So you’ve decided to outsource your Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) processes and are considering the alternatives. Some may favor the ‘easy call’ and go with a parts distributor, but in almost all cases this is not the ideal fit! The smart decision would be to select a specialist “MRO as-a-service” provider.
While there are many reasons to select SDI as your full service MRO partner, one of the most compelling reasons is your access to the knowledge and experience of SDI’s team of MRO engineers. There is real value to be derived from basic MRO procurement services—but your return truly magnifies when you apply SDI engineering expertise to uncover next level savings opportunities. Our engineers can help you increase efficiency and productivity, save you time and energy, and further reduce your total MRO spend.
Focused on Delivering Client Savings
Engineering services are not typically offered by MRO process providers. SDI however has an expansive team of MRO-focused reliability engineers who understand the challenges inherent in storeroom management, maintenance operations and production floor processes. They can identify hidden opportunities that many would overlook, and recommend and implement solutions that deliver hard dollar savings year-over-year.
SDI engineers work with your line managers to:
- Review your processes,
- Conduct data analytics,
- Define practical application of technology advances like 3D scanning,
- Recommend continuous improvement initiatives, and
- Pinpoint issues that impact your supply chain productivity.
Our engineer’s number one objective is to serve client needs and to this end, SDI agrees with each client on the amount of annual savings to be delivered from engineering services. These savings commitments are usually based on a percentage of the client’s annual MRO spend.
SDI Engineering Team—Who Are They?
Let’s take a closer look at SDI’s engineering team. Deployed nation-wide, they are one of the largest teams of certified reliability engineers in the MRO sector.
Education & Certification
SDI recruits degreed mechanical, electrical and process engineers. Their certifications include RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance), SMRP (Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals), and many other accredited reliability and maintainability certifications. We expect our engineers to pursue continuous improvement and—to that end—ongoing professional education is required and supported.
Real World Experience
Combined with their base of formal education, SDI engineers also have extensive real-world experience and skill sets. They are well versed in reliability-centered maintenance, asset lifecycle optimization and continuous improvement tools such as lean six sigma. Our engineers have deep systems understanding, so they can offer root cause analysis in alternative solutions and can act as the technical liaison for client plant operations maintenance and vendors. This helps in clearly identifying opportunities to improve equipment performance and reliability.
SDI places a premium on understanding our clients’ problems so that they can be adequately addressed. They form strong working relationships with stores, procurement and maintenance personnel, so as to better understand client needs and offer realistic, practical solutions.
Armed with Advanced Tools
SDI engineers use state-of-the-art software technologies to support their client project work. SDI engineers are fully conversant with leading software such as:
- SOLIDWORKS 3D computer aided design software,
- SDiTrack warranty tracking software, and
- PowerSteering project portfolio management software.
In addition, to these packages, they use various client-specific computerized maintenance management (CMM) systems, as well as MRO parts and spend/inventory tracking software.
SDI Engineering Projects
Each SDI engineering engagement begins with understanding the client’s MRO situation—history, needs, and pain points. SDI has successfully completed engagements such as:
- Cost Improvement: Engineered systems to remove unplanned failures, minimize expensive repairs, and design a ‘just in time’ job kit to ensure that the correct parts are where they are needed, when they are needed.
- Reliability Information Management: Identified issues such as chronic equipment failure, emergency work and facility management and designed solutions to increase productivity and provide annualized savings.
- MRO Project Management: Evaluated current inventory versus day-to-day needs, researched the market, and made recommendations for parts and products that reduced inventory excess and provided value-added benefits.
- Warranty and Reliability Tracking: Using the SDiTrack information tracking system, provided a ‘cradle-to-grave’ view of parts activity, so as to eliminate spending on parts that failed during, or following, their warranty period.
- OEM Commercialization: Re-sourced standard MRO products identified by manufacturers as OEM parts, providing savings up to 50%.
- Product Standardization: Eliminated product duplication by manufacturer and part number—both within a plant and across the enterprise—resulting in reduced inventories and greater leverage for price negotiation.
SDI can create a custom fitted MRO approach that offers some or all of these engineering services to maximize return and increase production and efficiency.
How to Start: Pinpoint Opportunities You May Be Missing
Do you have the time—and expertise—to step back from day-to-day responsibilities to see how your MRO processes can be improved? Why not call on SDI for a no-obligation MRO Supply Chain Evaluation? SDI engineers can identify opportunities that you might overlook—leading to solutions that increase proficiency, save you time and energy, and reduce your total MRO spend.
