One problem with ‘identifying best practices’ is that while it may be possible to define targets for almost everything that you do, implementing actions to achieve those targets may not actually make any difference to your overall results. Another problem is that discussions on practices are usually not objective – for many people what’s […]
The High Cost of Free Parts (Video)
Does your company buy spare parts as part of new capital equipment purchases? Are these then treated as ‘free spare parts’ when used by your team?. There are some very real consequences from how we treat those so-called ‘free’ parts. It’s just that sometimes they’re not so obvious to us. Phillip Slater explains. The […]
Four Ways That Spare Parts Management Silos Prevent Performance
Does your company operate with clear management silos? Do you understand how this requires special management attention in order be successful? Your spare parts management silos will have a big impact on your overall performance. For example, your maintenance and reliability team will know better than anyone the impact that a shortage of […]
Mastering Spare Parts Management Meetings – Part 2
Mastering Spare Parts Management Meetings is a two-part video series developed from a presentation and interview with Joel Levitt. Introduction It is a fact of life that spare parts management meetings are required for both planning and decision-making. Why are spare parts management meetings so important? Without meetings and the communication and agreement they can […]
Mastering Spare Parts Management Meetings – Part 1
Mastering Spare Parts Management Meetings is a two-part video series developed from a presentation and interview with Joel Levitt. Introduction It is a fact of life that spare parts management meetings are required for both planning and decision-making. Why are meetings so important? Without meetings and the communication and agreement they can engender, no (big) […]
Forecasting Spare Parts Requirements
Is the forecasting of spare parts requirements hard, especially intermittent parts? Is your demand for parts based on random failure? These issues lead to forecasts that don’t achieve their goal. Having the past you need, when you need them. In this short video Phillip Slater explains what works – and what doesn’t! Forecasting […]
Working Capital Decision-Making
Does your company spend money (working capital) on spare parts inventory that you don’t actually need? Do you end up holding them for a long time before deciding to remove those parts and incur the cost of the obsolescence? Perhaps a better idea would be to not buy those parts in the first place. This […]
Spare Parts Management: Who Owns the Problem?
This post, Who Owns the Problem, is from our first ever newsletter. Published in February 2007. It is re-posted in celebration of our 250th edition. Inventory Reduction Identified Recently I worked with an organization to help identify opportunities relating to their indirect inventory. Specific details about the company aren’t important but I can tell you […]
Multi-Echelon Inventory Management Definition
A multi-echelon inventory management system occurs when multiple storerooms are part of a spare parts inventory management and supply system. For example, where a company on a large site has a central storeroom and then one or more satellite storerooms that are located closer to the operational activity. Another example: When a company has a […]
Satellite Stores Definition
A Satellite Storeroom is a small storage area that is separate from the main or central storeroom. What differentiates satellite stores from squirrel stores is that a satellite storeroom is an official storage location where the items located there are subject to the record keeping and management controls set out by the main storeroom. This […]