Spare Parts Know How

Spare Parts Inventory Management Training

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    • Phillip Slater

Phillip Slater

Spare Parts Inventory Management Specialist, Author, Educator and Founder of SparePartsKnowHow.com

 
Phillip SlaterPhillip Slater is an internationally recognized specialist in spare parts inventory management, with more than 40 years of experience helping organizations improve the performance of their spare parts operations.

He is the founder of SparePartsKnowHow.com, one of the world’s largest online resources dedicated to spare parts inventory management, and the creator of the Spare Parts Decision Framework.

Over the course of his career, Phillip has worked with more than 500 organizations across 38 countries and has spoken at more than 70 conferences and industry events worldwide.
 

Areas of Expertise
  • Spare Parts Inventory Management
  • Spare Parts Optimization
  • Spare Parts Criticality Analysis
  • Stocking Policy Development
  • Obsolescence Management
  • Maintenance and Reliability Support
  • Materials Management
  • Inventory Decision Making

Phillip Slater is the world’s leading authority on the storeroom.

Doc Palmer, PE, MBA, CMRP
Author of McGraw-Hill’s Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Handbook


 

Publications

Smart Inventory Solutions (Second Edition)

  • Spare Parts Inventory Management (Industrial Press)
  • The Optimization Trap. (IAPL)
  • Smart Inventory Solutions (2nd Ed) (Industrial Press)
  • Smart Inventory Solutions (1st Ed) (Industrial Press)
  • A New Strategy For Continuous Improvement (Industrial Press)
  • Sustainable Cost Reduction (IAPL)
  • Sustainable Inventory Reduction (IAPL)
  • Generating Risk Free Cash (IAPL)
  • Templates, Tables & Checklists (IAPL)
  •  
    Contributor to:

  • Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Handbook (McGraw Hill)
  • Maintenance Benchmarking and Best Practice (McGraw Hill)

 

Frameworks

Spare Parts Decision Framework
Developed by Phillip Slater to help organizations make better decisions about:

  • What to stock
  • How much to stock
  • When to stock
  • Spare parts criticality
  • How to manage spare parts
  • Inventory optimization
  • How to support operational reliability
  • Spare parts policy development
  • Obsolescence and disposal

 

Tools, Resources and Education
  • Foundations Playbook – Explore >>>
  • Operations Playbook – Explore >>>
  • Practitioner Toolkit – Explore >>>
  • Foundations for Teams – Explore >>>

 

Related Resources
  • SparePartsKnowHow.com – Home >>>
  • LinkedIn – Explore >>>
  • YouTube – Explore >>>
  • Books – Explore >>>
  • Articles – Explore >>>
Industries Supported

Phillip Slater has worked in a wide range of industries, including:

  • Oil and Gas
  • Manufacturing
  • Mining
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Paper
  • Smelting
  • Steel
  • Petrochemicals
  • Utilities
  • Parts Wholesaling
  • Transport
Qualifications
  • Bachelor Engineering (Mech) (Hons) – The University of New South Wales
  • Grad Dip Engineering Maintenance Management – Monash University
  • Certificate in Financial Management – Australian Institute of Management
  • Corporate Governance – Australian Catholic University
Awards and Recognition
  • “Kim Rothwell” Leadership in Logistics Education Award winner
  • CV Magazine Business Innovator Award winner
  • Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors (2014-2020)

 


Learn More

 
What is Spare Parts Inventory Management?
A broader explanation of the discipline and the key decisions involved.

The Spare Parts Decision Framework
See how organizations can make more consistent stocking and inventory decisions.

Phillip Slater
Learn more about the creator of the Spare Parts Decision Framework and founder of SparePartsKnowHow.

Spare Parts Knowledge Hub
Access articles, tools, assessments, playbooks, and other learning resources.

Foundations Playbook
Build the knowledge required to understand spare parts decision-making and inventory performance.
 


 

Make Better Spare Parts Decisions

Decide what to stock, how much to hold, and how to tackle excess inventory using practical tools, templates, and specialist guidance.
Explore the Practitioner Toolkit...

Get Your Team Making Consistent Decisions

Align maintenance, procurement, engineering, and stores around shared spare parts decision principles to improve inventory performance. Explore Foundations for Teams...

Turn Improvement Goals into Results

Reduce excess inventory, improve stocking policies, or standardize practices across sites with a targeted program combining team development, practical tools, and implementation support. Explore Capability Programs...

Latest Blog Posts

  • Why Spare Parts Inventory Optimization Doesn’t Stick
  • AI Spare Parts Technology Won’t Fix Weak Decisions
  • Twenty-Five Years of Better Spare Parts Decisions
  • The Cost of Inconsistent Spare Parts Decisions
  • Spare Parts Capability Cannot Reside in One Person
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