Laurent Vanhoudenhove becomes new vice-president of BEMAS

We live in an incredibly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA for short) world, and the industrial maintenance sector is no exception.

And yet: emerging technologies continue to give industrial maintenance processes the potential to be more efficient from a cost and productivity perspective. As companies face crucial decisions in 2023 to maintain profitability, it is imperative to make the right choices in terms of technology investments, both through CAPEX and OPEX.

Consider:

• Advanced condition monitoring with the advent of "smart manufacturing" and "virtual and augmented reality technology" to collect and analyse even more data and thus for more effective predictive maintenance.
• Additive manufacturing could perhaps mean eliminating the need to wait for spare parts when breakdowns occur, which could drastically reduce downtime.
• Data analysis in inventory management also goes hand in hand with more efficient maintenance. By accurately mapping and tracking MRO part needs and availability, inefficiencies in the spare parts supply chain can be eliminated.
• Finally, we also see a sustained emphasis on maintenance worker safety. Everyone agrees that while performing maintenance, people's safety should come first.

As entrepreneurs and technical managers today, we are constantly faced with new challenges. To keep up in this VUCA world, leadership and expertise are the distinguishing factors for success. Something that is still too often underestimated. Leadership has long ceased to be a skill expected only at the top. Leadership must be present in every department, every team, every employee. Only then can we respond resiliently to today's and future challenges. And this applies even more to the technical service.

With digital transformation, our field is undergoing a very rapid de-evolution, while the shortage of technical talent has never been more acute than today. So we need new technology not only to capture the expertise accumulated over many years and pass it on to a new generation of technicians and operators, but also to attract and keep young people interested.

Like no other, the technical department needs to train talented young people but at the same time also existing experienced employees in all possible fields and expertises of maintenance, reliability and asset management. By the way, you can always turn to BEMAS for training.

In the current circumstances, traditional management methods fall short, however nicely they were once developed. The faster things go, the more leadership has to flow naturally to the grassroots.  Autonomy lies in the teams. Through open and clear communication, short cuts can be made. And this also means daring to be vulnerable. Because if things are hidden and hushed up, this is particularly pernicious for innovation.

Leadership is a choice, not a function. Are you ready to make the right choices in 2023?  BEMAS is ready to inspire you.