Switzerland: Measurements specialist ABB has published a new study about industrial downtime. The company, together with Sapio Research, surveyed 3600 senior decision-makers across various industries, including cement. The study showed that 44% of leaders experience equipment-related interruptions at least monthly and 14% at least weekly. Of those experiencing weekly interruptions, just 20% have a proactive modernisation strategy. A majority of respondents estimate the cost of these interruptions at US$10,000 – US$500,000/hr; 7% believe it is higher. 67% have upgraded their motors or drives in the past two years, and 55% plan to do so. Cost remains the top barrier to modernisation for 28% of industrial players.
ABB Motion Services Modernisation Programme Head Oswald Deuchar said "Unplanned downtime is costing industry up to half a million US Dollars per hour – yet one in three businesses hasn't modernised their motor-driven systems in the last two years. That's more than a missed opportunity, it's a silent crisis. Our research shows that those who shift from reactive firefighting to forward-looking life-cycle strategies experience fewer failures and greater resilience. A key challenge, though, remains in justifying the up-front investment.”
