Abstract
M.Phil. (Engineering Management)
Asset Management provides care for equipment in a factory, which will ensure that the
equipment delivers the required volume, at the expected quality, in the safest way possible, and
still reach the expected lifespan within cost. Any manufacturing facility, however big or small,
has a goal to deliver the compelling business needs within a required timeframe, and still allow
for effectiveness in the day to day running of the processes that contribute towards the overall
growth of the business.
Without full engagement of all people in a company’s spectrum, an asset management strategy
can fail. It is therefore essential to ensure that satisfaction of the workforce is met to allow total
productivity and ensure that any organisation can maximise on its compelling business needs’
outputs.
People are the company’s best assets and just like machinery, without proper care, the
performance of a manufacturing facility can be adversely affected. If asset management is
applied as a strategy to improve the performance of production machinery, can it have a direct,
positive impact on the availability of equipment, production output, overall safety, quality, cost
efficiency, and employee morale?
This paper aims to observe the impact that an asset management strategy can have on the
performance of an explosives manufacturing organisation. It explores the ways in which South
African manufacturing industries can implement asset management as a strategy for improving
their performance, and undertakes observation of an organisation prior to asset management
implementation, and then post asset management implementation. The observations are
compared to confirm asset management as a significant element in the organisation’s results.