />
30% reduction in emissions and energy<br />
consumption —a figure with both environmental<br />
and economic significance.<br />
From optimal parameter settings to a complete process reengineering – every production<br />
site can unlock opportunities for higher energy efficiency and lower emissions<br />
THE EU’S tightening emissions policy—<br />
especially the Emission Trading System<br />
(ETS)—means companies will soon pay<br />
more for every ton of CO₂ they emit.<br />
While the number of emission allowances<br />
is shrinking, prices are simultaneously<br />
rising sharply.<br />
“If you don’t act now, you’ll be forced<br />
to buy expensive allowances later. It<br />
takes time to reduce emissions—it’s<br />
not something you fix overnight,” Wim<br />
Vancauwenberghe, Director at BE-<br />
MAS warns, “and under the current<br />
economic conditions, energy-efficient<br />
production plants already enjoy a major<br />
competitive advantage today.”<br />
The Challenge and the<br />
Opportunity<br />
“Sustainability isn’t just about reporting.<br />
It’s about awareness, goal setting, and –<br />
above all – execution. And maintenance<br />
and asset management professionals are<br />
right at the centre of it,” says BEMAS’ Vancauwenberghe.<br />
“Sustainability in asset management<br />
isn’t achieved with one big leap—it’s built<br />
through many small, consistent actions,”<br />
continues Mark Haarman, Managing<br />
Partner at Mainnovation, a consulting<br />
firm that specializes in maintenance and<br />
asset management for companies in industry,<br />
fleet, and infra.<br />
“Actions like cleaning filters, precisely<br />
aligning and balancing rotating equipment,<br />
or upgrading drives may seem<br />
minor on their own, but collectively they<br />
make a significant impact on reducing an<br />
organization’s environmental footprint,”<br />
Haarman adds.<br />
Introducing<br />
MORE4Sustainability<br />
The MORE4Sustainability project funded<br />
by the European Union and initiated by<br />
the Belgian Maintenance Association (BE-<br />
MAS), reveals how industrial maintenance<br />
and asset management teams can become<br />
powerful agents of change toward more sustainable<br />
and profitable European industry.<br />
The Framework:<br />
Four Key Areas<br />
BEMAS’ Vancauwenberghe says that<br />
strategy definition is at the core of the<br />
MORE4Sustainability framework. You<br />
start with translating the company’s<br />
sustainability strategy into the asset<br />
management strategy. Then, in a specific<br />
sequence, you can focus on sustainability<br />
optimization in the following areas:<br />
1. Asset Portfolio Optimization –<br />
Electrify systems, retire inefficient<br />
equipment, and invest in modern, lowemission<br />
assets.<br />
2. Asset Health Optimization – Apply<br />
predictive maintenance and precision<br />
care to reduce energy use.<br />
3. Energy Consumption Optimization<br />
– Maximize energy efficiency and minimize<br />
energy waste.<br />
4. GHG Emission Optimization – Implementing<br />
strategies and actions<br />
focused on minimizing GHG and other<br />
pollutant emissions.<br />
Training is the Cornerstone<br />
The MORE4Sustainability report offers<br />
companies a much-needed practical roadmap<br />
for transformation.<br />
“The framework is grounded in realworld<br />
success stories, modern strategies,<br />
and proven methods that help companies<br />
22 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
SUSTAINABILITY<br />
Energy Efficiency<br />
Improvement<br />
Thermal<br />
Energy Loss<br />
Prevention<br />
Thermal<br />
Energy<br />
Recovery<br />
& Reuse<br />
Electrical<br />
Energy<br />
Optimization<br />
Asset Energy<br />
Efficiency<br />
Care<br />
Energy<br />
Consumption<br />
Optimization<br />
Production<br />
Process<br />
Reengineering<br />
Predictive<br />
Maintenance<br />
Asset Health<br />
Optimization<br />
Sustainable<br />
AM Strategy<br />
Asset Portfolio<br />
Optimization<br />
Sustainable<br />
Asset<br />
Replacement<br />
cut greenhouse gas emissions and boost<br />
energy efficiency—without sacrificing reliability<br />
or profitability,” Vancauwenberghe<br />
explains.<br />
One of the project’s key outcomes is a<br />
comprehensive online training program<br />
designed for technical professionals at all<br />
levels. The course is available in English,<br />
German, French, and Dutch, making it accessible<br />
across much of Europe.<br />
“So far, over 500 professionals have<br />
taken part in one of the different training<br />
formats.”<br />
“We offer introductory trainings, inperson<br />
classroom sessions, and also a full e-<br />
learning course that includes certification.”<br />
The e-learning course is free to access,<br />
and those who complete the program and<br />
pass the final exam earn the title of Certified<br />
Sustainable Asset Management Practitioner—the<br />
first designation of its kind<br />
in Europe.<br />
“Our goal is for participants to return to<br />
their companies as ambassadors for sustainable<br />
maintenance and implement at<br />
least one sustainability initiative.”<br />
Policy Backing and<br />
Business Value<br />
So, what’s the fastest way to make European<br />
industry more sustainable? With high<br />
energy prices and strict emissions targets<br />
approaching, policymakers have a key role<br />
to play. But instead of relying solely on<br />
penalties, experts are urging a shift toward<br />
positive incentives—such as ISO certification<br />
programs, subsidies, and other supportive<br />
measures.<br />
“Yes, rising CO₂ prices will push<br />
companies to change. But we also need<br />
High Precision<br />
Maintenance<br />
GHG<br />
Emission<br />
Optimization<br />
Plant<br />
Electrification<br />
Fugitive<br />
Emission<br />
Prevention<br />
GHG<br />
Capturing<br />
& Reuse<br />
Renewable<br />
Energy<br />
Generation<br />
GHG Emission<br />
Reduction<br />
M4S Framework: The MORE4Sustainability Framework presents an overview of<br />
measures that contribute to the company’s sustainability goals.<br />
7 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR<br />
GREENER MAINTENANCE<br />
1. Clean filters regularly – even<br />
small blockages waste energy<br />
2. Switch to LED lighting – fast<br />
ROI, lower emissions<br />
3. Adopt predictive maintenance –<br />
less downtime, less energy loss<br />
4. Balance & align machinery –<br />
improves energy efficiency<br />
5. Insulate heat/cold systems –<br />
reduces energy waste<br />
6. Install smart meters – track<br />
real-time consumption<br />
7. Train your team – knowledge<br />
leads to impact<br />
rewards and support: investment aid,<br />
standards, training subsidies. Especially<br />
for SMEs,” says Mainnovation’s Haarman<br />
Mark Haarman – an expert behind the<br />
MORE4Sustainability study.<br />
Governments could, for example, use<br />
ETS revenues to fund training programs<br />
or introduce accelerated depreciation for<br />
sustainable retrofitting and electrification<br />
projects, Haarman suggests.<br />
When asked for concrete examples of<br />
how sustainable maintenance benefits<br />
businesses, Mark Haarman points to one<br />
clear finding from the study: Companies<br />
that have been early adopters of sustainable<br />
asset management have achieved, on<br />
average, a 10% improvement in energy efficiency<br />
every three years.<br />
What’s notable is that these gains can<br />
often be made without major capital investments—simply<br />
by optimizing maintenance<br />
practices. Predictive maintenance, for instance,<br />
does not only increase reliability and<br />
uptime, but it also eliminates excess energy<br />
consumption by faulty equipment and energy<br />
waste by idle running when a part of the production<br />
process is down.<br />
Meanwhile, high precision maintenance<br />
practices not only extend the lifespan of<br />
rotating equipment, but also significantly<br />
impact energy efficiency. Companies that<br />
integrate sustainability into their full asset<br />
management approach—from strategic planning<br />
to renewable energy—are seeing fast<br />
payback and stronger long-term value.<br />
“In terms of financial value, a 1% sustainability<br />
improvement can generate higher<br />
ROI than equivalent maintenance cost or<br />
uptime gains,” Haarman says.<br />
Bridging the Gap<br />
According to the industry experts at BEMAS<br />
and Mainnovation, the lack of a clear framework<br />
and tools has been one of the main<br />
reasons why many maintenance & asset<br />
management organizations are lagging in<br />
the sustainability transition.<br />
“Many companies are committed to climate<br />
targets at the corporate level,” says Vancauwenberghe,<br />
“However, the connection to<br />
daily practices on the shop floor is often missing.<br />
This training helps bridge that gap.”<br />
The MORE4Sustainability approach is<br />
applicable to both organizations already<br />
implementing sustainability and those who<br />
may not yet have a structured approach to<br />
sustainability.<br />
“Whether you're on the shop floor or in<br />
a strategic role, you can make a difference.<br />
Sustainability in maintenance is not just for<br />
big players—it’s accessible to SMEs too,” says<br />
Mark Haarman.<br />
Next Step for the Industry<br />
As companies work toward 2030 climate<br />
goals, the demand for measurable sustainability<br />
action within operations will only<br />
grow. Training and certification in sustainable<br />
asset management may soon become<br />
a baseline expectation, driven by ESG auditors,<br />
customer procurement requirements,<br />
and tightening EU regulations.<br />
“This project needs to spread like oil—in<br />
a positive way,” Vancauwenberghe says.<br />
“One trained person can inspire a complete<br />
team and start implementing the<br />
best practices. The MORE4Sustainability<br />
program helps them to set ambitious but realistic<br />
goals and shows concrete examples of<br />
how to achieve them. By offering the training<br />
online for free we hope to further scale<br />
up the project’s impact.”<br />
Further details, including access to the training and certification pathway, can be found at:<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 23<br />
https://more4sustainability.nweurope.eu
RISING STARS<br />
*Academic Awards<br />
for Excellence in<br />
Maintenance: the Master<br />
Thesis Award (MTA) and the<br />
PhD Thesis Award (PTA)<br />
Sponsored by:<br />
Salvetti Foundation<br />
Delivered on the:<br />
EFNMS Euro<br />
Maintenance event.<br />
Compiled by MIA HEISKANEN<br />
Meet the Bright Minds Shaping<br />
the Future of Maintenance<br />
The EFNMS Thesis Award* is one of the most prestigious recognitions for emerging<br />
talent in the European maintenance and asset management community. Last<br />
year’s winners, Aleksanteri Hämäläinen and Camilla Munther, earned the honor for<br />
research that combines technical depth with real-world impact. In this Q&A, they<br />
share what sparked their work, how their findings can be applied on the ground —<br />
and where they see themselves and industry heading next.<br />
Camilla Munther<br />
1.<br />
Let’s start with your story:<br />
What’s your background, and<br />
how did you end up working on<br />
this particular research topic?<br />
I have a background in automation and<br />
production engineering. My first real<br />
contact with industrial maintenance came<br />
about 15 years ago. During my bachelor’s<br />
degree in automation and mechatronics,<br />
I worked part time as an automation<br />
engineer installing patented technology<br />
for sootblowing. The system didn’t just<br />
change how the sootblowers operated<br />
— it also provided valuable data to the<br />
maintenance department. I remember<br />
a technician’s reaction when we showed<br />
the new interface: 'You mean we’ll get an<br />
alarm if the steam valve doesn’t open as<br />
expected?'. Today, many of us take that<br />
kind of alarm for granted. For them, at<br />
that time, having access to real-time data<br />
on expected versus actual steam flow was<br />
revolutionary. It meant they could act<br />
proactively, preventing serious damage to<br />
expensive equipment. So, even if the main<br />
selling point for this new technology was<br />
for operational purposes, it became clear<br />
that it also could be used to increase the<br />
24 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong><br />
maintenance performance. But that required<br />
a change of their work processes.<br />
Maintenance wasn’t a major topic during<br />
my university studies, but I ended up<br />
doing my master’s thesis on quantifying the<br />
effects of maintenance using discrete event<br />
simulation. A few years later, I got the opportunity<br />
to start a PhD at Chalmers University<br />
of Technology, working in a research<br />
group focused on production service and<br />
maintenance systems. My PhD journey was<br />
driven by a desire to understand how people,<br />
processes, and strategies must align to<br />
successfully implement new technologies<br />
and ways of working in maintenance. This<br />
led me to explore Smart Maintenance as an<br />
organisational innovation — a perspective<br />
that I believe is essential for meaningful<br />
and sustainable change.<br />
2.<br />
In a nutshell, what’s your<br />
thesis about — explained as<br />
if to a maintenance professional<br />
over coffee?<br />
My thesis is about helping maintenance<br />
organizations and all targeted employees<br />
become more skillful, consistent, and<br />
committed to working with Smart Maintenance.<br />
The key is to treat Smart Maintenance<br />
not only as a technical upgrade, but<br />
as an organisational innovation.<br />
By viewing Smart Maintenance<br />
through the lens of innovation theory, we<br />
can better understand how to implement<br />
it. In my thesis, I use five innovation characteristics:<br />
relative advantage, compatibility,<br />
complexity, trialability, and observability.<br />
Financial calculations alone aren’t<br />
enough — there must be a true belief in the<br />
relative advantage of Smart Maintenance.<br />
Compatibility means aligning initiatives<br />
with existing values and norms, starting<br />
at a point that fits the current state of the<br />
organization. Complexity can be reduced<br />
by breaking down change into smaller,
RISING STARS<br />
manageable steps, which also increase the<br />
trialability that allows experimentation.<br />
Observability ensures that progress and<br />
results are visible and measurable. The<br />
maintenance manager’s task and responsibility<br />
become to lead people in change,<br />
rather than being a technical leader.<br />
In my thesis, I propose a cyclical, sixstep<br />
process that supports Smart Maintenance<br />
implementation:<br />
1. Benchmark the organisation.<br />
2. Set clear goals.<br />
3. Define strategic priorities.<br />
4. Plan key activities.<br />
5. Elevate implementation.<br />
6. Follow up.<br />
Combined with the insights gained from<br />
the perspective of organizational innovation,<br />
this process can be used as a framework<br />
to guide organizations in being more<br />
skillful, consistent, and committed to<br />
Smart Maintenance.<br />
3.<br />
From the lab to the shop<br />
floor: How could your<br />
findings be applied in<br />
real-world maintenance<br />
or asset management settings?<br />
In Sweden, we benefit from strong collaboration<br />
between industry and academia,<br />
which allows research to be conducted<br />
very close to the shop floor. I’ve worked<br />
closely with several industrial companies,<br />
and the cyclical process I propose in the<br />
thesis is designed to be applicable by industrial<br />
maintenance managers. Smart<br />
Maintenance implementation will look<br />
different in every organisation, but my<br />
findings offer a framework to follow.<br />
A handful of industry practitioners<br />
have literally read each word in my thesis.<br />
From cover to cover. As a researcher who<br />
is driven by industrial impact, that is probably<br />
one of the most awarding compliments<br />
you can get from industry. I see this<br />
as a validation that my research is relevant<br />
and applicable for real-world settings.<br />
4.<br />
Research is rarely a straight<br />
road: What were the toughest<br />
hurdles you faced, and<br />
how did you overcome them?<br />
To be honest and a bit personal: the vulnerability<br />
that comes with doing a PhD is<br />
tough — the feeling of constantly exposing<br />
your thinking and work. I became very<br />
aware of the importance of how I expressed<br />
myself (both in text and speech),<br />
always striving for clarity and quality. It’s<br />
a demanding process, both mentally and<br />
emotionally. Luckily, I was surrounded by<br />
amazing people. My supervisor and colleagues<br />
I had during the PhD studies were<br />
always encouraging and supportive. Their<br />
feedback helped me refine my ideas and<br />
continue to always try to do a bit better.<br />
5.<br />
Industry 5.0 is all about<br />
people, sustainability,<br />
and resilience: Where do<br />
you see your research fitting<br />
into this bigger vision?<br />
My research fits naturally into the Industry<br />
5.0 vision because it emphasizes the human<br />
side of technological change. Smart Maintenance,<br />
when treated as an organizational<br />
innovation, becomes a way to empower<br />
people — not replace them. It´s about making<br />
the whole organization more skillful,<br />
consistent, and committed to Smart Maintenance.<br />
It supports resilience by helping<br />
organizations and all targeted employees<br />
adapt to change, and it contributes to sustainability<br />
by enabling more efficient and<br />
proactive use of resources.<br />
Inspired by principles from innovation<br />
management, my work encourages<br />
maintenance leaders to foster creativity,<br />
challenge existing routines, and actively<br />
seek untapped value. It’s about building a<br />
culture of learning and exploration. This<br />
aligns with Industry 5.0’s emphasis on<br />
human-centric, sustainable, and resilient<br />
production systems.<br />
6.<br />
Women in maintenance and<br />
asset management: From<br />
your perspective, how can<br />
the sector attract more<br />
women and create an environment<br />
where they can thrive?<br />
We need to highlight female role models,<br />
offer mentorship opportunities, and foster<br />
inclusive cultures where different perspectives<br />
are valued. It’s also important to<br />
challenge outdated stereotypes and show<br />
that maintenance is a dynamic, forwardlooking<br />
field where women can lead, innovate,<br />
and make a real impact. Maintenance<br />
and asset management are no longer just<br />
about fixing machines — they’re about<br />
strategy, innovation, and people. This appeal<br />
to a diverse range of professionals,<br />
including women, who bring valuable perspectives<br />
to the field.<br />
7.<br />
What significance has receiving<br />
the EFNMS Thesis<br />
Award had for you personally<br />
and professionally?<br />
Receiving the EFNMS Thesis Award was a<br />
great honor! Anyone who has done a PhD —<br />
or supported someone through one — knows<br />
the level of commitment it requires. To have<br />
that work recognized at a European level is<br />
incredibly validating. Personally, I´m full of<br />
pride and motivation. Professionally, it led<br />
to a wider network and potential collaborations.<br />
I look forward to advancing maintenance<br />
and asset management together with<br />
my new contacts!<br />
8.<br />
Looking ahead: If you<br />
could choose, what would<br />
be the next big challenge<br />
for researchers and<br />
industry professionals to tackle in<br />
your field?<br />
Rather than a single “next” challenge, I see<br />
a continuous and evolving one: integrating<br />
Smart Maintenance into broader organizational<br />
strategies. We need to move from asking<br />
“How do we implement this technology?”<br />
to “How do we evolve our organization to unlock<br />
its full potential?” That means developing<br />
new models, metrics, and mindsets that<br />
reflect maintenance’s expanding role in digitalized<br />
and human-centric production systems.<br />
Inspired by innovation management,<br />
maintenance leaders should be encouraged<br />
to explore untapped value rather than<br />
solving the problems we have today, foster<br />
cross-functional collaboration, and formulate<br />
a clear vision for how maintenance contributes<br />
to the company’s future. This shift<br />
requires time, resources, and a willingness to<br />
challenge traditional ways of thinking — but<br />
it’s essential for long-term competitiveness<br />
and sustainability. Like innovation leaders<br />
promote freedom to explore and experiment,<br />
maintenance leaders must create space for<br />
discovering untapped values — and connect<br />
maintenance to the company’s broader vision<br />
and competitiveness.<br />
9.<br />
Your own next chapter:<br />
What’s next for you —<br />
more research, industry<br />
work, teaching, or something<br />
else entirely?<br />
Right now, my focus is on being a mom of<br />
two — I’m on parental leave and enjoy this<br />
chapter of life. At the same time, I’m staying<br />
connected to the field, keeping an eye on<br />
ongoing applications for new research projects,<br />
as well as planning a conference presentation.<br />
From January 2026, I’m excited<br />
to return to research and I look forward to<br />
collaborating with other researchers in the<br />
field, as well as industry partners, aiming to<br />
continue contributing to the development<br />
of maintenance as a strategic and innovative<br />
function.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 25
RISING STARS<br />
Aleksanteri Hämäläinen<br />
1.<br />
Let’s start with your story:<br />
What’s your background, and<br />
how did you end up working<br />
on this research topic?<br />
I first got into coding in high school<br />
at the Päivölä School of Mathematics,<br />
which led me to study computer<br />
science at Aalto University. I was<br />
similarly first introduced to AI and<br />
deep learning in high school, and it<br />
has fascinated me ever since. That’s<br />
why I ended up majoring in Machine<br />
Learning, Data Science and Artificial<br />
Intelligence.<br />
As I was searching for a topic for a<br />
thesis during the last year of my master's,<br />
I was contacted about a topic<br />
on AI and condition monitoring by a<br />
doctoral researcher I had worked with<br />
earlier on a group project. I had pretty<br />
much no experience in mechanical<br />
engineering but was promised that<br />
the topic was very interesting on the<br />
AI side of things and that the data<br />
was good. In retrospect, I very much<br />
disagree with the quality of the data,<br />
but realizations about the problems<br />
with the data have become the next<br />
interesting topic I have pursued, so it’s<br />
not like I’m complaining. As a side effect,<br />
I’ve also ended up learning quite a<br />
bit about mechanical engineering and<br />
signal analysis, which I’m certain will<br />
be useful in the future.<br />
26 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong><br />
2.<br />
In a nutshell, what’s your<br />
thesis about — explained<br />
as if to a maintenance professional<br />
over coffee?<br />
My thesis addresses the challenge of using<br />
deep learning models for condition<br />
monitoring of rotating machines, particularly<br />
when data is limited. In most<br />
cases it’s not possible to have fault data<br />
from every operating condition, such as<br />
varying rotating speeds.<br />
Furthermore, even machines of the<br />
same model can differ because of manufacturing<br />
tolerances, installations,<br />
and usage histories. In my research, I<br />
demonstrated how few-shot learning,<br />
prototypical networks, and careful<br />
consideration of operating conditions<br />
can be used to get condition monitoring<br />
models to work well for gear fault<br />
diagnosis in scenarios not covered<br />
during the training. The findings specifically<br />
showcase good generalisation<br />
over rotating speed, which commonly<br />
varies in rotating machines, and sensor<br />
locations, which represent differences<br />
between machines.<br />
3.<br />
From the lab to the shop<br />
floor: How could your<br />
findings be applied in realworld<br />
maintenance or asset<br />
management settings?<br />
Many companies involved in condition<br />
monitoring are already using AI<br />
in some manner or are experimenting<br />
with ways to do so. My thesis offers<br />
a way to approach some of the key<br />
challenges, particularly generalisation<br />
over operating conditions and<br />
machines. Additionally, the important<br />
parts are not overly complex to implement.<br />
Instead of encouraging others<br />
to exactly replicate what I have, I hope<br />
they will integrate my findings into<br />
their own work and ideas. I’d be very<br />
glad if my research helped someone<br />
to overcome a long-standing problem<br />
in their systems or sparked an idea of<br />
“Aha, this is how I’ll get it to work!"<br />
4.<br />
Research is rarely a<br />
straight road: What were<br />
the toughest hurdles you<br />
faced, and how did you<br />
overcome them?<br />
The ever-present problem in using<br />
deep learning for condition monitor-
RISING STARS<br />
ing is the lack of high quality, publicly<br />
available datasets. The current ones<br />
generally have a good selection of rotating<br />
speeds and loads, but the ones<br />
most often used in research all lack essential<br />
elements, such as long enough<br />
samples, multiple instances of the included<br />
fault types, repeated setups, or<br />
sufficient healthy data.<br />
The results of training a deep learning<br />
model on 10 seconds of fault data<br />
and testing it on the next 10 seconds<br />
of the same run do not significantly<br />
correspond with real world performance.<br />
The aim is not to recognise<br />
one exact fault instance, but all faults<br />
of the same type. The vibrations of<br />
a test rig in a lab do not significantly<br />
change within minutes either, so the<br />
model could be based on its predictions<br />
on the vibration signatures of the<br />
installation, manufacturing errors of a<br />
component, or even background noise.<br />
This same problem was a concern<br />
in my thesis, and ultimately it was<br />
only partially overcome. My thesis<br />
includes results where model training<br />
and testing were conducted with sensors<br />
located in different parts of the<br />
powertrain in addition to just splitting<br />
the data by time. These changes in<br />
sensor location introduce significant<br />
changes to vibration signatures, simulating<br />
changes between two different<br />
machines. I was happy with this solution<br />
for my thesis but have since then<br />
strived for even more realistic test<br />
scenarios, by using entirely separate<br />
datasets for training and testing.<br />
5.<br />
Industry 5.0 is all about<br />
people, sustainability,<br />
and resilience: Where do<br />
you see your research fitting<br />
into this bigger vision?<br />
Wind farms are a perfect example of a<br />
setting where condition monitoring is<br />
essential for numerous nearly identical<br />
rotating machines. Increasing the<br />
uptime of wind turbines and decreasing<br />
their maintenance costs could<br />
help increase their portion of energy<br />
production.<br />
6.<br />
What significance has receiving<br />
the EFNMS Thesis<br />
Award had for you personally<br />
and professionally?<br />
I’m very honored to have received the<br />
EFNMS award. It showed that there is<br />
real interest in the topic and that what<br />
I was working on was worth pursuing<br />
further. I sincerely hope my next findings<br />
will garner similar, and hopefully<br />
even greater, interest.<br />
7.<br />
Looking ahead: If you<br />
could choose, what would<br />
be the next big challenge<br />
for researchers and industry<br />
professionals to tackle in<br />
your field?<br />
I would like to see the creation of<br />
better public datasets for research.<br />
The ARotor Lab recently published<br />
the Aalto Gear Fault Dataset, which<br />
includes measurements from multiple<br />
healthy and faulty gears and<br />
repeated installations of the faulty<br />
gears. I hope other research groups<br />
will include these elements in future<br />
datasets they publish.<br />
However, it would be even more<br />
beneficial to have a company publish<br />
a dataset containing real fleet data.<br />
I of course understand that a lot of<br />
data may not be publishable, but I’m<br />
sure there is some data that would be<br />
at its most valuable when many researchers<br />
are working on developing<br />
new methods for it. It wouldn’t even<br />
have to be highly curated, I’m sure<br />
some desperate doctoral researchers,<br />
such as I (wink wink), would<br />
quickly make a cleaned version.<br />
Afterwards, I would like to see improvements<br />
in testing methods to better<br />
reflect real-world usage. What is<br />
the point of publishing papers with<br />
accuracy close to 99.99% if the results<br />
are only relevant to academia?<br />
8.<br />
Your own next chapter:<br />
What’s next for you —<br />
more research, industry<br />
work, teaching, or something<br />
else entirely?<br />
I’m currently working on a PhD at the<br />
Aalto ARotor Lab focusing on the same<br />
topic as my master's thesis, so you<br />
could say my next chapter was not very<br />
different from the previous one. As I<br />
am writing this, I am at the University<br />
of New South Wales in Australia for an<br />
exchange with a research group here, so<br />
the topic of condition monitoring has<br />
taken me to interesting places. After<br />
my PhD, I’m leaning towards industry<br />
work as the most likely next step.<br />
As I mentioned earlier, I strongly<br />
believe that significant progress in AI<br />
based condition monitoring is best<br />
achieved with larger amounts of higher<br />
quality data, which is unfortunately<br />
limited in public research. I also enjoy<br />
working on problems where I can see<br />
more immediate real-world benefits<br />
than is common in academia. However,<br />
I am not saying that is the only option. I<br />
got into this topic by taking a chance on<br />
an interesting opportunity and that is<br />
the plan for my next step too.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 27
CASE STUDY<br />
Text: NINA GARLO-MELKAS Photos VAN GELOVEN<br />
From Firefighting to Forecasting:<br />
Van Geloven’s Journey Toward<br />
Smart Maintenance<br />
Van Geloven, a McCain company in the Netherlands, has moved from reactive to<br />
predictive maintenance by embracing data, new technologies, and a cultural shift.<br />
Since 2020, some of its sites have reduced downtime from 20% to under 4%, with<br />
teams leading improvements and AI increasingly supporting operations.<br />
WHEN Nico Castelijn, Director of Engineering<br />
& Maintenance Appetisers<br />
CE, joined Van Geloven five years ago,<br />
he encountered a familiar scene from<br />
many manufacturing companies: decentralised,<br />
reactive maintenance teams<br />
focused on "putting out fires" instead of<br />
avoiding them.<br />
“Maintenance teams were proud<br />
firefighters,” he recalls. “They’d fix<br />
breakdowns successfully but weren’t<br />
necessarily thinking about how to stop<br />
them from happening again, perhaps<br />
even the next day.”<br />
Drawing on over 20 years of experience<br />
in various industries, including the<br />
pharmaceutical industry—where traceability<br />
and preventive measures are crucial—Castelijn<br />
launched a long-term, data-driven<br />
transformation project across<br />
Van Geloven’s multiple sites, located<br />
in both the Netherlands and Belgium.<br />
Building the Foundation:<br />
Role Clarity and Structure<br />
One of the first steps in Van Geloven’s journey<br />
toward a more predictive maintenance<br />
model wasn’t technical—it was structural.<br />
“Before you talk about dashboards,<br />
you have to define roles,” he says. “What<br />
does a maintenance manager do? A<br />
planner? A reliability engineer? We<br />
created those profiles and aligned them<br />
across sites.”<br />
28 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
CASE STUDY<br />
TACKLING THE SKILLED<br />
WORKER GAP<br />
With consistent role expectations and<br />
a clear job structure in place, the foundation<br />
was laid for a culture shift—from<br />
reactive repair to proactive optimisation.<br />
Transforming the maintenance culture<br />
across multiple sites required time<br />
and leadership, Castelijn notes. Some<br />
teams adjusted in six months; others<br />
took over a year. One key strategy was<br />
leveraging internal peer learning.<br />
“Transforming the culture required<br />
more than new systems—it demanded<br />
trust, education, and internal champions,<br />
ones who brought the new way of<br />
working to colleagues.”<br />
Castelijn encourages peer learning<br />
between sites. He urges his teams to<br />
visit one another, share experiences,<br />
and learn collectively as part of the<br />
company’s transformation journey.<br />
He says that monthly cross-site meetings<br />
have become collaborative platforms<br />
at Van Geloven where technicians present<br />
real cases and share dashboard insights.<br />
Through this, ownership increases,<br />
and a proactive mindset takes hold.<br />
“I tell our maintenance teams: take<br />
a company car, drive to another site,<br />
spend the day there. Show your work,<br />
share your problems, and learn from<br />
each other,” he explains. “That peer<br />
connection is what changes mindset.”<br />
Data Becomes a Daily Habit<br />
One of the most impactful breakthroughs<br />
in streamlining operations was<br />
the integration of Power BI dashboards<br />
into daily routines, says Castelijn.<br />
“Every morning at 7 a.m. sharp,<br />
teams gather to review the past 24<br />
hours of data—equipment breakdowns,<br />
performance metrics, and maintenance<br />
schedules—all displayed in real-time.<br />
This consistent, data-driven approach<br />
has replaced reactive, blame-oriented<br />
discussions with a culture of collaboration<br />
and root cause analysis.”<br />
By making key operational insights<br />
instantly visible and accessible, the<br />
dashboards have not only improved<br />
transparency but also accelerated<br />
decision-making and problem-solving<br />
across departments.<br />
Castelijn adds that the company<br />
uses unified definitions: if a breakdown<br />
causes two hours of lost production—<br />
even if only 30 minutes was repairing<br />
time—that whole time is logged as technical<br />
downtime. This clarity promotes<br />
cross-functional accountability and<br />
realistic planning.<br />
Power BI and CMMS<br />
Integration: Turning Data<br />
into Action<br />
Castelijn explains that in the past, each<br />
site used its separate maintenance<br />
system (CMMS), which wasn’t connected<br />
to the company’s SAP or finance<br />
systems. Because these systems didn’t<br />
communicate with each other, it wasn't<br />
easy to track trends or compare performance<br />
across sites.<br />
Power BI dashboards, which were<br />
initially managed by an external provider,<br />
were brought in-house and linked<br />
to both the CMMS and the production<br />
efficiency system (OEE). This enabled<br />
the comparison of production losses<br />
and maintenance activities in real-time.<br />
“The dashboards are part of the 7<br />
a.m. routine now,” Castelijn says. Teams<br />
In his interview with <strong>Maintworld</strong>,<br />
Nico Castelijn shared his perspective<br />
on a growing challenge facing<br />
the maintenance industry: a shortage<br />
of skilled technicians.<br />
Like much of Europe, the Netherlands<br />
is experiencing a chronic lack<br />
of technically trained workers, particularly<br />
those with hands-on experience<br />
in industrial environments.<br />
To address this, Van Geloven<br />
has adopted a flexible workforce<br />
model, employing a mix of 60%<br />
permanent staff and 40% freelance<br />
specialists. This enables the company<br />
to remain agile while addressing<br />
skills gaps. More recently, Van<br />
Geloven has also started recruiting<br />
qualified technicians from abroad,<br />
particularly from countries such as<br />
South Africa.<br />
“Most young Dutch workers do<br />
not receive in-depth technical education<br />
anymore,” Castelijn explains.<br />
“But technicians from countries<br />
such as South Africa often come<br />
with multiple certifications, strong<br />
practical experience, and high levels<br />
of discipline.”<br />
Looking ahead, Castelijn<br />
believes that bridging the technician<br />
gap will require both more<br />
innovative use of AI tools and strategic<br />
global recruitment.<br />
“As technician shortages grow<br />
across Europe, companies will need<br />
to get creative. Automation, data,<br />
and international hiring will be key<br />
parts of the solution.”<br />
review the past 24 hours—failures, root<br />
causes, and upcoming PM tasks. It’s not<br />
about blame. It’s about learning and prioritising<br />
together.”<br />
This integration helps teams plan<br />
downtime, optimise resources, and<br />
reduce unplanned stops. Maintenance<br />
and production data now share a common<br />
language.<br />
Mobile Tools and Real-Time<br />
Logging<br />
Castelijn emphasises that usability has<br />
been crucial in making digital tools successful.<br />
Today, technicians use mobile apps and<br />
QR/barcode scanners to log work orders,<br />
parts used, and failure data instantly.<br />
“Technicians aren’t always keen on<br />
admin,” says Castelijn. “So, we made it<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 29
CASE STUDY<br />
easy for them. Now everything’s captured<br />
in real time—accurate, fast, and<br />
easy to share.”<br />
In <strong>2025</strong>, Van Geloven began piloting a<br />
new AI module in its CMMS at the company’s<br />
Tilburg site. The tool quickly answers<br />
technician queries by pulling data from<br />
past incidents and technical manuals.<br />
“It’s not replacing our technicians—it’s<br />
empowering them,” Castelijn<br />
explains. “Especially for junior staff or<br />
independent workers, it reduces time<br />
wasted hunting for information.”<br />
The pilot proved so successful that Tilburg<br />
became the first of McCain’s 58 global<br />
sites to adopt CMMS-integrated AI.<br />
Data-Driven KPIs Driving<br />
Change<br />
To accelerate its shift from reactive to<br />
predictive maintenance, Van Geloven<br />
has made data a central part of its strategy.<br />
At the heart of this approach is a set<br />
of carefully chosen key performance<br />
indicators (KPIs) that guide day-to-day<br />
operations, long-term planning, and<br />
cross-site comparisons. These KPIs<br />
provide a clear view of what’s working,<br />
what needs attention, and where resources<br />
should be focused.<br />
The main KPIs tracked include:<br />
• Technical downtime percentage –<br />
Measures how much production<br />
time is lost due to technical failures.<br />
• Planned vs. unplanned maintenance<br />
ratio – Highlights the balance between<br />
proactive and reactive work, aiming to<br />
reduce unexpected breakdowns.<br />
• Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)<br />
and Mean Time Between Repairs<br />
(MTBR) – Indicators of equipment<br />
reliability and repair efficiency.<br />
• Maintenance cost breakdowns<br />
– Tracks spending on preventive versus<br />
reactive maintenance, helping to<br />
optimise budget allocation.<br />
• Internal vs. external labour usage –<br />
Provides insight into workforce efficiency<br />
and the use of third-party<br />
contractors.<br />
• Schedule adherence – Measures<br />
how closely planned maintenance<br />
activities follow the schedule, supporting<br />
operational discipline.<br />
By closely monitoring these metrics,<br />
Van Geloven can benchmark progress<br />
across its various sites, identify best<br />
practices, and continuously refine its<br />
maintenance strategy.<br />
“More than just numbers, these KPIs<br />
help create a culture of accountability<br />
and continuous improvement—ensuring<br />
maintenance is not just a support<br />
function, but a key driver of operational<br />
performance,” Castelijn says.<br />
A Model for Maintenance<br />
Transformation<br />
Today, Van Geloven’s facilities are<br />
approaching world-class standards<br />
in maintenance. In some locations,<br />
technical downtime has dropped<br />
from 20% to below 4%, thanks to a<br />
shift toward predictive maintenance,<br />
root cause analysis, and empowered<br />
teams.<br />
Maintenance crews are now developing<br />
and leading their own improvement<br />
initiatives, while AI has become<br />
an integral part of the daily workflow—<br />
assisting with planning, decision-making,<br />
and efficiency.<br />
LESSONS IN CHANGE<br />
LEADERSHIP<br />
Van Geloven’s maintenance transformation<br />
has been as much about<br />
people as it has been about technology.<br />
Castelijn’s leadership style is<br />
rooted in experience—he began his<br />
career as a trained technician, worked<br />
shifts on the shop floor, and gradually<br />
advanced into management. That<br />
background gives him credibility with<br />
teams and helps drive cultural change.<br />
“Technicians listen because I’ve<br />
done their job,” he says. “And I tell<br />
them—if I stayed in one job too long,<br />
I would stop learning. That mindset<br />
applies to everyone.”<br />
According to Castelijn, effective<br />
change leadership starts small and<br />
scales gradually.<br />
His recommended approach includes:<br />
• Standardising job roles to eliminate<br />
confusion and overlap<br />
• Making the dashboard use a<br />
daily habit to build data literacy<br />
• Appointing internal ‘champions’<br />
to lead by example and encourage<br />
peers<br />
• Allowing teams to present<br />
and own their data, fostering<br />
accountability and pride<br />
Castelijn’s message to other maintenance<br />
leaders is clear: success doesn’t<br />
come from technology alone. It comes<br />
from engaging people, setting clear<br />
expectations, and building a culture of<br />
continuous learning and ownership.<br />
“This kind of transformation doesn’t<br />
happen in six months,” says Castelijn. “It<br />
takes three to four years, strong leadership,<br />
and a deep commitment to collecting<br />
and maintaining quality data,” he<br />
advises other maintenance managers.<br />
His most significant<br />
piece of advice?<br />
“If your CMMS data is poor, AI won’t<br />
help you. Garbage in, garbage out.”<br />
In today’s competitive global market,<br />
where agility and efficiency are non-negotiable,<br />
predictive, data-driven maintenance is<br />
no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity.<br />
“Companies that don’t embrace this direction<br />
will fall behind,” Castelijn warns.<br />
“Predictive maintenance isn’t just<br />
smart—it’s survival.”<br />
Van Geloven’s journey proves that with<br />
the right vision, sustained commitment,<br />
and a supportive culture, even traditional<br />
manufacturing operations can lead the<br />
way in digital transformation.<br />
Key Takeaways for Maintenance<br />
Leaders<br />
• Downtime Reduction: Cut from<br />
20% to under 4% in two years through<br />
focused root cause analysis.<br />
• Agile Teams: 60% internal staff, 40%<br />
freelancers to maintain flexibility.<br />
• AI support: AI integrated with the<br />
CMMS can save time and assist less<br />
experienced staff in making better decisions.<br />
Currently, at Van Geloven, AI is<br />
still in the testing and deployment phase<br />
only at the Tilburg site, but it is expected<br />
to be rolled out more broadly across other<br />
locations in the upcoming two years.<br />
• KPI Discipline: Focus on MTTR<br />
(Mean Time To Repair), MTBF (Mean<br />
Time Between Failures), technical<br />
downtime %, planned vs. unplanned<br />
ratio, and schedule adherence.<br />
• Change Timeline: True digital and<br />
cultural transformation takes 3–4<br />
years of consistent effort.<br />
A key step in Van Geloven’s digital transformation<br />
has been the development and<br />
internal hosting of Power BI dashboards,<br />
which are now fully integrated with both<br />
the company’s Computerised Maintenance<br />
Management System (CMMS)<br />
and Overall Equipment Effectiveness<br />
(OEE) system. This integration enables<br />
real-time tracking and analysis of maintenance<br />
activities alongside production<br />
losses, allowing for more informed decision-making<br />
at all levels.<br />
30 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
The<br />
Ecosystem<br />
of the<br />
Ecological<br />
Transition<br />
NOVEMBER<br />
4 — 7, <strong>2025</strong><br />
RIMINI<br />
EXPO CENTRE<br />
Italy
RESEARCH<br />
Text: MICHAEL HANF Pictures: IMAGE II TAKEN FROM A VIDEO OF A GRANDLUND SEMINA – IMAGE I IRA HANF<br />
Future of Sustainability:<br />
What Maintenance Leaders Need to Know<br />
By Michael Hanf, sustainable business strategist and lead author of the Future of<br />
Sustainability <strong>2025</strong> study, published by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.<br />
THE MAINTENANCE and asset management<br />
sector plays a critical role in the<br />
sustainability transition. Well-planned<br />
and well-executed maintenance does<br />
not just keep assets running. It enables<br />
energy and resource efficiency, prolongs<br />
equipment life, safeguards operational<br />
resilience, and supports the shift to lowcarbon<br />
and circular business models.<br />
The Future of Sustainability <strong>2025</strong><br />
study, which I authored, identified 87<br />
trends and 5 megatrends shaping the coming<br />
decades. Many of these developments<br />
are directly relevant for maintenance<br />
strategies and point to the sector’s growing<br />
influence in achieving both operational<br />
and sustainability goals.<br />
From linear to circular<br />
maintenance models<br />
The transition from a reactive “repair when<br />
broken” approach to proactive, circular<br />
maintenance models is gathering pace.<br />
Manufacturers are increasingly designing<br />
equipment for multiple life cycles, modular<br />
upgrades, and easy refurbishment.<br />
For maintenance teams, this means<br />
finding ways to extend asset lifespans<br />
through predictive analytics, remanufacturing<br />
components instead of replacing<br />
them, and working with suppliers to enable<br />
take-back and reuse.<br />
These approaches reduce waste, minimise<br />
the need for virgin materials, and lower<br />
the overall environmental footprint of operations.<br />
For example, some industrial pump<br />
manufacturers now offer full-service models<br />
where pumps are monitored remotely, refurbished<br />
on schedule, and kept in continuous<br />
rotation, reducing downtime, optimising<br />
energy use, and conserving materials.<br />
Digital twins as a core tool<br />
Digital twin technology is rapidly moving<br />
from pilots to everyday practice, giving<br />
32 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong><br />
ABOUT THE<br />
AUTHOR:<br />
Michael Hanf<br />
is a sustainable<br />
business strategist<br />
and the<br />
lead author of<br />
the Future of<br />
Sustainability<br />
<strong>2025</strong> study, published by VTT Technical<br />
Research Centre of Finland. He has over<br />
25 years of international experience in<br />
strategy, innovation, and sustainability,<br />
working with companies, policymakers,<br />
and research organisations to help integrate<br />
sustainability into core business<br />
strategies. Michael is also the host of<br />
two podcasts, The Circular Coffee Break<br />
and The Future of Sustainability, which<br />
explore the trends, innovations, and<br />
leadership approaches shaping a sustainable<br />
future.<br />
maintenance teams a powerful tool for both<br />
operational and sustainability performance.<br />
Real-time virtual representations of assets<br />
make it possible to simulate wear, stress, and<br />
performance under a variety of conditions.<br />
This capability allows for earlier detection of<br />
issues, optimal scheduling of interventions,<br />
and more efficient use of spare parts.<br />
A Nordic energy company, for instance,<br />
used digital twins of its wind turbines<br />
to reduce maintenance costs by 20<br />
percent, extend service intervals by more<br />
than 30 percent, and optimise power<br />
output, demonstrating the direct link<br />
between maintenance innovation and<br />
improved energy efficiency.<br />
Climate-resilient infrastructure<br />
As climate change increases the frequency<br />
of extreme weather events and shifts operating<br />
conditions, the role of maintenance in<br />
ensuring resilience becomes more strategic.<br />
Maintenance teams are now expected<br />
to not only keep assets in service but also<br />
enhance their ability to withstand heat,<br />
flooding, and other environmental stresses.<br />
This may involve using more heat-resistant<br />
materials, elevating critical systems<br />
above potential flood levels, or adjusting inspection<br />
and service intervals to match new<br />
climate realities. These measures protect<br />
operational continuity, reduce downtime,<br />
and help safeguard both economic performance<br />
and environmental outcomes.<br />
Upskilling the workforce<br />
Sustainability-driven changes require new<br />
skills for maintenance professionals. Technicians<br />
now work with AI-driven analytics<br />
tools, understand material recycling and<br />
circular processes, and incorporate sustainability<br />
metrics into maintenance decisions.<br />
Leading companies are investing in training<br />
that combines traditional mechanical<br />
knowledge with data literacy, environmental<br />
awareness, and systems thinking.<br />
This integration allows maintenance<br />
teams to make operational choices that<br />
directly improve resource efficiency and<br />
environmental performance, while also<br />
strengthening their organisation’s ability<br />
to adapt to emerging challenges.<br />
The business case for action<br />
When viewed through a sustainability<br />
lens, the benefits of advanced maintenance<br />
strategies become even more<br />
compelling. Circular models reduce total<br />
cost of ownership and material demand.<br />
Digital tools increase uptime and energy<br />
efficiency. Climate resilience protects productivity<br />
and reduces risk.<br />
Skilled teams can deliver higher-value<br />
services that align with both operational<br />
excellence and environmental responsibility.<br />
Maintenance is not only a technical<br />
function. It is a strategic enabler of ef-
RESEARCH<br />
ficiency, resilience, and sustainable value<br />
creation.<br />
Where to start<br />
A practical first step is to assess your<br />
asset base in terms of both operational<br />
performance and sustainability potential.<br />
Identify opportunities where circular approaches<br />
can replace linear ones, where<br />
digital tools can boost efficiency, and<br />
where climate adaptation is most urgent.<br />
Start with pilot projects, track measurable<br />
outcomes, and scale successful initiatives.<br />
Engaging maintenance teams from<br />
the outset is critical, as they often hold the<br />
most valuable insights into how to achieve<br />
these goals in practice.<br />
The future of maintenance will belong<br />
to organisations that integrate sustainability<br />
into every aspect of asset care, using<br />
maintenance not just to keep things running,<br />
but to drive efficiency, resilience, and<br />
long-term business success. The opportunities<br />
are already here. The challenge is<br />
deciding who will lead the way.<br />
TOP 5 ACTIONS FOR<br />
MAINTENANCE LEADERS<br />
1. Integrate sustainability into<br />
maintenance KPIs<br />
Track energy efficiency, resource use, and<br />
waste reduction alongside uptime and reliability<br />
metrics.<br />
2. Adopt predictive and conditionbased<br />
maintenance<br />
Use sensors, data analytics, and digital<br />
twins to prevent failures, extend asset life, and optimise energy use.<br />
3. Enable circularity in asset management<br />
Refurbish and remanufacture components, implement take-back systems,<br />
and work with suppliers on reuse strategies.<br />
4. Build climate resilience into asset care<br />
Adapt materials, designs, and service schedules to withstand extreme<br />
weather and changing operating conditions.<br />
5. Invest in workforce upskilling<br />
Equip teams with data literacy, sustainability awareness, and systems<br />
thinking to drive innovation on the shop floor.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 33
SUCCESS STORY<br />
Galvatek's Global Transformation<br />
Toward Defense Industry<br />
How a Finnish surface treatment specialist<br />
transformed crisis into opportunity by pivoting<br />
from traditional surface treatment to aviation<br />
and defense industry.<br />
Text: MIA HEISKANEN<br />
Photo: GALVATEK<br />
ONCE KNOWN for expertise in industrial<br />
surface treatment needs, Galvatek<br />
now designs high-tech automated<br />
surface treatment lines for<br />
the aviation and defense industries.<br />
In a discussion with CEO Lasse<br />
Vilminko, we explore how the Finnish<br />
company navigated a pandemicdriven<br />
collapse, found unexpected<br />
growth in defense industry, and<br />
positioned itself for the next phase<br />
of automated manufacturing.<br />
The Automation Advantage.<br />
"We deliver precision technology<br />
34 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
SUCCESS STORY<br />
for aviation and defense industries,"<br />
says Vilminko. "Surface treatment<br />
itself isn't rocket science—the technologies<br />
have been around for decades.<br />
What sets Galvatek apart is full<br />
automation. We've been doing that<br />
since the 1980s."<br />
This focus on complete automation<br />
became Galvatek's differentiator<br />
as labor costs made traditional<br />
mass production uncompetitive. The<br />
company needed to find markets<br />
where premium technologies were<br />
justified by demanding technical requirements.<br />
In the early 2000s, Galvatek began<br />
targeting the aviation sector, where<br />
automation, reliability, and complete<br />
traceability are non-negotiable.<br />
"Aviation is highly regulated.<br />
Everything must be traceable and<br />
inspected multiple times. If a component<br />
fails, we need to know exactly<br />
what treatment it received, when,<br />
and by whom," explains Vilminko.<br />
"That level of requirement justifies<br />
high-end technology and demands<br />
best-in-class automation."<br />
The strategy paid off. Today, Galvatek<br />
supplies automated surface<br />
treatment lines to major players<br />
like Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney,<br />
Lufthansa Technik, and Turkish<br />
Technic. Building these relationships<br />
required years of proving reliability<br />
and meeting stringent certification<br />
requirements.<br />
Crisis and Recovery. Then came<br />
COVID-19. With the majority of rev-<br />
Lasse Vilminko.<br />
THE SYSTEMS WE INSTALL<br />
TODAY MUST BE INTELLIGENT.<br />
WE'RE WORKING TOWARD<br />
PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE<br />
AND REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS.<br />
enue from aviation, Galvatek faced<br />
an existential threat when global<br />
fleets were grounded.<br />
"We were in the middle of active<br />
projects when the bottom dropped<br />
out. Some customers hit pause, others<br />
cancelled completely. It was dramatic,"<br />
Vilminko recalls.<br />
In a difficult situation, Galvatek<br />
decided to return to industries familiar<br />
from the company’s history,<br />
which turned out to be more challenging<br />
than expected.<br />
“We learned a lot from the COV-<br />
ID years. But now, we’re looking<br />
ahead,” Vilminko says confidently."<br />
Recovery came faster than expected<br />
as passenger volumes rebounded<br />
strongly, even exceeding<br />
pre-pandemic levels by 2023. Postponed<br />
European investments began<br />
flowing again, creating new opportunities.<br />
Defense Emerges as Growth<br />
Driver. The real surprise came from<br />
the defense industry. Galvatek's previous<br />
work with defense company<br />
NAMMO on surface treatment lines<br />
for 155mm artillery shells suddenly<br />
became highly relevant as European<br />
nations ramped up ammunition production.<br />
"We didn't even budget for defense<br />
projects in 2024. Now it's<br />
our fastest-growing segment," says<br />
Vilminko. "The scale of demand,<br />
especially due to the war in Ukraine,<br />
took everyone by surprise."<br />
Galvatek has evolved beyond<br />
being an equipment supplier for<br />
surface treatment to become a complete<br />
technology integrator, delivering<br />
end-to-end systems including<br />
robotic handling, zinc phosphating,<br />
and coating solutions.<br />
Finland's NATO membership has<br />
accelerated international interest.<br />
"Currently, we're delivering to three<br />
NATO countries, and that visibility<br />
has generated inquiries from other<br />
alliance members. Some contacts<br />
surprised us—we had to ask how<br />
they found us," Vilminko notes.<br />
Global Operations, Local Flexibility.<br />
Vilminko admits managing<br />
simultaneous projects across different<br />
continents can present logistical<br />
challenges, but Galvatek's subcontracting<br />
model provides strategic<br />
advantages. The company manufactures<br />
nothing itself, instead relying<br />
on a vetted global network.<br />
"That's our competitive edge,"<br />
explains Vilminko. "It lets us be<br />
agile. We can optimize for each<br />
situation—build complete systems<br />
in Europe for smaller projects<br />
or build entirely on-site for large<br />
installations."<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 35
SUCCESS STORY<br />
Building International Teams.<br />
Rapid growth has accelerated hiring<br />
and talent acquisition has been easier<br />
than expected due to Finland´s current<br />
market situation. The Lahti based company<br />
now employs nine nationalities<br />
beyond Finnish staff, with English as<br />
the main working language.<br />
“The situation isn´t as challenging as<br />
one might think. Finland´s industrial<br />
downturn over the past years has actually<br />
helped us. The Lahti region has significant<br />
industry presence, and many<br />
large companies have had major workforce<br />
reductions,” Vilminko explains.<br />
The industrial contradiction has<br />
created also a need for an international<br />
talent pool to support Galvatek<br />
expansion. “We´ve recruited across<br />
all departments – project managers,<br />
sales engineers, automation specialists,<br />
designers.”<br />
However, Galvatek's niche requires<br />
extensive onboarding. New hires need<br />
months to master the company's specialized<br />
automation approaches and<br />
industry requirements, as the company<br />
rarely finds candidates with direct experience<br />
in their highly specialized field.<br />
Technology Evolution. Galvatek<br />
continues advancing its automation<br />
platforms, participating in Finland's<br />
initiative to develop AI-enabled processes.<br />
The company is also expanding<br />
after-sales services to support its expanding<br />
global installation base.<br />
"The systems we install today must<br />
be intelligent. We're working toward<br />
predictive maintenance and remote<br />
diagnostics. Our customers expect it,"<br />
Vilminko adds.<br />
Managing Success. Current challenges<br />
stem from success itself.<br />
"We're stretched, in a good way.<br />
The volume of work is intense," says<br />
Vilminko. "Managing growth while<br />
maintaining quality and developing<br />
new capabilities, that's our daily<br />
challenge."<br />
International trade tensions add<br />
complexity, though Galvatek's flexible<br />
subcontracting model provides some<br />
protection from tariff changes and supply<br />
chain disruptions.<br />
Dual Pillars Strategy. Today,<br />
Galvatek stands on two strong pillars:<br />
recovering aviation demand and<br />
surging defense requirements. Both<br />
sectors offer multi-year visibility,<br />
with defense investments expected<br />
to continue through 2030.<br />
"We have solid foundations now,"<br />
concludes Vilminko. "Aviation growth<br />
is accelerating globally, especially in<br />
Asia. Defense spending will remain elevated<br />
for years. These business pillars<br />
give us confidence for both medium<br />
and long-term planning."<br />
Energy Sector Opportunities.<br />
Looking ahead, Galvatek sees potential<br />
in emerging energy sectors, particularly<br />
within green hydrogen and small<br />
modular reactors (SMRs).<br />
"We're already supplying equipment<br />
for a strategic hydrogen project<br />
in Denmark," Vilminko notes.<br />
"And don't underestimate SMRs.<br />
Companies like Rolls-Royce are betting<br />
billions on modular nuclear. We<br />
intend to be ready when those technologies<br />
scale."<br />
These sectors require the same<br />
rigorous surface treatment standards<br />
that Galvatek delivers for the aviation<br />
industry, potentially providing natural<br />
expansion opportunities as these industries<br />
mature.<br />
36 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
TECHNOLOGY<br />
Text: VAULA AUNOLA Photos: SHUTTERSTOCK<br />
Rising Role of<br />
Smart Coatings<br />
New self-healing, anticorrosive, and antimicrobial coatings can reduce maintenance<br />
costs, and their use is expected to increase in the coming years.<br />
SMART COATINGS may change their structure or appearance<br />
when exposed to heat, humidity, mechanical stress or chemical<br />
changes such as corrosion. Some are even designed to<br />
react to microbial growth.<br />
The scope of applications is broad. In 2011, researchers<br />
developed a spray-on antenna that, at a thickness of 8 microns<br />
or less, could give electronics<br />
wireless connectivity.<br />
In 2016, another group created<br />
a smart paint that reacts<br />
to the metal tip of specialized<br />
canes to help pedestrians<br />
with visual impairments<br />
navigate.<br />
IN THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR, SELF-HEALING<br />
CLEAR COATS HAVE BEEN IN USE FOR YEARS.<br />
Manufacturers in other industries can also make use<br />
of similar solutions. While self-repairing paints cannot<br />
restore extensive mechanical damage, they can prevent<br />
scratches, chips and surface warping from developing<br />
into deeper structural issues. New developments have<br />
improved performance as well. A study in 2022 demonstrated<br />
a paint that was<br />
able to fully recover within<br />
just 30 seconds when exposed<br />
to heat.<br />
Such coatings are particularly<br />
valuable for machinery<br />
operating in demanding conditions.<br />
Self-Healing<br />
Capabilities<br />
One of the most notable<br />
advantages of<br />
certain smart paints<br />
in industrial maintenance<br />
is their ability<br />
to repair themselves.<br />
In the automotive<br />
sector, selfhealing<br />
clear coats<br />
have been in use<br />
for years. These coatings<br />
typically contain<br />
polymers that react<br />
to sunlight, releasing a<br />
resin that hardens quickly<br />
within the paint.<br />
Color-Changing<br />
Smart Paint<br />
Another category<br />
of smart<br />
coatings does<br />
not repair damage<br />
but reveals<br />
it more clearly.<br />
Coatings that<br />
respond to the<br />
chemical changes<br />
presented by<br />
corrosion are<br />
a common and<br />
advantageous<br />
example.<br />
Severe rust is<br />
clearly visible to the<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 37
TECHNOLOGY<br />
naked eye, but this degradation is not always easy to see<br />
in its earliest stages. A rust-reacting paint can produce a<br />
more dramatic color difference, so technicians can recognize<br />
the need for repairs before structural damage occurs.<br />
Smart paints may not offer the same<br />
in-depth analysis as an IoT maintenance<br />
sensor. They do make some<br />
amount of condition-based care possible,<br />
which leads to fewer breakdowns<br />
and avoids unnecessary repairs.<br />
ONE OF THE MOST<br />
NOTABLE ADVANTAGES OF<br />
CERTAIN SMART PAINTS IN<br />
INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE<br />
IS THEIR ABILITY TO REPAIR<br />
THEMSELVES.<br />
Anticorrosive and<br />
Antimicrobial Coatings<br />
Some reactive coatings go a step<br />
further by slowing or stopping corrosion<br />
once it is detected. One example,<br />
adapted from a NASA-developed<br />
paint, releases anticorrosive agents<br />
when pH levels indicate rust. Although<br />
it cannot completely prevent corrosion, this approach<br />
can cut maintenance costs by as much as 50 percent<br />
by limiting how far the damage spreads.<br />
When combined with color-changing indicators, such<br />
coatings make repair work more efficient. Slowing corrosion<br />
until a technician can intervene is especially useful<br />
for smaller operators who may not always have maintenance<br />
staff available.<br />
Antimicrobial coatings offer a comparable advantage. Using<br />
naturally antimicrobial substances<br />
such as silver strengthens the protective<br />
qualities of paint, preventing the<br />
growth or spread of bacteria, fungi or<br />
other contaminants. Semiconductor<br />
fabs and pharmaceutical production<br />
facilities will see the biggest improvements<br />
from this use case.<br />
Electronics Protection<br />
Many uses of smart paint act as alternatives<br />
to IoT- and AI-based maintenance,<br />
but the same technology can<br />
also complement these systems to<br />
improve their performance. Reactive<br />
coatings help safeguard sensitive electronic components,<br />
ensuring that advanced systems remain reliable.<br />
Antimicrobial, dust-resistant and scratch-healing layers<br />
can keep sensors in good condition, preventing contamination<br />
that could interfere with measurements. By reducing<br />
38 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
TECHNOLOGY<br />
these risks, smart coatings support higher data quality and<br />
consistency in IoT and AI applications such as predictive<br />
maintenance. With poor-quality data costing businesses millions<br />
each year, even small improvements in reliability can<br />
lead to major savings.<br />
In other cases, facilities may apply smart paints to shield<br />
solar panel cells from sun damage or to react to heat in ways<br />
that boost efficiency. These adjustments can lower the longterm<br />
maintenance costs of renewable<br />
energy and help manufacturers reach<br />
their climate goals more easily.<br />
Smart Paint Challenges<br />
Smart coatings offer a wide range of applications<br />
in factory maintenance, but<br />
the technology is not without its limits.<br />
These paints can address only minor<br />
damage and cover a restricted set of operating<br />
concerns.<br />
As such, smart paints can push facility<br />
maintenance investments further, but<br />
they cannot replace other innovations<br />
entirely. This may lead to high upfront<br />
costs, even if the coatings themselves are not expensive compared<br />
to IoT and AI technologies.<br />
Many of the most disruptive smart coating applications<br />
are also in their early stages. More dramatic self-healing,<br />
damage prevention and reactive polymers have not seen<br />
extensive real-world testing, especially in their newer, more<br />
promising forms.<br />
Smart Coatings Market<br />
The economic potential of smart coatings is significant.<br />
Market researchers estimate that the global smart coatings<br />
industry was valued at $6.34 billion in 2024 and is expected<br />
to reach $7.9 billion in <strong>2025</strong>, reflecting an annual growth rate<br />
of roughly 25 percent. Longerterm<br />
projections suggest that the<br />
ALTHOUGH IT CANNOT<br />
COMPLETELY PREVENT<br />
CORROSION, THIS APPROACH<br />
CAN CUT MAINTENANCE COSTS<br />
BY AS MUCH AS 50 PERCENT<br />
BY LIMITING HOW FAR<br />
THE DAMAGE SPREADS.<br />
sector could even surpass $19<br />
billion by 2029 if current trends<br />
continue. The Asia-Pacific region<br />
was the largest segment of the<br />
smart coatings market in 2024<br />
and is expected to be the fastestgrowing<br />
region in terms of market<br />
share.<br />
Key drivers include demand<br />
for corrosion protection, antimicrobial<br />
properties and self-healing<br />
materials. Industries such as<br />
automotive, aerospace, construction<br />
and energy are expected to lead adoption. In northern<br />
regions, anti-icing and de-icing nanocoatings are emerging as<br />
a growing niche.<br />
Sources: American Coatings Association (ACA), The Business<br />
Research Company, revolutionized.com<br />
25 – 27.11.<strong>2025</strong><br />
NUREMBERG, GERMANY<br />
Unfold the<br />
world of<br />
Industrial AI<br />
34th international exhibition<br />
for industrial automation<br />
Automation astounds.<br />
With every new facet.<br />
The SPS – Smart Production Solutions has been the home of the automation<br />
industry since 1990, welcoming start-ups and global players alike to drive<br />
industrial development. It’s where technologies thrive, people come together,<br />
and ideas take flight. As industrial AI takes centre stage, a world of opportunities<br />
for productivity and efficiency awaits.<br />
Come and experience the latest industry innovations!<br />
Bringing Automation to Life
FUTURE<br />
Text: MIA HEISKANEN Photos: JARI KOSTIAINEN<br />
Photo: Jari Kostiainen. Original photo (DKO Architecture with Bluet Oy Ltd<br />
for Lotus Equity Group). And Photo of Teemu M. Jari Kostiainen<br />
What the Future Holds<br />
for Large-Scale Floating Solutions<br />
As sea levels rise and land grows scarce, the ocean is no longer just a frontier—it's a<br />
foundation. At WCFS<strong>2025</strong> in Finland, Dr. Teemu Manderbacka unveiled bold visions<br />
for floating megastructures that may reshape how and where we live, work, and<br />
build. What´s the beef for maintenance in his vision?<br />
AT THE 5TH WORLD CONFERENCE on<br />
Floating Solutions (WCFS<strong>2025</strong>) in<br />
Hanasaari, Finland, Dr. Teemu Manderbacka<br />
of VTT and Aalto University<br />
painted a vision that sits somewhere<br />
between speculative moonshot and<br />
near-future engineering reality.<br />
His talk, “Future Visions for Large<br />
Floating Solutions,” wasn’t just a<br />
pitch for ocean-based utopias—it was<br />
a grounded look at how floating infrastructure<br />
could tackle global crisis<br />
while navigating a regulatory minefield<br />
and practical maintenance dilemmas.<br />
The big idea is simple: the oceans<br />
cover 70 % of the planet. Why not use<br />
that space more intelligently? Dr.<br />
40 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong><br />
Manderbacka outlined three visionary<br />
directions:<br />
1.<br />
Floating Transport<br />
Carriers<br />
Imagine drifting platforms that<br />
harness natural ocean currents—zeroemission<br />
bulk transport systems slowly<br />
carrying materials like freshwater, minerals,<br />
even Saharan sand across the seas.<br />
No fuel-hungry engines, just the push of<br />
the Atlantic’s great conveyor belts.<br />
2.<br />
Ocean-Based Resource<br />
Harvesting<br />
Floating structures could<br />
support renewable energy generation<br />
(solar, wind, wave), aquaculture, carbon<br />
capture, and marine nutrient farming.<br />
These aren’t sci-fi fantasies; many of<br />
these technologies exist today—just not<br />
yet at the scale envisioned.<br />
3.<br />
Habitats on Water<br />
Floating hotels, retirement<br />
communities, emergency<br />
housing, or even full-scale cities—these<br />
modular megastructures could be relocated<br />
based on need. For events, crisis,<br />
or seasonal economies, transportability<br />
is the game-changing advantage.<br />
Vision Meets Reality<br />
While the ideas are bold, Mander-
FUTURE<br />
Villa W, Tukholma Ruotsi. Photo Jari Kostiainen photo credit Bluet Oy<br />
backa emphasized that floating<br />
infrastructure is already part of our<br />
world. Floating homes, entertainment<br />
venues, even marine farms are<br />
no longer experimental. However, the<br />
jump from niche applications to selfsustaining<br />
floating cities is a leap—and<br />
not just a technological one.<br />
Maintenance: The Unseen<br />
Backbone<br />
Maintaining floating systems isn’t<br />
like maintaining a ship or a building—it’s<br />
like both, simultaneously.<br />
Everything from hull integrity and<br />
environmental exposure to the reliability<br />
of onboard life systems needs<br />
constant attention.<br />
A central concern is logistics. How<br />
self-sufficient can a floating community<br />
realistically be? Will spare parts and<br />
services be delivered from land, or produced<br />
onboard? The degree of autonomy<br />
defines both cost and complexity.<br />
As Manderbacka noted in <strong>Maintworld</strong><br />
follow-up interview, “All structures<br />
require maintenance. Whether<br />
it's a building or a vessel, they have<br />
different needs—but floating structures<br />
must meet both.”<br />
<strong>Maintworld</strong> readers know this well:<br />
maintenance is not a footnote to innovation;<br />
it’s the core enabler.<br />
WE NEED A HYBRID<br />
LEGAL FRAMEWORK<br />
THAT REFLECTS THE<br />
REALITY OF FLOATING<br />
SOLUTIONS—MODULAR,<br />
MOBILE, AND MULTI-USE.<br />
The Legal Limbo<br />
If there’s a showstopper in this story, it’s<br />
regulation. Manderbacka underscored a<br />
paradox: floating structures don’t neatly<br />
fit into maritime or terrestrial law.<br />
Some nations might treat them as<br />
ships, subjecting them to International<br />
Maritime Organization (IMO) rules—<br />
designed for harsh open-sea conditions—even<br />
if they're moored in calm,<br />
sheltered waters. Others might apply<br />
building codes, creating mismatched or<br />
conflicting standards.<br />
That regulatory uncertainty makes<br />
investors wary. A floating structure approved<br />
in Helsinki might, for example,<br />
not pass muster just a few kilometers<br />
away in the city of Espoo.<br />
“The challenge is balancing transportability<br />
and local compliance,” Manderbacka<br />
explained. “We need a hybrid legal framework<br />
that reflects the reality of floating solutions—modular,<br />
mobile, and multi-use.”<br />
What Comes Next?<br />
For floating infrastructure to scale, a<br />
few things must happen:<br />
• Global legal alignment, or at least<br />
standardization zones.<br />
• Maintenance infrastructure built<br />
into design, from redundancy systems<br />
to remote diagnostics.<br />
• Business models that account for<br />
transportability, lifecycle costs,<br />
and multipurpose adaptability.<br />
• Public-private partnerships willing<br />
to absorb early-stage risk for longterm<br />
gains.<br />
The Maintenance Mandate<br />
Floating cities might be a distant goal, but<br />
floating infrastructure is already making<br />
waves. As urban pressure pushes coastlines<br />
to their limits, the sea is no longer<br />
just a backdrop—it’s part of the solution.<br />
For the maintenance industry, this isn’t<br />
a future problem. It’s now. From structural<br />
resilience to life-support systems, floating<br />
solutions demand a new kind of readiness.<br />
They must be built to move, survive—and<br />
crucially—be maintained to endure.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 41
MANAGEMENT<br />
42 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
MANAGEMENT<br />
Text: LAURA VAN DER LINDE<br />
Photo: FREEPIK<br />
As a maintenance and asset manager, you can sometimes<br />
feel like you've ended up in a “perfect storm”.<br />
IN ADDITION to regular malfunctions,<br />
defects and other maintenance activities<br />
you have to deal with trends, developments,<br />
limitations, new orders from<br />
above and struggles from below - or the<br />
other way around. How do you keep<br />
the helm straight and ensure that your<br />
company stays on course?<br />
The term “a perfect storm” is used<br />
to describe a dynamic combination of<br />
events that together have much greater<br />
consequences than the individual<br />
events would cause separately. Sounds<br />
familiar?<br />
Technical Captain<br />
As a maintenance and asset manager,<br />
you are the captain of the ship called<br />
"The Technical Service". You set the<br />
course and make choices based on the<br />
most important value driver: do you<br />
focus on technical availability, or do you<br />
focus on minimizing operational costs?<br />
Or perhaps (new) legislation is currently<br />
leading, or you have to make important<br />
decisions in the area of lifetime extension<br />
or replacement of critical assets.<br />
Also, you have to deal with "the<br />
helmsmen standing ashore" who provide<br />
additional challenges or limitations<br />
in the form of reducing your OpEx<br />
and CaPex budgets. But whatever is decided,<br />
the maintenance and asset manager<br />
must bring the technical service to<br />
calmer waters.<br />
Different roles<br />
Peter Decaigny is a Partner at Mainnovation,<br />
a consultancy firm in the field<br />
of maintenance and asset management.<br />
He has experience with both large and<br />
small companies in industry, fleet, and<br />
infrastructure. He outlines the skills<br />
that the “average maintenance manager<br />
in <strong>2025</strong>” should possess: “The maintenance<br />
and asset manager as an economist,<br />
as a sustainability officer, as an ICT<br />
specialist, and as a people manager.”<br />
From Cost to Value<br />
“Maintenance is not necessarily a cost<br />
item. When you make smart choices,<br />
you can add value to the operating result<br />
with maintenance and asset management,”<br />
Decaigny says.<br />
This message is generally widely approved<br />
by management. It does mean<br />
that the maintenance and asset manager<br />
must calculate this in advance and<br />
also make it happen. How do you calculate<br />
the dominant Value Driver? How<br />
do you create a maintenance budget?<br />
“Besides the OpEx and CapEx, it is<br />
important to also take the average age<br />
of the installation into account. A young<br />
factory does not yet put much pressure<br />
on the CapEx budget, but at some point,<br />
this will change. Being able to calculate<br />
this properly and translate it into value<br />
in euros (or any other currency) will<br />
help to gain support from the board.”<br />
Steps Toward 2030<br />
In addition to economists, maintenance<br />
and asset managers are also increasingly<br />
involved in a company's sustainability<br />
objectives.<br />
“There is an obligation under the European<br />
Green Deal to reduce CO2 emissions<br />
and energy consumption by 2030.<br />
"It is also necessary to remain competitive.<br />
All of this has a considerable<br />
impact. There are even companies that<br />
are dismantling their factories because<br />
they cannot meet these requirements.<br />
Fortunately, these are exceptions."<br />
“Yes, sustainability requires the<br />
deployment of people and resources,<br />
but we can achieve good results with<br />
simple steps.” This is the outcome of<br />
the international study MORE4Sustainability.<br />
Digitalisation<br />
Developments in digital, sensoring, data<br />
and data sharing are almost faster than we<br />
can manage. And yet, as a maintenance and<br />
asset manager, it is required of you because<br />
we have to keep up and stay ahead of the<br />
competition. From Excel to CMMS or EAM<br />
tools, from predictive to prescriptive maintenance<br />
based on data and algorithms.<br />
“The good news: the new generation<br />
can help the older generation. They<br />
grew up with TikTok and YouTube.<br />
They operate a drone as if they have<br />
never done anything else and they know<br />
how to create a good Chat GPT prompt.<br />
Make use of this”, is the tip that Decaigny<br />
gives.<br />
Skill Transfer<br />
And of course, the maintenance and<br />
asset manager is also a team leader, a<br />
coach, a people manager.<br />
“Good technicians are hard to find.<br />
But once you have found them, it is<br />
important to keep them motivated and<br />
engaged.” Also the older employees require<br />
attention. This involves securing<br />
existing knowledge and skills. Find a<br />
way to unlock that knowledge and ensure<br />
that it does not disappear when the<br />
employee retires.<br />
“By linking older employees to<br />
young, new employees, you kill two<br />
birds with one stone: the older generation<br />
can transfer their knowledge,<br />
the newcomers learn how the factory<br />
works and how maintenance is carried<br />
out and they can teach their buddy<br />
something in the field of new techniques."<br />
"It is important, as a maintenance<br />
and asset manager, to ensure that there<br />
is understanding and respect for each<br />
other's way of working because it is undoubtedly<br />
different.”<br />
Conclusion<br />
Yes, it is a lot. And all these tasks are<br />
on top of the daily activities that can<br />
be considered “core business”, which<br />
ensure that the ship keeps sailing<br />
at all. But with extra effort you can<br />
tighten the sails a bit, anticipate immediately<br />
when the wind blows from<br />
a different direction, stick to your<br />
course better and perhaps even end up<br />
in calmer waters. That will ensure satisfied<br />
faces among the crew but also,<br />
the captain’s…<br />
Mainnovation is known for its methodology<br />
Value Driven Maintenance &<br />
Asset Management (VDM XL ).<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 43
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE<br />
Industrial AI<br />
to double within a year<br />
A new global survey of<br />
more than 1,700 senior<br />
executives reveals that<br />
industrial AI is advancing<br />
faster than expected.<br />
text: VAULA AUNOLA<br />
photo: ISTOCK<br />
INDUSTRIAL AI is no longer a distant<br />
prospect. According to the IFS Invisible<br />
Revolution Study <strong>2025</strong>, the use<br />
of AI in manufacturing companies is<br />
predicted to almost double in the next<br />
12 months, from 32% today to 59%.<br />
At the same time, profitability improvements<br />
are already widespread,<br />
with 88% of organisations worldwide<br />
reporting that AI has had a positive<br />
impact on their bottom line.<br />
"AI is a key driver of business performance.<br />
Now is the time to close the<br />
adoption gap - bringing people, processes<br />
and products together to deliver<br />
tangible results," says Kriti Sharma,<br />
CEO of IFS Nexus Black.<br />
For example, in the US, 90% of senior<br />
decision makers plan to increase AI<br />
investment in <strong>2025</strong> compared to 2024.<br />
AI First Becomes the Norm<br />
The shift in organizational AI maturity<br />
is even more dramatic. Today, just under<br />
one-third of businesses (32%) claim<br />
to be “AI First,” meaning AI is deeply<br />
embedded into workflows and decisionmaking.<br />
But within a year, nearly 60%<br />
expect to achieve this level of integration.<br />
The number of companies still<br />
“experimenting” with AI is expected to<br />
plummet from 24% to just 7%.<br />
The research shows that companies<br />
are rapidly moving beyond pilot projects<br />
and concept testing. The proportion<br />
of organisations still "experimenting"<br />
with AI is expected to fall sharply,<br />
from 24% today to just 7% within a year.<br />
This marks a decisive shift towards integrating<br />
AI into key functions such as<br />
asset management, supply chain optimisation<br />
and manufacturing.<br />
But the momentum also reveals<br />
vulnerabilities. More than half of executives<br />
admit that their organisations do<br />
not yet fully understand AI. This lack<br />
of clarity can undermine adoption at a<br />
time of increasing competitive pressure.<br />
Training gaps become critical<br />
Skills development has emerged as one<br />
44 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE<br />
of the most pressing challenges. Most<br />
managers believe that up to 60% of their<br />
workforce will need retraining to adapt<br />
to AI-enabled activities. Significantly, a<br />
third of respondents estimate that this<br />
need could apply to all employees in their<br />
organisation.<br />
This training gap is already being<br />
felt in recruitment. Many managers<br />
describe hiring AI talent as "extremely<br />
difficult", even in countries where the<br />
education system is seen as supporting<br />
the skills of the future. Without largescale<br />
retraining programmes, organisations<br />
risk being left behind just as the AI<br />
revolution accelerates.<br />
Over half of US firms (54%) offer formal<br />
training, yet 65% of US senior decision<br />
makers say their businesses still<br />
lack the knowledge to use AI to its fullest.<br />
By contrast, just 46% of respondents<br />
in Japan feel this gap exists, pointing<br />
to stronger internal confidence.<br />
AI Gains Without Strategy<br />
Another barrier is the lack of a strategy.<br />
More than half of managers, 53%, admit<br />
that their organisation does not yet<br />
have a coherent AI strategy.<br />
Despite this, financial returns have<br />
exceeded expectations. Globally, 70% of<br />
respondents report better-than-expected<br />
returns on their AI initiatives, which<br />
has driven investment. This figure rises<br />
to 92% in the US and 94% in Germany.<br />
Companies are achieving measurable<br />
benefits but do not yet have the<br />
strategies and governance models needed<br />
to sustain long-term change.<br />
Trust remains a barrier<br />
Over half of US organizations are already<br />
using automation AI (56%), predictive<br />
AI (54%), and agentic AI (35%), systems<br />
that can act autonomously to execute decisions.<br />
Globally, the numbers are slightly<br />
lower but still significant, demonstrating<br />
early momentum across industries.<br />
Despite improved profitability and<br />
operational efficiency, many managers<br />
remain hesitant to hand over decisionmaking<br />
power to AI. Only 29% say it<br />
would be easy to let AI systems make<br />
strategic decisions on their own. A large<br />
majority - 68% - believe that human<br />
judgement is still necessary before AIbased<br />
insights can be deployed.<br />
Concerns about bias and fairness remain<br />
acute. In the US, 63% of respondents<br />
consider bias to be a major concern,<br />
compared to only 40% in the Nordic<br />
“MORE THAN HALF OF<br />
MANAGERS ADMIT THAT<br />
THEIR ORGANISATION DOES<br />
NOT YET HAVE A COHERENT<br />
AI STRATEGY.”<br />
countries. This difference shows how<br />
cultural and regional differences influence<br />
the speed and scale of AI adoption.<br />
Global AI Oversight<br />
That lack of trust extends to how AI is<br />
governed. While many enterprises are<br />
moving forward with implementation,<br />
the call for oversight is growing louder.<br />
71% of US senior decision-makers, and<br />
62% globally, believe AI needs some<br />
form of regulation.<br />
Notably, 65% of global respondents<br />
support the creation of an international,<br />
independent body to oversee AI<br />
development and deployment, signalling<br />
that organizations are not only<br />
concerned about risk within their own<br />
walls but are calling for globally coordinated<br />
oversight as AI becomes more<br />
deeply embedded in critical systems.<br />
However, respondents in Japan<br />
(22%), Nordics (19%), the Netherlands<br />
(16%), and Germany (13%) were the<br />
most resistant to the idea of a global independent<br />
AI organisation.<br />
Education System and Future Workforce Skills<br />
Transforming Business<br />
AI is no longer just transforming operations;<br />
it’s redefining business models.<br />
77% of respondents (and 85% in the US)<br />
believe servitization — the shift from selling<br />
products to delivering value through<br />
services and outcomes — will become a<br />
dominant revenue model enabled by AI.<br />
Furthermore, 80% of senior decision-makers<br />
globally (and 90% in<br />
the US) expect AI-driven savings to<br />
be reinvested into their enterprises,<br />
fueling further innovation, growth,<br />
and expansion. Nearly three-quarters<br />
(73%) plan to pass some of these<br />
savings on to customers through improved<br />
pricing and enhanced service.<br />
However, this customer-centric view is<br />
not universally shared, particularly in assetheavy<br />
industries where margins are tight<br />
and competition is fierce. In these sectors,<br />
many expect efficiency gains from AI to<br />
be channelled directly into strengthening<br />
profitability rather than shared externally.<br />
Environmental impact is also firmly<br />
on the agenda. 86% of senior decisionmakers<br />
believe AI will help organizations<br />
meet sustainability goals — from<br />
energy efficiency and emissions reporting<br />
to CO₂ management.<br />
Source: IFS Invisible Revolution<br />
Study <strong>2025</strong>.<br />
% of respondents who strongly agree/somewhat agree that their countries education<br />
system is currently developing enough people with necessary skills to sufficiently meet the<br />
future workforce demands of their industry. Source: IFS Invisible Revolution Study <strong>2025</strong><br />
Global US UK France DACH NTH Nordics UAE &<br />
KSA<br />
Japan<br />
ANZ<br />
68% 82% 72% 64% 61% 67% 53% 79% 45% 73%<br />
AI and Organizational Profitability<br />
% of respondents that feel AI has positively impacted their organizations profitability?<br />
Source: IFS Invisible Revolution Study <strong>2025</strong><br />
Global US UK France DACH NTH Nordics UAE &<br />
KSA<br />
Japan<br />
ANZ<br />
88% 92% 91% 89% 94% 86% 72% 89% 83% 92%<br />
Support for Independent AI Regulation<br />
% of respondents who believe an independent organisation be critically involved/ significantly<br />
involved in regulating AI<br />
Global US UK France DACH NTH Nordics UAE &<br />
KSA<br />
Japan<br />
ANZ<br />
66% 75% 72% 77% 68% 61% 52% 62% 48% 69%<br />
AI’s Impact on the Environment<br />
% of respondents who believe AI will have a significant/somewhat positive impact on the<br />
planet’s environment over the next five years<br />
Global US UK France DACH NTH Nordics UAE &<br />
KSA<br />
Japan<br />
ANZ<br />
90% 96% 95% 90% 92% 84% 78% 91% 79% 94%<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 45
MAINTENANCE<br />
The New Arsenal of<br />
Military Readiness<br />
Eight Trends Transforming<br />
Defence Maintenance<br />
The defence and military sector has always been a pioneer in technology<br />
adoption. From the jet engine to satellite communications, innovations<br />
often take shape in the armed forces before finding their way into civilian<br />
industries. Maintenance is no exception. The battlefield of the 21st century<br />
is no longer defined only by firepower and strategy, but also by the capacity<br />
to keep complex, mission-critical assets in constant readiness.<br />
Text: PROF. DIEGO GALAR<br />
IN <strong>2025</strong>, a new wave of technologies<br />
and approaches is reshaping how<br />
military organizations around the<br />
world maintain their fleets, bases, and<br />
infrastructure. These innovations go<br />
beyond cost savings to include survivability,<br />
autonomy, and operational<br />
superiority. Simply stated, today’s<br />
battlefield is defined by the capacity to<br />
keep complex, mission-critical assets<br />
in constant readiness.<br />
What follows is a journey through<br />
the eight most impactful trends<br />
redefining defence maintenance,<br />
backed by real examples and the latest<br />
policy shifts. Together, they illustrate<br />
how maintenance has evolved from a<br />
supporting activity to a decisive factor<br />
in combat power.<br />
1.<br />
AI Predictive and<br />
Prescriptive Maintenance<br />
The shift from reactive maintenance<br />
to predictive approaches is now a<br />
reality across many military branches.<br />
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine<br />
learning (ML) are embedded into modern<br />
maintenance ecosystems, enabling<br />
the transition from predicting failures<br />
to prescribing the best course of action.<br />
U.S. Defense Budget <strong>2025</strong> (Illustrative Allocation)<br />
39%<br />
3% 3%<br />
■ Military Constructions & Housing<br />
■ RDT & E<br />
■ Procurement<br />
13%<br />
23%<br />
19%<br />
■ Personnel<br />
■ Operation & Maintenance<br />
■ Other<br />
Figure 1. Breakdown of the U.S. defence budget (<strong>2025</strong>). Nearly 40% is allocated to<br />
operations and maintenance, underscoring its central role in military readiness.<br />
46 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
MAINTENANCE<br />
Figure 2. AI-enhanced military maintenance cycle. Predictive and prescriptive analytics connect maintainers, repair shops,<br />
warehouses, and supply chains to improve availability, efficiency, and capacity while reducing shotgun maintenance<br />
A case in point is the USS Fitzgerald, a U.S. Navy<br />
destroyer equipped with Enterprise Remote Monitoring<br />
v4 (ERM). This system analyses over 10,000<br />
sensor signals per second, offering a real-time health<br />
profile of machinery onboard. Instead of scheduling<br />
maintenance based on calendar intervals, the system<br />
advises commanders exactly when and where intervention<br />
is needed.<br />
The payoff is enormous: reduced downtime, optimized<br />
spare part usage, and increased combat readiness.<br />
A system failure at sea can immobilize a vessel<br />
for weeks, but predictive tools allow maintenance<br />
teams to act proactively during planned stops.<br />
Innovation is not limited to ships. The U.S. Air<br />
Force is testing AI-powered algorithms for engine<br />
health monitoring on fighter jets, while NATO allies<br />
are investing in predictive vehicle maintenance to<br />
extend the service life of armoured fleets deployed in<br />
Eastern Europe.<br />
AI-driven maintenance is not a niche experiment<br />
but a global movement reshaping readiness<br />
doctrines. NATO allies are increasingly pooling<br />
resources to build shared AI platforms that harmonize<br />
maintenance data across different fleets,<br />
making multinational operations smoother. In the<br />
United Kingdom, the Royal Air Force has launched<br />
pilot projects where predictive analytics monitor<br />
Rolls-Royce engines on Typhoon fighters, cutting<br />
unscheduled downtime by double digits. In Asia-<br />
Pacific, Japan’s Self-Defence Forces are integrating<br />
AI into naval fleet diagnostics, while South Korea is<br />
experimenting with predictive maintenance for its<br />
K2 Black Panther tanks.<br />
Still, certain challenges remain. AI systems demand<br />
clean, labelled data, often scarce in legacy<br />
platforms. Algorithms must be explainable to gain<br />
the trust of military decision-makers. And cybersecurity<br />
is paramount: a manipulated dataset could trigger<br />
false recommendations with severe consequences.<br />
2.<br />
Right-to-Repair: Empowering the<br />
Frontline<br />
Running parallel to AI is a quieter but equally<br />
revolutionary development: the right-to-repair<br />
movement. For decades, military units were dependent<br />
on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs),<br />
often waiting weeks for authorized technicians or proprietary<br />
parts. In combat, that dependency is a liability.<br />
In May <strong>2025</strong>, the U.S. Department of Defense<br />
announced the “right to repair” provisions will become<br />
standard in Army contracts. Soldiers will gain<br />
access to manuals, diagnostic tools, and digital files<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 47
MAINTENANCE<br />
Photo by LCpl Alpha Hernandez / USMC (Photo ID 6969813)<br />
needed to fix equipment themselves—even fabricating<br />
replacement parts when necessary.<br />
This development is critical in theatres<br />
where logistics convoys are vulnerable to attack.<br />
A battalion stranded by a minor equipment<br />
fault can jeopardize an entire mission.<br />
If they have the right to repair, troops can<br />
patch and restore vehicles within hours instead<br />
of waiting for OEM support that might<br />
never arrive.<br />
Some compelling applications are emerging<br />
in aviation and naval domains. U.S. Air Force<br />
depots are exploring right-to-repair concepts for<br />
F-35 subsystems, allowing local teams to bypass<br />
long OEM approval times. Navies are experimenting<br />
with giving submariners autonomy to service<br />
critical life-support systems at sea. As these examples<br />
suggest, when operators who may be weeks<br />
away from supply hubs are empowered, even<br />
highly complex platforms can sustain themselves<br />
independently.<br />
Yet the policy has tensions. OEMs are reluctant<br />
to release intellectual property, citing lost<br />
revenue and safety risks if repairs are improperly<br />
executed. The success of right-to-repair will depend<br />
on balancing sovereignty, safety, and IP<br />
rights. NATO nations are already discussing harmonization<br />
to ensure interoperability in joint<br />
operations.<br />
3.<br />
Additive Manufacturing and<br />
the Mobile Factory<br />
Closely linked to the right-to-repair<br />
is the rise of additive manufacturing, better<br />
known as 3D printing. Once experimental,<br />
additive manufacturing has matured to the<br />
point of battlefield deployment. Programs<br />
such as Fleetwerx have developed mobile<br />
fabrication labs capable of producing spare<br />
parts in forward bases.<br />
Whether made of metal alloys, ceramics, or<br />
composites, these parts reduce dependency<br />
48 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
MAINTENANCE<br />
on vulnerable supply lines. Imagine a combat<br />
vehicle disabled by a broken valve. Instead<br />
of waiting days for delivery, technicians can<br />
3D-print the component within hours, often<br />
at reduced weight and optimized geometry.<br />
The British Army has trialled containerized<br />
additive manufacturing units in<br />
deployed environments, producing small<br />
arms parts and UAV<br />
components. The U.S.<br />
Marine Corps has tested<br />
3D-printed impellers<br />
for water purification<br />
systems, while the Australian<br />
Defence Force<br />
explored printing drone<br />
airframes during Pacific<br />
exercises.<br />
Importantly for highvalue<br />
platforms, additive<br />
manufacturing is moving<br />
beyond prototypes<br />
into certified airworthy<br />
parts. In <strong>2025</strong>, the<br />
U.S. Air Force approved<br />
the first flight of an F-22<br />
Raptor equipped with<br />
a 3D-printed titanium<br />
cockpit component. Naval forces are experimenting<br />
with printing pump impellers and<br />
valve housings directly onboard carriers.<br />
Submarine maintenance has benefitted as<br />
well: the Australian Navy has tested polymer<br />
3D-printed gaskets able to withstand deepsea<br />
pressures.<br />
THE PAYOFF IS ENORMOUS:<br />
REDUCED DOWNTIME,<br />
OPTIMIZED SPARE PART<br />
USAGE, AND INCREASED<br />
COMBAT READINESS. AT SEA,<br />
FAILURES CAN IMMOBILIZE<br />
VESSELS FOR WEEKS, BUT<br />
PREDICTIVE TOOLS ENABLE<br />
PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE<br />
DURING PLANNED STOPS.<br />
The real challenge is certification. Defence<br />
organizations require rigorous validation<br />
before deploying a printed part in<br />
mission-critical equipment. To address this,<br />
NATO is working on a joint certification<br />
framework for additive manufacturing. The<br />
vision is clear: every forward base could soon<br />
become a miniature factory, where supply<br />
chains are virtualized<br />
and resilience maximized.<br />
Taken together, these<br />
first three trends highlight<br />
a decisive shift:<br />
maintenance is no longer<br />
confined to depots or<br />
long supply chains, but<br />
is moving directly into<br />
the hands of operators<br />
and frontline units. AIguided<br />
troubleshooting,<br />
the ability to repair<br />
equipment without waiting<br />
for authorization,<br />
and the agility of additive<br />
manufacturing are transforming<br />
downtime into<br />
uptime and dependence<br />
into autonomy. Yet this is only part of the<br />
story. To truly harness these tactical gains<br />
at scale, armed forces are now embracing<br />
broader enablers — from digital twins and<br />
robotics to connected logistics and performance-based<br />
frameworks. These will be the<br />
focus of the next part of this article.<br />
Photo by Molly Rhine / U.S. Navy via DVIDS (Photo ID 5283818)<br />
Figure 3. Armed<br />
forces personnel<br />
exploring desktop<br />
3D printers,<br />
demonstrating<br />
on-site<br />
fabrication of<br />
spare parts for<br />
greater agility<br />
and resilience.<br />
3/<strong>2025</strong> maintworld 49
NEWS<br />
Maintenance strategies can help ESG goals<br />
Predictive maintenance and obsolescence management have long been<br />
recognised as ways for manufacturers to reduce downtime. But these<br />
approaches can also help companies meet their ESG (Environmental, Social<br />
and Governance) objectives, argues Matthias Ludwig, Managing Director of<br />
Radwell International Germany.<br />
The high cost of downtime<br />
A new Siemens report, The True Cost of Downtime 2024,<br />
highlights the financial scale of the problem. It found that<br />
unplanned downtime now costs the world’s 500 largest companies<br />
an average of 11% of their revenues – a staggering $1.4<br />
trillion, equivalent to the GDP of Spain.<br />
The challenge is exacerbated by ageing assets. A recent<br />
white paper by ERIKS UK & Ireland and IET revealed that<br />
more than 50% of equipment in 65% of factories is over ten<br />
years old. In over 70% of cases, no OEM spare parts are available.<br />
While equipment suppliers promote Industry 5.0 and<br />
IIoT solutions to minimise downtime in the future, many<br />
businesses must continue operating with legacy systems.<br />
This reality makes effective maintenance not only a financial<br />
necessity but also an opportunity to strengthen sustainability<br />
strategies.<br />
A strategic approach<br />
To capture these benefits, Ludwig recommends combining<br />
predictive maintenance and obsolescence management in a<br />
structured plan. The process typically follows four stages:<br />
1. Risk Assessment: Identify critical assets and evaluate<br />
obsolescence risk using data such as maintenance logs,<br />
supplier reliability, and end-of-line (EOL) plans.<br />
2. Repairs: Define in advance what can be repaired, who<br />
will do it, and what lead times apply – particularly for<br />
critical components like HMIs.<br />
3. Spare Parts: Secure key spares in advance to minimise<br />
downtime. Buying before a breakdown can save costs<br />
compared to last-minute sourcing of rare items. Subscription-based<br />
inventory services, such as Radwell’s new<br />
SparesVault, can also support this process.<br />
4. Strategy and Upgrades: Review maintenance policies<br />
regularly and plan upgrades proactively, rather than during<br />
unplanned downtime. For example, AC drives are<br />
often cost-effective upgrade candidates, offering higher<br />
productivity, reliability and energy savings.<br />
Financial and operational gains<br />
Planned upgrades and well-managed spares can significantly<br />
cut downtime and reduce costs. In some cases, obsolete parts<br />
may be more than twice as expensive as modern equivalents.<br />
By upgrading in advance, companies gain access to warranties,<br />
longer-term support, and more energy-efficient technologies.<br />
As Matthias Ludwig concludes, “Maintenance is no longer<br />
just about keeping the line running. Done strategically, it supports<br />
ESG targets, reduces costs, and ensures manufacturers<br />
get the best performance from both their people and their<br />
capital assets.”<br />
ESG benefits of maintenance and spares<br />
Choosing to repair or replace individual parts, rather than entire<br />
systems, brings clear ESG benefits:<br />
• Environmental: Resource efficiency, reduced waste,<br />
lower carbon emissions, and less water and energy use<br />
compared to full system replacement.<br />
• Social: Support for local suppliers and service providers,<br />
plus longer product lifecycles that increase customer<br />
trust.<br />
• Governance: Better resource stewardship, reduced operational<br />
and compliance risks, and improved transparency<br />
in sustainability reporting.<br />
In short, maintenance decisions can make a measurable contribution<br />
to a company’s ESG commitments, while also protecting<br />
the bottom line.<br />
50 maintworld 3/<strong>2025</strong>
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