An optimal maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) supply chain that adequately supports maintenance, reliability and productivity efforts is the desire of every plant manager.
The MRO supply chain, while a smaller part of a typical business’ overall expenditures, contains a high level of complexity due to the number of parts, suppliers, transactions, criticality, time requirement and administrative burdens.
Digitization of data is critical
Efficient and successful MRO supply chain management starts with data. Businesses are realizing the need to transition from manual methods of managing MRO to increasingly automated processes — and the building and enhancement of pristine and accurate data is key. How a plant’s data is analyzed, interpreted and managed determines the level of supply chain success.
Digitization is the process of changing from analog, manual processes to digital technology-based systems. Digitization of the MRO supply chain is key to enable strategic planning, transparency and visibility while controlling replenishment, maintenance, production, transportation, delivery and internal customer satisfaction. Data digitization drives efficiency and mitigates risk.
Transform MRO with procurement analytics
Analytics in MRO procurement provide a detailed outlook on customer, supplier and vendor demands. Through digitization, companies can stay in control of their data by creating a continuous stream of procurement analytics flowing through various levels of the supply chain. Users can quickly identify different requirements and predict supply chain changes, resulting in minimized errors, waste elimination and improved business performance across the board.
Digital data enables optimal processes
An advantage of digital data transformation is the ability to provide the necessary information needed to have true visibility of what is going on within the end-to-end supply chain, enabling better, faster decisions. Additionally, companies are able to best utilize a wide range of supply chain tools and perform activities including:
Digitization of data is key to MRO supply chain management
A customer’s MRO storeroom inventory before and after DXP’s MRO parts management implementation.
Technology utilization
- Front-end inventory and procurement management system
- Computerized maintenance management system
- Supplier system interfacing
Analytics
- Robust reporting and business intelligence dashboards
- Spend and supplier analytics
- Cost savings and continuous improvement project reporting
- Financial accounting visibility and controls
Procurement and order-to-pay process
- Strategic sourcing enablement
- Tactical procurement efficiency
- Accounting payables proficiency
- Business to business web procurement solutions
- Customized eCatalogs with stock visibility and requisition automation
Inventory management
- Storeroom management automation
- Inventory standardization and centralization
- Multi-plant data visibility
- Storeroom performance metrics
Storeroom efficiency
- Bar code scanning
- Vendor managed inventory automation
- Point-of-use vending equipment
- Virtual, remote storeroom monitoring and security
- RFID inventory management portals
Predictive maintenance
- Equipment condition monitoring and predictive maintenance
- AI and machine learning
Experts in MRO data and management
Today, businesses realize the need to transition from traditional manual methods of managing MRO systems. However, for data masters and spread analytics, the road map is often unclear. Plants do not have the resources and infrastructure to internally implement and manage the necessary processes and procedures to deliver that support, or to build a complete and accurate database to drive a digitized environment. In those situations, plants can outsource aspects of their MRO operations to supply chain experts.
The market is full of spend management companies, aggregators, integrators, consultants and software packages that contain portions of the solution, but rarely do any provide practical product knowledge needed to truly fulfill the MRO digitization mission — and ultimately deliver a comprehensive MRO supply chain solution.
MRO distributor
Headquartered in Houston, DXP is a Tier 1 direct MRO distributor across a wide breadth of bearings, power transmission, pumps and rotating equipment, general industrial supplies, safety and PPE, cutting tools, abrasives and other indirect materials. Technical support services include material recommendations, application troubleshooting, hydraulic and pump system design, engineering, fabrication and repair.
Supply chain services
As an integration product services company DXP can pair technical product knowledge with data master creation and enhancement along with the management systems and spend analytics to drive real value for a plant’s outsourced MRO supply chain.
A division within the larger 100-yearold DXP Enterprises, DXP Supply Chain Services has become known as a premier integrator for MRO indirect materials. DXP has decades of experience implementing best practices for efficient storeroom and inventory management and strategic sourcing processes within manufacturing facilities, meeting the unique requirements of each plant across a wide variety of industries.
DXP Supply Chain Services provides customized onsite MRO inventory and supply management solutions, including integrated supply. Its expertise drives cost savings and continuous improvements and helps customers improve operational efficiencies.
Implementation services
In order for a company to optimize their MRO materials management and achieve a digital environment with true visibility, DXP performs comprehensive implementation services, including, but not limited to:
- Data enhancement for 100% of active stock items
- Storeroom organization, commodity segregation
- Capture of satellite inventories into system
- Stocking level analysis measured against usage
- Critical spare identification and monitoring
- Parts duplication elimination
MRO parts, digital database building
Comprehensive catalog building, data cleansing and management is a unique DXP core competency built through our long history of supply chain integration, which is further enhanced by our technical capabilities in all MRO product groups.
Prior to each engagement’s operational "Go Live," DXP assigns a team consisting of implementation specialists dedicated to the entire project. DXP implementations are led by a highly capable team leader who coordinates all activities with the customer site champion, schedules weekly update meetings, manages and publishes the timeline and submits regular progress reports.
The bulk of this implementation time is data master creation where DXP’s MRO implementation specialists perform shelf-to-sheet items build, cleanse, verification, accuracy and consistency of item attributes.
Current customer data challenges
DXP implementation specialists enable customers to avoid the challenges of trying to develop a pristine parts catalog on their own. If not performed properly, the plant would suffer the consequences later of an inadequate database. DXP has a vested interest in the quality of how it builds the customer’s data since it is integral to DXP’s ongoing MRO operational responsibility supporting the management of the customer’s supply chain.
DXP’s corporate strategy is to be the best solution for industrial customers. DXP is committed to providing quality products and services that exceed customer expectations.
For more information, visit dxpe.com.
