How supplier relationships can transform maintenance strategies

THE PATH from reactive or predictive maintenance to proactive or prescriptive doesn’t always run smoothly. And product supplier relationships can help or hinder the transition. As the buyer-supplier model shifts towards collaborative partnerships, there are compelling reasons to move from transactional relationships to smarter, more strategic supplier engagement.

Surviving the squeeze

One word that could succinctly sum up manufacturing in 2026 so far is 'squeeze'. With rising costs impacting energy, materials and labour and continued pressure from customers to keep prices low and deliver faster, manufacturers are facing challenges from multiple directions. So, what can help companies keep on track with proactive, predictive and preventative maintenance strategies, when so much of the present focus is on surviving the uncertainties of the world stage?

With only 29% of UK and EU manufacturers feeling fully prepared for supply chain disruptions, raw material shortages and geopolitical risks according to data from IMechE, anything that can be done to increase stability is a must. That is why collaborative partnerships deserve more attention, offering stability and adaptability while enabling manufacturers to transition to smarter ways of working with suppliers. 

Supplier relationships impact outcomes

Strong supplier relationships have the potential to significantly improve a manufacturer’s maintenance experience, whether a reactive, predictive, proactive or prescriptive strategy is in operation on site. Going far beyond whether a component is delivered on time, building strong supplier partnerships will improve a manufacturer’s mid- to long-term stability and reduce firefighting. 

By moving from the use of interchangeable vendors to strategic partnerships, manufacturers can better manage risk, cost and uncertainty. As well as keeping the equipment running, costs controlled, and downtime minimised. Beyond this, collaboration with a trusted supplier can help identify alternative parts or repair options as needed and enable a manufacturer to access specialist technical knowledge for root cause analysis.

In addition, strong supplier partnerships enable early communication of maintenance plans and joint forecasting that can help a manufacturer spotlight which areas would benefit most from condition monitoring tools and upgrades, and where to focus limited resources. Good supplier relationships can also help ease the pressure, through vendor-managed inventories, just-in-time delivery where appropriate and direct access to supplier expertise for diagnostics.

Moving from reactive through to predictive

Here are some of the key ways suppliers can support manufacturers, helping them to save money and remain competitive in the longer-term:

• Implementing scalable IIoT solutions: These enable manufacturers to make the most of machine learning to continuously monitor vibration and temperature, providing real-time data to identify anomalies early.
• Simple entry-level condition monitoring: Sensors such as SKF’s QuickCollect portable device, paired with a smartphone app, allow maintenance teams to easily monitor vibration, bearing condition, and temperature.
• Comprehensive condition monitoring services: Monitoring solutions can be tailored to suit maintenance teams’ needs and can range from periodic vibration monitoring to continuous, live tracking of assets, utilising technologies such as thermal imaging, oil analysis, and ultrasound.
• Expert data analysis support: Understanding the data these systems collect is essential to making the right maintenance decisions. Suppliers can help maintenance teams prioritise actions based on expert diagnostics.
• Maintenance equipment hire service: Some suppliers offer a hire and try scheme for condition monitoring tools, allowing businesses to test systems before committing to a purchase.
• Tailored maintenance reviews: A good supplier will help identify gaps in current maintenance strategies by conducting reviews to suggest improvements. 

With so many pressures on today’s manufacturers, it makes sense to work with suppliers who can take some of the strain and become long-term partners for stretched maintenance teams. By leveraging the expertise and technologies of suppliers such as Acorn, manufacturers can reduce unnecessary maintenance, increase Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), improve safety, and successfully navigate the current headwinds.

Andy Fletcher is bearing and maintenance product manager at Acorn Industrial Services

For more information:

www.acorn-ind.co.uk

Tel: 0800 8766 441