The automotive supply chain is an essential contributor to the UK economy. Production of commercial vehicles is expected to rise to an unprecedented 2.1 million in 2018. Contributing organisations are expected to be flexible, responsive and cost efficient which is a direct requirement of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) operating in a lean production context. To operate effectively within the supply chain relies on each department or function in the business working at maximum efficiency. At a granular level, the operation and deployment of the maintenance facility becomes crucial. Yet the strategy for maintenance deployment can often be influenced and even restricted, by managerial and cultural issues.
These issues are unique to this sector and a direct result of the constant demands of the OEM. They include an over reliance on buffer stock to mitigate the risk of maintenance failure, as well as a negative cultural influence on the business. Moreover, a complete absence of communication or technical support for maintenance across the supply chain, leading to isolated and immature practices. Consequently, suppliers are underperforming.
This paper reports on the challenges and contextual factors, which influence the maintenance strategy for automotive manufacturing suppliers. In addition, a solution will be offered to these damaging issues through the development of a maintenance strategy tool. The tool will look to address identified constraints through cultural development and the utilisation of a series of key performance indicators. These performance indicators will form a Maintenance Performance Measurement (MPM) system.