Plants and facilities everywhere have experienced a changing landscape in recent years, drastically affecting the way they operate and plan for the future.
Plant managers today are faced with challenges that either didn't exist prior to COVID-19 or have since been magnified. Between supply chain issues, backlogged maintenance projects and staff shortages, it has become more important than ever for managers to plan ahead and prepare for unforeseen events to keep their facilities running smoothly and avoid downtime.
North American ContractorLink (ContractorLink) solves a common frustration among buyers of industrial maintenance services by streamlining the contractor search process. The company not only finds the best contractor to support a facility's specific needs, but also the overarching need to find contractors with good safety records and skilled workers who will get the job done right and on time.
Rusty Carter is a customer solutions advisor for ContractorLink who has over 20 years of industry experience; he understands the importance of planning and preparedness at facilities.
"During COVID-19, many projects and maintenance endeavors were shelved due to uncertainty, and that backlog is now opening up," Carter said. "As we emerge from the pandemic I've seen a lot of work released. These projects are competing for the same resources: skilled people, materials and quality contractors. This creates a squeeze on many industries, exacerbating the supply chain issues that many dealt with during the pandemic."
What keeps plant managers up at night? Part IV
Rusty Carter, customer service advisor, North American ContractorLink
There are two competing maintenance strategies: run-to-fail and planned maintenance. However, in today's environment, run-to-fail, or waiting until something breaks down, could mean significant downtime.
Carter shared a recent conversation with a maintenance manager: "He's seeing six-month lead times for critical parts, and he's been putting band-aids on gaping wounds to keep things running. This has caused him to approach upper management about instituting a planned maintenance schedule rather than run-to-fail."
Beyond sourcing materials and parts, skilled workers are needed to get the project done quickly and safely. Various factors in recent years have led to staff reductions and a slimming of in-house maintenance teams. Keeping a lean in-house team can be agile and efficient, but it can be a detriment when faced with unexpected issues and a bottleneck of projects.
"Facility operations and maintenance teams are stretched really thin right now and overworked," Carter explained. "You can't realistically maintain a culture of caring when burnout is the norm. Plus, there is infrastructure, industrial and expansion work on the books that facilities will have to compete with. Talk about a perfect storm of difficulties."
Carter recommends contacting a local advisor at ContractorLink and tapping into their expansive network of skilled and trusted contractors. "Our partners have a wide range of capabilities and we're always expanding; we can assist with any project, regardless of type or size."
Carter finished by saying, "Plants should plan to be proactive rather than reactive. Instituting a planned maintenance schedule and partnering with quality contractors are a good place to start."
For more information, visit nacontractorlink.com or call (844) 500-LINK [5465].
