Integrating maintenance and production for World Class Maintenance: Q&A

In manufacturing, effective collaboration between production and maintenance is an enormous challenge, but achieving it can significantly impact overall performance and quality. Recently, MRO spoke with Kim Wolf of Kim Wolf Leadership Coaching and Manufacturing Consulting, who brings a wealth of experience to this challenge, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making and cross-functional collaboration. In this conversation, Wolf addresses the common obstacles manufacturers face when integrating these two vital areas and offers actionable strategies for fostering a culture of teamwork. With insights drawn from her unique background in both maintenance and operations, Wolf emphasizes how leaders can facilitate a unified approach that not only enhances efficiency but also supports quality control and a collaborative work environment. Read on for her expert advice on creating common goals, utilizing key performance indicators and developing a unified workforce to achieve World Class Maintenance. 

 Q: Why is integrating production and maintenance a challenge for manufacturers? 

 A: One thing that really hinders is if there’s no data available. Once you get data of some kind—that could be everything from an Excel spreadsheet that you’re keeping track of efficiency, all the way through to fully integrated and automated downtime tracking systems, and everything in between—you can use that to make cross-functional decisions that make more sense. If you start getting into people’s opinions, that’s when you can start the finger-pointing. So, one person may say, ‘This is an operator training issue,’ and production looks at it and says, ‘No that’s an equipment issue or that’s a mechanic training issue’. If you’re not using data to really drive those discussions, it’s very difficult to try to reach some kind of objective strategy that you can use to drive that World Class Maintenance. The other challenge is not having processes in place. I’m a big believer in processes. If you have downtime and you say, ‘What process is missing that potentially caused that downtime?’ If you don’t have a standard operating procedure, an SOP, written on a changeover from one product to another, then you get into the finger-pointing. I also think organizations that are focused so much on firefighting can really struggle with that maintenance-versus-operations mentality. Because when you’re firefighting so much, everything is chaotic and so the first thing you do is just start to blame. And it’s easier to blame somebody in another function than it is to blame internally. So, when you start implementing World Class Maintenance programs, it ultimately will help drive that relationship between maintenance and production because you’re reducing the chaos in your organization. 

 Q: What does it look like when production and maintenance are integrated?

 A: Having common goals between the two. I’m a huge believer in having company goals, plant goals that then roll up into the company, and then cross-functional goals. I think if a company’s goals (below the plant goals), if siloed, then typically you will also get that finger-pointing. Where, if you’ve got those common KPIs, then you’re all working toward the same goal. So, I think that’s one thing. And again, the objective data. So, for example, OEE. Using objective data to develop those goals, develop those KPIs, not using somebody’s opinion of where the issues are. And I’d say the last thing is to change the lingo. You need to create a culture where it’s acceptable to call somebody out, saying, ‘That sounds like that might be blaming as opposed to working together toward a common solution’. Creating that type of a culture where you’re able to respectfully call one another out when you start having conversations like that. It’s just saying, ‘Nope, that’s not helpful for us to be blaming another department, another function. Remember, we’re all in this together.” When you’re using the data and making that conversation more objective, then people really start to get it. 

 Q: What are the first steps towards achieving this? 

 A: I would say having the data in one place. And, there are lots of companies out there that have really good, simple, and easily integrated downtime collection systems. But if you don’t have that, or you’re a smaller company that may not have those types of resources, doing a simple Excel spreadsheet, where you’re just keeping track of anything that’s over 15 minutes or half an hour, wherever you need to start and then just try and keep track of that. How many cases should we have gotten? How many did we actually get? And then, what were the causes of that? The second step is having a solid CMMS system, where you’re keeping track of not just maintenance activities, but I like to use the CMMS system also for sanitation activities as well as production. So, if production is doing CILs (cleaning, inspection, lubrication procedures), put all of that into one CMMS system. It’s easier to make sure that those activities are coordinated, especially if you’ve got a maintenance planner. Again, if you’ve got them all collected in one place, it’s much easier to say, ‘This is our cleaning plan’, or ‘This is our equipment maintenance plan,’ or whatever it might be, because it’s all part of one system.