40%
Reduction in craft workforce with increased productivity
Integrating Lean Thinking into Maintenance for a Petrochemical Company: Enhancing Maintenance Productivity and Reducing Cycle Time Through Lean Transformation
Industry: Oil & Gas, Sustainable Energy
Service: Cost and Value Engineering
Service: Lean Lab
Service: Manufacturing
Service: Operations Strategy and Transformation
Service: People and Organization
Our Client
A leading U.S.-based independent refining and petrochemical company with a production capacity of 300,000 barrels per day.
The Challenge
The client needed to address inefficiencies and rising maintenance costs while improving overall plant reliability.
- High backlog: Excessive accumulation of maintenance work orders.
- Cost pressures: Elevated contractor, material, and rental expenses.
- Extended cycle times: Priority 2 (P2) work orders exceeding 100 days.
- Low productivity: Less than 0.5 work orders completed per craftsman per day.
- Poor coordination: Weak alignment between maintenance, warehouse, and operations teams.
Real Results Achieved Together
Through Lean implementation in maintenance operations, the company achieved dramatic gains in productivity, efficiency, and execution speed—transforming maintenance into a value-generating function.
2.3
Work orders completed per craftsman per day (up from <0.5)
50%
Reduction in Priority 1 work orders
Transformation Impact
- Significant productivity improvement through Lean-based maintenance practices.
- Enhanced coordination between maintenance, operations, and warehouse functions.
- Clear accountability and field engagement through Leader Standard Work.
- Strengthened morale and engagement across maintenance teams.
- P2 cycle time reduced from 100+ days to just one week.
- +20% increase in wrench time for key crafts.
Our Approach
EFESO worked closely with the client to translate Lean principles into maintenance execution, focusing on eliminating non-value-added activities, strengthening leadership accountability, and improving cross-functional coordination.
Craft Productivity Optimization
- Conducted problem-solving workshops to eliminate execution barriers.
- Introduced readiness checklists to ensure work could start within 30 minutes of shift start.
- Reorganized maintenance shops using 5S principles for tool and equipment access.
- Implemented pre-kitting and point-of-use delivery for maintenance parts.
Leadership and Accountability
- Introduced Leader Standard Work to reinforce field supervision.
- Deployed visual management boards to track daily priorities and progress.
- Doubled supervisor field engagement to strengthen ownership and execution.
Improved Maintenance Coordination
- Designed a visual management system to align operations and maintenance.
- Improved communication and work sequencing for higher execution discipline.
Related Services
Cost and Value Engineering
Rising costs demand optimization from design through production. We apply cross-functional value engineering, zero-based redesign, and continuous cost tracking to protect margins.
Lean Lab
Volatile workloads create productivity troughs and lead-time peaks. We stabilize lab operations through capacity modeling, dynamic resource allocation, and lean process optimization.
Manufacturing
Aging equipment meets rising costs and technology disruption. We transform operations through smart factory integration, predictive maintenance, and workforce capability building.
Operations Strategy and Transformation
Helping organizations rethink how they create value. We strengthen performance, build resilience, and accelerate growth across every layer of your business.
Facing Similar Maintenance and Productivity Challenges?
- Struggling with long maintenance cycle times and backlogs.
- Seeking to boost craft productivity and wrench time.
- Aiming to reduce contractor dependency and maintenance costs.
- Looking to integrate Lean Thinking into asset and maintenance management.
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