The idea of bringing in outside help on a contract basis may not be something manufacturers want to think about. The logistics alone of working with contract partners can be daunting — not to mention complicated with variables like facility access, sensitive information management, or outside partner coordination. Often, the easiest solution is to handle things in-house. However, maintenance may be the exception.
Looking beyond the factory floor for help
Manufacturers widely employ outsourced maintenance. Rather than creating headaches, it often actually solves them. Outsourcing maintenance can be a great stopgap for overcoming some of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers today, such as:
- A lack of skilled workers equipped to provide targeted machine maintenance
- Cost-cutting initiatives deployed to facilitate leaner manufacturing practices
- A lack of specialized knowledge regarding different brands and equipment types
Being able to reach beyond the manufacturing floor to tap outsourced professionals’ skills and abilities gives manufacturers the support they need to keep their operations running. And, because outsourcing involves finding someone with capabilities to fit your specific needs, it represents a one-to-one solution for any maintenance problem you’re encountering.
The advantages of outsourcing
More than just being able to find someone with the particular skillset you need, outsourcing your maintenance comes backed by a slew of additional benefits. These can include:
- Budget flexibility in the form of being able to pay for exactly the services you need and not having to hire in-house employees — Spending on maintenance in a pay-as-you-go capacity can free up cash flow while keeping overall costs lower.
- Access to knowledge and experience from a larger talent pool of qualified candidates — Getting specialized help or finding someone with a specific skillset doesn’t have to be difficult and you could accomplish it quicker than vetting candidates or training in-house staff members.
- Better return on assets through maintenance mastery — Outsourcing maintenance means paying for a high caliber of service that ultimately benefits your machinery — improving function, efficiency, and life span. This can all equate to increased return on investment.
- Equipment and technology accessibility by way of working with specialists who can justify the cost of purchasing specialized repair tools and instruments— Rather than delegating segments of your maintenance budget to new technologies, you could save money by bringing in someone who has already made that investment.
- Delegation to free up in-house staff to concentrate on other facets of operation — Leaving routine maintenance to an outsourced provider means getting results without having to oversee the entire process or the personnel providing it.
Tertiary benefits abound from outsourcing as well. Manufacturers can unlock time savings, better machine efficiency, and more through proper professional maintenance.
Levels of outsourcing
For manufacturers considering outsourcing machine and equipment maintenance, it’s important to understand that levels exist. While it’s certainly possible to dive in and delegate all machinery maintenance to a partner provider, many times, the simpler option is to step into it gradually. Consider outsourcing
- parts supply and keeping labor in-house,
- specialized maintenance and keeping general maintenance in-house,
- scheduled maintenance and performing basic upkeep in-house,
- general maintenance and keeping management in-house, or
- all maintenance.
Depending on the nature of your operations, stepping up to the right level of outsourcing becomes a balance of what to keep in-house versus what’s easier to delegate. It’s a unique question that’s different for every manufacturer and one that’s worth asking when you consider the many benefits of outsourced maintenance.