Advanced MRO is essential to give companies a leading edge

25 April 2024
Latest technology allows MRO to boost overall supply chain efficiency.
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application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document iconAdvanced MRO is essential to give companies a leading edge_approved38.02 KBDownload
PreviewCraig Henry, MRO Business Development and Value-Added Solutions Manager at RS South Africa3.34 MBDownload
PreviewKey to supply chain management is identifying reliable suppliers, a critical focus for quality MRO1.68 MBDownload
PreviewMaintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) is key to the seamless functioning of supply chains across a range of industries1.46 MBDownload
PreviewPaul Nash, Corporate Accounts Manager at RS South Africa2.07 MBDownload
PreviewTechnology is transforming MRO operations, offering innovative solutions to traditional challenges1.03 MBDownload

RS South Africa, a trading brand of RS Group plc (LSE: RS1), a global provider of product and service solutions for industrial customers, has spent over 80 years aggregating suppliers using technology and services to over a million suppliers globally.

 

“Customers approach us with their specific pain points, and we look at what solutions we can offer in terms of an overall plan or strategy,” explains Craig Henry, MRO Business Development and Value-Added Solutions Manager at RS South Africa.

 

Here Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) is key to the seamless functioning of supply chains across a range of industries, from equipment and machinery to the processes essential for a company’s daily operations. The efficiency of MRO significantly impacts maintenance planning, operational costs, and overall supply chain efficiency.

 

Managing MRO activities presents many challenges for companies, from inventory optimisation to procurement complexities and effective maintenance planning. If unaddressed, these challenges can lead to disruptions in the supply chain, affecting productivity and incurring unnecessary costs, highlights Paul Nash, Corporate Accounts Manager, RS South Africa.

 

Key to supply chain management is identifying reliable suppliers, a critical focus for quality MRO. Another factor is data management, from inventory levels to procurement information and maintenance records. “Planning and scheduling maintenance is an important area a company must focus on,” advises Nash.

 

Technology is transforming MRO operations, offering innovative solutions to traditional challenges. It includes the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), predictive maintenance algorithms, and automation and digitisation. Meanwhile, the introduction of AI and blockchain on the supply chain side is assisting with traceability.

 

‘Smart’ contracts are another trend, whereby customers comprehend the value that a stakeholder and partner like RS can add to their businesses. The traditional 12-month contract is a thing of the past, with companies now requiring a three- to five-year optimisation plan to be rolled out to cut costs over the long term.

 

Asset tracking is equally important, with customers switching to robotics in certain applications as part of the overall trend towards automation. Even 3D printing now presents customers with another tool in their arsenal to secure critical components quickly and conveniently.

 

“Make sure your objectives and goals are clearly defined. Prioritise what is going in first and what is most compatible. Key stakeholders are crucial. If you do not have their buy-in, any strategy is unlikely to take off properly,” concludes Henry.

 

RS South Africa is a proudly Level 2 B-BBEE accredited company. For more information about our extensive product range, visit the RS South Africa website.

 

 

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RS

RS is a trading brand of RS Group plc, providing product and service solutions that help our customers design, build, maintain, repair, and operate industrial equipment and operations, safely and sustainably. We stock more than 750,000 industrial and electronic products, sourced from over 2,500 leading suppliers, and provide a wide range of product and service solutions to 1.1 million customers.

 

We support customers across the product lifecycle, whether via innovation and technical support at the design phase, improving time to market and productivity at the build phase, or reducing purchasing costs and optimising inventory in the maintenance, repair, and operation phase. We offer our customers tailored product and service propositions that are essential for the successful operation of their businesses and help them save time and money.

 

RS Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange with stock ticker RS1 and in the year ended 31 March 2023 reported revenue of £2,982 million.

 

PR Contact Person - RS South Africa:

Princess Tlou

Communications & Content Specialist

RS South Africa

Princess [dot] Tlou [at] rsgroup [dot] com

+27 11 691 9366

 

Media Contact Person – NGAGE:

Thobile Ndlovu

PR Account Executive

thobile [at] ngage [dot] co [dot] za

+27 11 867 7763

 

Further information is available via these links:

 

 

RS South Africa

RS Africa Exports

DesignSpark

RS Group plc