Lean maintenance excellence in the container handling industry: A case study

摘要

Maintenance management is a critical factor for any organization aiming to maintain its global competitive advantage. Several methodologies are presented in the literature to optimize maintenance process. Lean maintenance (LM) and maintenance excellence (ME) are considered the most practical tools to improve maintenance process. This paper aims to highlight the importance of each approach and integrate them into one framework. The development of lean maintenance excellence framework is investigated for use in one of Multinational Container Terminals in Egypt. Reverse failure mode and effect analysis (reverse-FMEA) a relatively new lean tool introduced in year 2007 is tested in addition to a traditional Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle to deploy LM methodology. The implication of the proposed framework enabled reduction of tractors preventive maintenance cost per one hour of operation by 73% ($14,842.58 per year) and identification of the reason for 27.7% of engine breakdowns in tractors during the period May 2015 - May 2016.