10 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk October/November 2024 Insight While effective maintenance strategies and regimes rightly take centre stage for plant engineers and reliability teams, a new industry report emphasises that optimising the supporting MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) supply chain should also be a crucial priority. The MRO Supply Chain Report 2024 highlights the significant impact of MRO supply chain challenges on maintenance regimes and overall operational efficiency. The report paints a stark picture of the current state of skills in the maintenance industry. Experienced engineers are increasingly hard to find, and this scarcity is reflected in the small sizes of maintenance teams. According to the report, 67% of maintenance teams consist of fewer than 10 people, while 70% of engineering stores departments have under 4 staff members. This shortage of skilled personnel forces engineers to take on roles outside their core responsibilities, including involvement in MRO procurement and managing engineering stores. The lack of specialised skills in these critical areas can lead to inefficiencies and increased downtime. With small teams stretched thin, there is little time for training or knowledge transfer to less experienced colleagues, exacerbating the skills gap. To mitigate these challenges, many businesses are turning to outsourcing. Outsourcing allows companies to leverage the expertise of vendors who can offer both technical and supply chain knowledge, enabling engineers to focus on their primary tasks and reducing the strain on limited in-house resources. Moreover, the report highlights that 10% of businesses have resorted to involving engineers in stores duties due to the acute shortage of resources. This practice not only diverts engineers from their core tasks but also Report reveals key strategies for boosting maintenance efficiency A new industry report underscores the critical importance of optimising MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) supply chains to enhance maintenance strategies and operational efficiency. PWE explores the key findings, focusing on the implications for maintenance professionals and offering strategies to optimise maintenance practices through improved MRO supply chain management.
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