BEMAS and International Maintenance Association (IMA) Join Forces to Strengthen International Collaboration
Genoa, 28 October 2026 – BEMAS, the Belgian Maintenance Association, and the International Maintenance Association (IMA) have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their international collaboration. The agreement was signed during the IMA World Maintenance Forum 2026 (IMA-WMF 2026) in Genoa, Italy, bringing together maintenance professionals and representatives of maintenance organisations from around the world.
Through this agreement, both non-profit organisations aim to combine their knowledge, expertise and international networks to support the further professionalisation of maintenance, reliability and asset management.
International Knowledge Sharing and Professional Development
The collaboration focuses on exchanging knowledge and best practices, supporting each other's conferences and events, and developing joint initiatives in training, research and professional competencies.
Both organisations intend to collaborate on joint webinars, the exchange of international speakers and industrial case studies, and improved access to each other's activities and initiatives for their respective members.
Another important area of shared interest is the international recognition and validation of competencies in maintenance, reliability and asset management. By bringing together knowledge and experience from different countries, BEMAS and IMA aim to contribute to the continued professionalisation of the industry.
"International collaboration is one of BEMAS' strategic development priorities for the coming years. The challenges facing maintenance, reliability and asset management do not stop at national borders. By partnering with IMA, we can provide our members with access to an even broader international network while sharing our Belgian and European expertise with professionals worldwide," says Wim Vancauwenberghe, Director of BEMAS.
First Concrete Collaboration: Asset Performance 2026
One of the first tangible outcomes of this collaboration is IMA's support for the Asset Performance Conference 2026, taking place on 18 and 19 November in Antwerp, Belgium. IMA will participate as a Supporting Organisation of this international conference, organised by BEMAS.
Asset Performance brings together international experts, industrial companies and technology partners to explore the digital transformation of maintenance, reliability and asset management. Artificial Intelligence, predictive maintenance, Generative AI (GenAI) and Agentic AI are among the major topics of this year's edition.
Through this new partnership, BEMAS and IMA aim to strengthen the international exchange of knowledge and practical experience while creating new opportunities for their respective members and professional communities.
More information: https://assetperformance.eu
About BEMAS – Belgian Maintenance Association
BEMAS is a Belgian non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting companies and professionals in improving maintenance, reliability and asset management. As an independent knowledge-sharing and networking platform, BEMAS connects industrial companies, service providers, research institutions and experts. Through training programmes, seminars, conferences, knowledge-sharing activities and international collaboration projects, the association contributes to safer, more reliable, sustainable and efficient industrial facilities and infrastructure. BEMAS is also a member of the European Federation of National Maintenance Societies (EFNMS).
Website: https://www.bemas.org
About IMA – International Maintenance Association
The International Maintenance Association (IMA) is an international non-profit organisation based in Switzerland, dedicated to advancing and professionalising maintenance, reliability and asset management. IMA connects professionals, research institutions, companies and professional associations from more than 20 countries across five continents.
The organisation promotes international knowledge sharing, research, standardisation, education and professional certification. One of its key initiatives is the World Maintenance Forum, an international platform bringing together scientific insights, industrial experience and strategic developments in maintenance and asset management.
Website: https://www.ima-world.org
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