Sponsored Article
Expert support as a service for plant facilities management
08 January 2025
Ongoing services bring dedicated expertise to engineering teams of all sizes, and facilities of all shapes. Plant facility management teams, across multiple sectors, are seeking ways to optimise assets, ensure reliable performance and feed into overall sustainability efforts for the start of 2025.
Each of these objectives are no longer directly tied to new technology; they can be unlocked through ongoing services that make an impact throughout the lifecycle of any facility, no matter how complex.
Maintenance within complex facilities represents a significant percentage of operational costs. While this will vary when comparing manufacturing with process applications, drawing on external support through a service contract can take away strain from already busy operators. Calling in a service partner can also save costs and improve uptime by applying expert knowledge of systems that in-house teams may not have. For example, Schneider Electric’s EcoCare represents a future-proofing stepping-stone, enabling businesses to mitigate the impact of the skills gap by bringing in the combined expertise of Schneider Electric to their team, redefining maintenance strategies as new technology is added, and systems become increasingly complex.
Predicted and prevented maintenance
At the core of a good service package is a preventative approach. Predictive and preventive maintenance has been an important topic for 2024, but with the increasing efficiency pressure and technology deployments, 2025 will see maintenance of equipment and systems that require much more than troubleshooting. Plant facilities, of any specialism, do not have the luxury of waiting for equipment failure before reacting.
However, they may not have staff dedicated to continually monitoring and addressing potential risks before they escalate, on top of the already heavy workload. It's now possible to call on 24/7 monitoring and alarming as part of a service that combines dedicated remote experts with advanced algorithms and predictive analytics. This delivers peace of mind, and empowers teams to explore the capabilities of digital transformation freely. By skipping the drama of complex maintenance, plant management or facilities management teams are essentially future-proofing operations. No matter what needs arise, how the business is scaling, or how new technology is deployed, teams will have dedicated support from a trusted source.
Now, it can be difficult to define ‘maintenance challenges’ as an overall topic, as every facility has unique needs and must be approached accordingly. For example, the world’s most technologically advanced stadium will have vastly different needs to a warehouse application. But services create a pathway to optimise operations for both of these settings and everything in between:
• Manufacturing
Facilities and maintenance managers are not only working to ensure continuous production but also to create a safe working environment for the operator. For people working closely with assets, services act as an additional safety net for equipment both new and legacy, ensuring that no matter how long equipment has been in operation it can be held to the strictest safety standards.
In specialised manufacturing facilities like food & beverage or pharmaceutical, any equipment fault can potentially impact strict production compliance standards and alter validated processes. In these cases, it becomes even more crucial to implement a next-generation service plan that pre-empts failure to ensure the quality of the final product.
• Energy / utilities
Companies that serve the public through power generation or treatment processes face the potential for costly fines in the case of service interruptions. There is the added challenge that these settings see complex assets spread across multiple locations, and again these sectors are facing a growing skills gap. Utility infrastructure not only remains in operation for a long time but needs to serve a growing population that increases demand. Services will streamline that modernisation journey with minimal disruption while supporting businesses on their environmental targets.
• Warehousing / logistics
A sector that has consistently been at the forefront of advanced technology deployment, warehouses see a combination of new robotics and legacy assets working together while constantly adapting to fluctuating demands and seasonal changes. Managers of logistics facilities who are tasked with ensuring efficient operations must be able to adapt to an increasingly complex supply chain that requires business agility. Schneider Electric’s EcoCare delivers the exclusive support that meets the needs of the sector, offering emergency support and a digital experience to empower facilities managers as their business grows.
Serviced sustainability
We’ve looked at the individual needs of multiple sectors, showing where services can deliver support throughout the lifecycle of a facility, but there is a common factor that is shared by all businesses. This is especially important as we enter 2025, which is an important sustainability milestone in the lead up to 2050.
Minimising downtime and maximising operational efficiency in any facility will make an impact in its overall carbon footprint. Continuous monitoring of energy usage across equipment and systems can identify inefficiencies and unlock opportunities for sustainability improvements within the facility. Keeping assets in peak condition will help extend the lifespan of critical equipment and reduce the carbon impact of new machines.
Furthermore, automated energy reporting minimises the stress of regulatory compliance, with data tracking and analysis helping businesses meet stricter sustainability reporting needs. Schneider Electric is supporting the circular economy by providing modernisation and upgrade services to allow the customers to extend and future-proof the life of existing assets, as well as providing remanufacturing services (as opposed to repair) to return failed or damaged equipment to nearly new state and original performance.
As industrial facilities face a collective drive to Net Zero 2050, Schneider Electric’s EcoCare supports sustainability objectives. Whether that drive is being pushed by new regulations or customer buying habits, plant facilities management can leverage the expertise of the World’s Most Sustainable Company (as named by Time magazine and Statista) to reduce their carbon footprint and build operational resilience.
Learn more about how EcoCare represents best-in-class digital service for plant facilities with tailored approaches to fit the needs of any application while bringing the entirety of Schneider Electric’s expertise in house.
Find out more here.
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