Proactive maintenance, streamlined inventory management and high-performance lubricants can help deliver a competitive edge.

In today's increasingly competitive environment, maximizing productivity is a MUST, especially for small- and medium-sized machine shops. Typically, these businesses cannot match the overall production capabilities—in terms of volume—of their larger rivals. Furthermore, larger competitors often have more equipment, more people and more resources than small- or medium-sized businesses.

So how can small- and medium-sized businesses gain a competitive edge?

Implement a proactive maintenance strategy
One of the most valuable things any company can do is to incorporate a proactive maintenance approach as opposed to staying in a reactive mode. A proactive maintenance strategy is what many of the most successful companies in the industrial sector utilize—be they large or small.

A proactive stance considers equipment maintenance not as a cost, but as a strategic investment. Guided by this maintenance philosophy, companies recognize that when they invest in protecting their assets (equipment) they can yield significant payback in terms of exceptional equipment durability and efficiency, as well as maximized performance and productivity.

For smaller companies specializing in machine shop applications, this maintenance mindset is essential. After all, for many machine shops, a few pieces of specialized equipment often represent a significant portion of the company's entire operations. Without that equipment running efficiently, an organization's productivity and bottom line can be severely impacted.

The most essential and cost-effective component of a successful proactive maintenance strategy is the implementation of a comprehensive oil analysis program.

Oil analysis is a series

of tests that help determine the condition of internal hardware and in-service lubricants. With this information, you can extend the useful lives of both, identify early warning signs such as contamination and wear and minimize unscheduled maintenance. For maintenance professionals and business owners that want to implement an effective oil analysis program—that also can save time and money—there is ExxonMobil's proprietary online Signum Oil Analysis Program.

For example, this program offers customers immediate access and direct control of their lubricant sampling ...(Read whole article)