Talking Industry: Using smart maintenance to slash operating costs

10 March, 2025

The value of introducing smart maintenance to drive cost savings

How predictive maintenance enhances equipment uptime and minimizes disruptions

Ensuring secure data management across production lines to protect critical information

Combining automation with CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems) to enable predictive capabilities

Implementing automated workflows that streamline maintenance processes

Real-time analysis and response to events for rapid decision-making

Shifting company culture towards proactive, efficiency-driven maintenance management

Attending from the UAE, Donal Bourke opened the session, outlining the concept of Smart Maintenance using a single PowerPoint creatively deploying the acronym S-M-A-R-T:

S stands for Strategy and Support - the importance of aligning maintenance goals with business objectives, supported by leadership.

M stands for Maturity and Measurement - the value of assessing where an organisation is today and using those insights to drive progress.

A stands for Adoption and Adaptability - success isn’t just about technology, but teams embracing and adapting to it.

R stands for Reliability and Resilience - how proactive maintenance reduces unexpected failures and builds long-term stability.

T stands for Transformation and Training - the importance of continuous learning and growth to stay ahead of competition, particularly when it comes to adopting and embracing technology.

The PowerPoint slide was used to demonstrate how smart maintenance isn’t just about the tools, it’s about the culture and mindset shifts that help organisations achieve measurable cost savings, improve productivity, and make smarter decisions. The statistics on the slide (like 30%+ cost savings and 15%+ extended asset lifecycle) are drawn from PEMAC’s real-world experience and – according to Donal - represent conservative estimates, these will always vary depending on the maturity of an organisation.

Following this introduction, Peter Keckes highlighted the need for secure data acquisition and the role of IT-OT collaboration. The two speakers together discussed the challenges of adapting new technologies, the important role of experienced engineers, and the future potential of augmented reality and digital twins as part of a smart maintenance programme. The conversation also touched on cultural differences in technology adoption, with Europe believed to be more cautious and the US more proactive. Is this the experience of our readers?

As a checklist for implementing a new smart maintenance programme, the speakers emphasised the following two items:

Before implementing new technologies, measure and assess the current state of maintenance maturity

Promote collaboration and integration between OT and IT teams to enable the successful adoption of smart maintenance solutions.

Challenges in data integration and security

Peter Keckes shares experiences with different industries and their data integration needs. He emphasised the importance of secure data acquisition and the role of Red Lion Controls. Donal Bourke emphasised the security risks and the need for secure data access. Both agreed on the importance of human knowledge in maintenance, mainly due to the role of experienced engineers in understanding and predicting machine failures. Everyone regrets the progressive loss of experienced field engineers due to retirement

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