Prometheus Group has the edge in enterprise asset management software. SMEC is considered to be the best-in-class asset management consulting group. The two companies have got together to reinject vigour into the manufacturing industry.
Since 1974, manufacturing’s contribution to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has halved, declining from 17% to 8%. It is expected that the manufacturing industry will decline even further over the next decade, as services sectors continue to expand and local manufacturers like Ford, Holden and Toyota shut down their Australian plants, moving some or all of their manufacturing to Asia to compete with direct imports.
It is obvious that Australian manufacturing is no longer being competitive on the global stage. Australian wages are high, productivity is low and due to a sharp drop in investment, technology has become outdated. Manufacturing investment is set to continue to fall sharply, and is likely to reach to its lowest level since 1992 this year. The manufacturing industry is therefore inlikely to expand its capacity in the near future.
Asset owners and operators are being forced to implement major asset management improvement programs to minimise productivity downtime, increase production, and improve returns on investments. When it comes to increasing the life of assets, and planning shutdowns and maintenance, real time collaboration is a must for the manufacturing industry. The Prometheus Group and SMEC partnership intend to provide not only the tools to improve asset performance but also the processes that ignite sustainable improvement in asset care.
SMEC’s asset management services are complemented by extensive engineering expertise, allowing asset management solutions to be developed and incorporated into every stage of a manufacturing project’s lifecycle: planning, design, construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance and decommissioning phases.
The pair will identify and develop process improvement needs across an enterprise platform, improve production and asset reliability while enabling enterprise wide roll-out of standardised process improvements for the manufacturing sector throughout the Australia and Asia regions.
From 23 February to 3 March 2015, Prometheus Group and SMEC will introduce their partnership in a roadshow throughout Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Kuala Lumpur. The roadshows will enable Australian manufacturers to discuss critical asset management issues and book in for a follow up onsite visit by Prometheus Group and SMEC.
Prometheus Group general manager of Sales for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, Dr Bernhard Schwister, noted, “Our software has gained unprecedented acceptance in the marketplace because its ease of use, rapid implementation, and intuitive nature. By offering an integrated solution with SMEC, our customers gain a distinct competitive advantage through asset optimisation that is fully realised and effective.”
SMEC’s chief operating officer for asset management in the Australian/Asia region, Thomas Hynes, added, “When Prometheus Group software is combined with SMEC’s integrated asset management solutions, sustainable and ongoing long--term operational improvements can be achieved, positively impacting both productivity and earnings. Our dedicated asset management function delivers solutions that balance risk, performance and cost. We experience a demand for solutions that can unlock and extend the value derived from the investment in SAP that has been made by many asset intensive enterprises. This partnership enables us to offer Prometheus Group’s SAP expertise to drive value for customers together.”
