30 January 2024 | Patrice Duchesne
When one or more pieces of equipment undergo a complete shutdown, it presents a significant challenge for any facility. How can the negative impacts, both financial and in terms of production, be minimized when key equipment requires extensive maintenance? This is precisely why major plant shutdowns represent a substantial management and planning undertaking.
The Major Shutdown: A Critical Production Challenge
Unlike routine maintenance, major shutdowns are not part of the weekly planning process. Instead, they entail the extended shutdown of one or more pieces of equipment within a plant to facilitate substantial maintenance work to ensure their long-term reliability. A major shutdown will significantly disrupt production, necessitating a temporary slowdown or stop.
For example, in the case of a metalworking plant, the reliable maintenance of its rotary kilns and equipment used for fuel gas production is crucial. These components are constantly subjected to wear and heat. The gas generators, the cornerstone of the company’s production, may require extensive work ranging from simple plate replacements to replacing entire sections.
If planning is not executed meticulously, the maintenance work may be substandard and flawed, demanding considerable management attention. To assist the facility in minimizing production losses, STI Maintenance will coordinate and plan the major shutdown.
STI Maintenance: An Expert Team for Managing Major Shutdowns
STI Maintenance offers a team of experts specializing in managing major shutdowns. Our services range from consulting and coordination to comprehensive planning. We provide personalized support to help plant managers understand the simultaneous work occurring during the shutdown, identify essential tasks, and establish a well-defined project timeline so production can resume as quickly as possible. This means assessing and estimating feasibility and risks, prioritizing projects, and determining how to execute them efficiently within the specified downtime. Our goal is to empower you to make informed decisions prioritizing safety, cost reduction, and operational efficiency.
Coordinating diverse teams, including maintenance and operations personnel, engineers, contractors, and external experts, can be challenging for many plant managers. Effective collaboration among these stakeholders is crucial to the success of a shutdown project.
Through training, sound management and communication practices, and expert advice, STI Maintenance provides professional and people-centred advice to manage major shutdown projects.
Find out more about major shutdown management services here.
