Comparing Industrial Facility Maintenance and Turnarounds

In the world of industrial construction and management, there are many solutions or services that may have a number of similarities to one another, but are actually different in important and notable ways. A great example of this reality: Industrial facility maintenance and industrial turnaround services.

At Redi, we offer both an extensive range of industrial facility maintenance and shut-down/turnaround services for clients in Wyoming, Colorado and Nevada. Here’s a look at how these two program types compare and differ, from their basic definitions to the kinds of situations in which one or the other will be applied to a given facility.

Basic Definitions

To start us off, here’s a broad definition of each of these terms to use as a baseline:

• Facility maintenance: Industrial facility maintenance typically refers to any kind of fixes, tweaks or other changes to equipment and other parts of the facility while it’s still operating. Facility maintenance can include everything from basic cleaning and simple machinery adjustments to major repairs on critical components.
• Turnaround services: Turnarounds, or shutdowns, are much larger in scope than general maintenance activities. They involve a complete halt of operations at the facility as part of an effort to either prevent extreme equipment breakdowns or other issues or to proactively replace aging or worn-out parts before they become problematic.

Scope Differences

Let’s dive a bit further into that concept of scope, which is an important one to grasp in the differences between maintenance and turnarounds. With facility maintenance, you are typically dealing with a singular issue or set of related issues. Something needs to be repaired, replaced or improved, but it won’t require a complete shutdown of operations to accomplish this.

On the other hand, turnarounds are much broader in their scope. They aren’t just addressing one specific problem, but rather looking at the entire facility as a whole and determining what parts need to be replaced or upgraded before they potentially cause major issues down the line. This means that turnarounds can take longer and involve more resources than regular maintenance activities.

Timing Considerations

Another key difference between facility maintenance and turnaround services is the timing of when they occur. Maintenance can happen at any time, whether it’s during regular operations or during scheduled downtime for other reasons (such as equipment upgrades or installations).

Turnarounds, however, are typically planned well in advance and take place during scheduled shutdowns of the facility. This allows for ample time to prepare and execute the necessary changes and replacements without causing major disruptions to ongoing operations.

Risk Management

A major goal of both facility maintenance and turnarounds is to mitigate risk for a company. However, the specific methods used to achieve this may differ between the two types of services.

For maintenance activities, risk management involves identifying potential issues and addressing them before they have a chance to cause significant problems. This can help reduce the likelihood of costly breakdowns and downtime.

Turnaround services, on the other hand, may involve a more proactive approach to risk management. By identifying and replacing aging or worn-out parts before they have a chance to fail, companies can avoid major disruptions and potentially save money in the long run.

Benchmarks of Success

Another significant difference between facility maintenance and turnarounds is how success is measured. Maintenance activities are typically evaluated based on minimizing downtime, reducing repair costs, and keeping equipment running smoothly.

For turnarounds, success is often measured by the overall improvement of the facility’s operations after the shutdown. This can include factors such as increased efficiency, reduced risk of major breakdowns, and improved safety for workers.

Professional Assistance

One area where both facility maintenance and turnaround services can overlap is in the need for professional assistance. While companies may have their own internal maintenance teams, turnarounds often require additional specialized expertise and resources.

At Redi, we offer a team of experienced professionals who are trained to handle both routine maintenance tasks and complex turnaround projects. Our goal is to help our clients maintain safe, efficient, and reliable operations while minimizing downtime and risk.

While there may be some similarities between industrial facility maintenance and turnaround services, it’s important to understand the key differences between these two types of programs. By having a thorough understanding of each type of service and when they should be utilized, companies can better manage their facilities and mitigate risk for their operations.

So whether your facility needs routine maintenance or a complete turnaround, Redi has the expertise and resources to help you achieve success. Contact us today to learn about these or any of our other industrial construction services around Wyoming, Colorado and Nevada.