Unplanned Downtime Reduction through Maintenance Management System

The Business & The Challenge

A global mining and steel manufacturer operating over 10 factories in North America was experiencing critical operational inefficiencies due to:

• Neglected CAPEX, leading to aged and failure-prone equipment
• Predominantly reactive maintenance practices
• Wide variation in technician experience
• Minimal standardization of maintenance routines and repair processes

The challenge:
How to increase available production hours by standardizing and professionalizing maintenance execution?

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Approach Details

Falconi introduced a Maintenance Management System built on three macro steps:

1. Quick Wins

• Identified 34 anomalies, traced to 44 causes, with 39 corrective actions proposed.
• Focused on fast, no-cost interventions:
   
  • Executable in ≤ 90 days
   
  • No need for capital investment
   
  • No senior management approval required
• Key “bad actor” assets targeted (e.g., mechanical, electrical, inspection     failures across critical assets)

2. Results Management & KPI Responsibility

• Dashboards were developed for real-time tracking.
• Defined ownership for monitoring performance and acting on deviations.
• Focused on aligning teams with clearly visible targets.

3. Maintenance Daily Routine

• Implemented standard SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)
• Embedded Root Cause Failure Analysis
• Controlled and optimized spare parts inventory
• Created a structured flow:
   
  • Tool development → Technician training → Adherence tracking

Results Achieved                    

Metric                                                             Outcome

Unplanned Downtime                             Reduced by 59% (from  6.3% to 2.5%)

Critical Checks  Implemented            55 item routines  established

Preventive SOPs  Introduced             +28 new procedures

Technicians Trained                              10 employees on RCA and  SOPs

KPIs Tracked                                             6 performance KPIs + 2  routine adherence KPIs

✅ The structured maintenance system dramatically improved uptime and predictability.
✅ Greater visibility enabled faster root cause interventions and minimized reactive maintenance events.

Why It Worked

• Fast execution through low-barrier improvements (“Quick Wins”)
• Clear accountability for KPIs
• Ongoing tracking and routine reinforcement
• Simple but powerful tooling and SOP-based discipline

Conclusion

By transforming a reactive environment into a well-managed and disciplined maintenance operation, Falconi helped this large-scale manufacturer unlock significant gains in productive time. The 59% reduction in unplanned downtime showcases the power of Falconi’s Maintenance Management System to drive operational resilience — even with legacy equipment and diverse technician skill levels.

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