Asset Management Strategy

“In addition to my role as General Maintenance Manager, I have also been the Safety and Environment manager for the last two years. There is a lot I am responsible for. I wanted to increase the reliability of our machines and keep them in good condition. We had been experiencing frequent breakdown of machinery, as well as maintenance issues. The cost of preventative maintenance was high. This all falls under asset management.

“Asset management is very important for all engineers, not just mechanical engineers, to develop their skills and abilities. All industries are having to reduce costs and management of assets is key to that.”

“I was really looking forward to the course, very excited. I had wanted to do this course for a long time and I really admire the IMechE. It is an impressive organisation. All the previous courses I had taken were very technical in their content – vibration, hydraulics, pneumatics, that kind of thing. This was about being a manager.

“It was a four-day course and the trainer was very good. We would cover a subject, then split into groups to do exercises and finish by having a group discussion. The exercises were challenging and the groups got quite competitive between each other! But it was a really nice style of training.

“This course made me very happy. It gave me more confidence in myself and my abilities as a manager.”

1 “If you are aiming to become a manager, this course provides you with the foundations about managing assets and will make you more employable.”

2 “If you are already a manager, this will help you understand the importance of assets and how you can maintain what you have.”

3 “This course will help you reduce costs and improve reliability.”

“Prior to the course, we replaced the parts on the machinery according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. That was time based. But after the asset management course, we began to replace parts based on their condition. What I learned on the course has reduced the amount of time lost due to breakdowns and has also saved us a lot of money.

“We used Root Cause Analysis that I learned on the course to reduce breakdowns further. I went through it with my team, asking why a problem happened, then we analysed the problem and improved the process. Previously, we didn’t have enough cooperation within the team but now the situation is much better, and the team has embraced the changes.

“I have also delegated waste management to a section head and asked him to use the waste management procedure. Previously, there was a lot of waste going out of the workshop being processed incorrectly. Now, there is less of waste and it goes to the correct place. It’s much better for safety and for the environment, plus it cuts costs. The situation for the National Cement Company is much better than before.

1 “Before the course, read around the topic – the course materials, internet, books, everywhere! That way you will be ready for discussions and get the most from the trainers.”

2 “Go to the course with a full desire to learn and gain knowledge. This course can make a huge difference to you and your company.”

3 “After the course, keep referring to your notes and put what you learned into practice. If you don’t do that, you may forget.”

“We are improving together as a team. It is easier to do our jobs and we are taking steps towards world class management.

“I want to do another course which I think will help me even more – in Project Management. I want to be an expert in that. It’s important to develop myself, both for me and the company.”