Board members from left to right: Jan Erik Salomonsen, MainTech AS, Fahad Rehman, Elkem ASA, Nils Martin Rugsveen, Equinor ASA, Svein Daae, AMOF-Fjell Process Technology AS, Mina Bjerke, Elkem ASA, Janecke Pemmer, PWC

Fahad Rehman, the current head of the NFV association, is also responsible for maintenance operations at Elkem, a major Norwegian industrial company. He has been on the association's board for four years and is now serving his third year as chairman.

"The mission of our association is to help our members promote and structure maintenance in a way that shows it creates value," Rehman explains.

"We want to help them explain to management that maintenance is not just an expense, but a strategic investment for the future."

Activities and Services

The Norwegian Maintenance Association provides a range of services and events specifically designed to meet the needs of its members. These include quarterly online meetings that are open and accessible to all members, as well as in-person site visits and networking events that encourage peer learning and industry collaboration. In addition, the association organises a range of courses and conferences, with the flagship programme being the World Class Maintenance (WCM) certification.

Designed to be practical and accessible, the WCM programme is based on well-established European best practices in maintenance and asset management. It has recently been modernised and partially digitised to meet the needs of today's professionals better. One of the key improvements is increased flexibility—participants can now choose to complete individual modules, such as those focused on key performance indicators (KPIs) or reliability, without having to commit to the full certification programme from the outset.

"We want our courses to be accessible. That's why we now offer individual modules as well as full programmes," says Rehman.

Addressing Workforce and Competency Gaps

A challenge faced across the Norwegian maintenance sector is the recruitment and development of skilled professionals. Like many countries, Norway is struggling to attract younger workers to industrial and technical roles.

"It's not easy to find the right competence anywhere right now, including in Norway. Attracting young talent to the maintenance industry is a challenge, which is why we focus on offering practical, low-threshold courses and certifications to upskill people already in the field and make the industry more accessible," Rehman explains.

Digitisation and predictive maintenance are seen as key to attracting younger professionals to the industry. However, Rehman notes that these technologies require a solid operational foundation to be effective—and many businesses, particularly smaller ones, are not yet fully prepared to implement them successfully.

"You need a competent organisation and well-established processes in place before you can truly capitalise on investments in predictive maintenance," he explains.

"I have seen first-hand cases in which millions were spent on predictive systems without any return on investment. It led to even more business disruptions—systems would issue alerts, but no one knew how to interpret them. You'd stop operations, send someone to investigate, and still not understand what was wrong."

Rehman stresses that the transition from preventive to predictive maintenance cannot be rushed. Companies must first ensure that the fundamentals—such as structured preventive maintenance routines and adequate organisational capacity—are entirely in place.

"That's the catch. Many companies still lack the basics. Predictive maintenance sounds appealing, but without the right infrastructure and organisation, it simply won't deliver the expected benefits."

Strategy and Future Development

The NFV association's strategic focus in recent years has prioritised member value. Approximately 70% of the organisation's efforts have gone into improving and refining existing services, while the remaining 30% has supported development of new offerings, Rehman explains.

Among the new initiatives is an upcoming asset management programme, designed with the same modular approach as the World Class Maintenance programme.

"We're also developing smaller, topic-specific courses that people can choose from, depending on their needs. That makes our training more flexible and relevant."

The State of Maintenance in Norway

According to Rehman, key focus areas in the Norwegian industry today include safety, profitability, and environmental responsibility.

"Safety is a top priority. Many companies run their internal safety programmes. Profitability and environmental impact follow closely."

This focus is reflected in both operational practices and strategic decision-making. Companies are increasingly expected to demonstrate how their maintenance strategies support emissions reduction, regulatory compliance, and responsible resource use. In many cases, maintenance teams are directly involved in sustainability efforts, such as energy efficiency improvements and equipment lifecycle management.

Rehman says that the association collaborates with Quality Norway, a commercial training provider jointly owned by the association and two other organisations. Quality Norway delivers tailor-made internal training programmes for companies upon request, often focusing on topics such as safety management, condition monitoring, and reliability-centred maintenance.

"Some companies have asked for assistance in developing their internal programmes, and our partnership with Quality Norway enables us to support them with customised content and delivery," Rehman notes.

External Cooperation and Industry Trends

Rehman continues that although the association is a founding member of the European Federation of National Maintenance Societies (EFNMS), active cross-border collaboration has not been a top priority in recent years.

"We currently have limited structured cooperation with other national associations. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the industry has become increasingly volatile. We are focusing on strengthening our internal offerings before expanding externally."

Post-pandemic changes have also altered how the association delivers value to its members. Online participation has increased, while physical course attendance has become more unpredictable.

"Virtual meetings are easier to join—but also easier to leave. We are adapting to that shift and rethinking how we structure our events."

With a renewed focus on modular education, digital access, and member support, the Norwegian Maintenance Association is helping to modernise industry understanding of maintenance as a driver of long-term value.

Fahad Rehman believes that his dual role—as association head and corporate maintenance leader—creates synergies.

"It gives me insight into both the challenges and the opportunities in the industry. That knowledge helps us steer the association in a direction that benefits our members."

Text: NINA GARLO-MELKAS Photos: Norsk Förening for Vedlikehold