Abstract
The efficient operation of industrial machinery is critical to the productivity, safety and cost-effectiveness of asset-intensive industries. The organisation under study experiences high levels of equipment failure, downtime and inconsistent maintenance performance and it does not have a maintenance focus strategy for its industrial machinery. This research aimed at identifying factors to be considered to develop integrated, responsive maintenance strategies that align technical, operational and human factors in an industrial environment.
A qualitative research design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with industry professionals across various departments in the organisation. This included a comprehensive literature review to identify prevailing theories and best practices.
Content analysis and Pareto analysis were applied to identify the key considerations influencing maintenance strategy development. The research focused on identifying the benefits, barriers and critical factors associated with implementing effective maintenance practices in complex systems.
Reviewed literature highlighted several considerations, such as cost factors, technical expertise, maintenance system, performance monitoring, maintenance techniques, safety factors, customer engagement, internal work procedures, and employee involvement. Further application of Pareto analysis revealed that performance measurement, performance monitoring and internal work procedures play a dominant role in the development of the maintenance strategy. Therefore, the company under investigation must focus on its cost factors, and internal working procedures to reap the benefits of employees’ comprehension of the technical aspects of its equipment.
In practice, this research will benefit decision-makers in identifying the considerations and advantages of implementing a maintenance strategy. Theoretically, the research contributes to the literature by identifying best practices for implementing maintenance strategies and dissecting key considerations from these best practices. The findings offer actionable insights for plant managers and engineers aiming to enhance equipment reliability and reduce operational costs.