The upskilling of maintenance workers should be one of the most important and ongoing functions of any facilities management.

The energy strategies of many countries and economies will see a switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources in the decades to come. Dramatic developments in the situation in Eastern Europe will have fundamental consequences for energy supplies and prices. 

Today, the emerging digital technologies empowered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) are transforming the Swedish mining industry where failure is not an option owing to severe downtime costs. Such costs can be as high as 30-40 percent of the total equipment operating costs  

When moving towards a green and sustainable industry, companies have two kinds of goals. On the one hand, companies save resources and strive for carbon neutrality in their own processes and supply chains. On the other hand, industry must be able to produce climate-neutral products based on the circular economy, which are urgently needed to mitigate climate change.

Skills and knowledge are the key factors in European maintenance. The price tag per work hour done in Europe is higher than in the main competitor countries. High quality maintenance supports the fulfilment of the efficiency of European industrial production, climate criteria and the competitive requirements of the circular economy.

The importance of materials technology usually only becomes clear when something goes wrong, such as if a component fails during a production process or breaks under wear. The number one question should be “how do we prevent this from happening again”. 

Assessment of plants by combining periodic inspections with continuous and permanent monitoring and the use of suitable algorithms can help to make the most of existing tolerance ranges in operation. 

The global rebound in construction activity is set to continue over the coming years, supported by a wave of publicly funded infrastructure projects. This investment is coming at a time when global supply chain disruptions are hampering the delivery of construction materials, and tight labour markets are limiting the supply of labour.

Asset and maintenance management has always been important for Iceland – a small, isolated nation, involved with fishing in open seas, power production, and heavy industry, to name few areas of concern. 

The Icelandic Maintenance Association (EVS) members appreciate EVS for emphasizing collaboration and knowledge sharing.