THE INDUSTRIAL Maintenance Solutions Summit 2025 took place on 16 September, bringing together maintenance engineers and industry experts for a day of actionable learning and discussion in Coventry.

Curated by the team at Industrial Plant and Equipment, the CPD-accredited conference stream – bringing together A-list names in the maintenance sector such as UPTIME Consultant MD Andy Gailey; Francisco Duarte from the Kaizen Institute; and Maintain Reliability’s Will Ocean -tackled many of the most pressing challenges facing maintenance teams today. 

Expert-led sessions explore reliability, resilience and improvement

"If you prefer your events with no waffle and ‘blue sky’ thinking, then the Industrial Maintenance Solutions Summit was the show for you, just practical and pragmatic solutions to engineering problems all day long," explained Gailey, who delivered this year’s keynote presentation on the continuing importance of Reliability-Centred Maintenance. 

"I really enjoyed presenting the keynote, we had a few attendees visit our stand directly after to learn more about how Reliability-Centred Maintenance could help their operations with asset care.

"As one visitor noted, ‘you can’t beat face-to-face conversations’, we both learned more about each other in that five-minute chat where we realised the synergies our businesses had and which may open the door to collaborations in the future," he added.

Learning from the front lines

Duarte’s presentation on applying Lean and Kaizen principles in a maintenance context was also well-received. "It was a pleasure to take part in the Industrial Maintenance Solutions Summit and share Kaizen Institute’s perspective on how continuous improvement principles, combined with data, can transform maintenance," he stated.

"Too often, maintenance is seen only as a cost centre. Yet by making data-driven decisions, engaging leadership and people at every level, and applying a structured problem-solving approach, organisations can build reliability, reduce downtime, and strengthen competitiveness.

"Events like this provide an excellent forum to exchange ideas, examine the trends shaping the sector, and discuss how innovation and collaboration can deliver sustainable competitiveness," he affirmed.

This year’s edition of the Industrial Maintenance Solutions Summit was supported by event partner Kimberly-Clark Professional, together with sponsors WD-40 and ERIKS, and supporting organisations including BINDT, UKLA and the BSIF.

More leading maintenance content on the way

"Our aim with IMSS was always to cut through the noise and provide maintenance professionals with practical, real-world solutions. What really stood out this year was the depth of knowledge and openness our speakers brought to the programme," said event director Rachel Godfrey.

"The quality of discussion and insight shared in the conference stream was a testament to their expertise and extensive experience. I’d like to thank our speakers, sponsors and delegates for contributing to an engaging and valuable day."

The conversation continues beyond IMSS 2025, with further maintenance webinar content on the way. The team at SSG Insight, part of Aptean, will present, Beyond CMMS: Unlocking Innovation in Maintenance, at 10:30am on 16 October.

You can register here to be a part of it here: 

https://wbmwebinars.com/beyond-cmms-unlocking-innovation-in-maintenance/register