Developing an integrated model to improve effectiveness of asset maintenance management systems for FMCG organisations in South Africa

Maintenance has traditionally been viewed by organisations as negatively affecting profitability and productivity. It is also often viewed as fixing things when they are broken, non-value adding, unpredictable, and never a positive contributor to a company’s overall effectiveness. For this reason organisations are constantly seeking proactive maintenance strategies that will turn around this traditional view of maintenance. These strategies will also help organisations gain competitive advantage, and improve productivity and profitability. In the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, maintenance is under increasing pressure from the regulatory bodies in terms of safety and quality regulations that are getting stringent. The pressure for FMCG organisations is to produce products that are cleaner, safer, and greener, with minimal or no consumer complaints. There is also a need for environmental sustainability, reduction in waste, and effective usage of energy, water, and materials. The maintenance team is instrumental in these reductions and in ensuring regulatory compliance. As legislated by the South African government authorities, it is compulsory for FMCG organisations to comply with regulations. These regulations are designed to safeguard consumer health and safety. The focus of the regulations is throughout the value chain of the business for transparent record keeping. The current study investigated how to improve the effectiveness of maintenance management systems for FMCG organisations. The effectiveness was compared to best maintenance management practices that literature provides. The name of the company used for the research will not be disclosed for confidentiality reasons, and it will be called ‘Selected FMCG’ for the purpose of the study. The company is a chocolate making factory based in East London. This study aims to identify the problems facing the maintenance management system within the factory. The best practices that literature provides for maintenance were used to develop an effective asset maintenance management system for Selected FMCG