Maintenance management is an essential field of work in today’s business environment, where safety, efficiency, and cost control are vital. At first, performing this work with in-house personnel may seem like the most economical and controlled approach. However, the risks can outweigh the benefits. According to data from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (INSST), maintenance work is responsible for 15 to 20% of workplace accidents each year. Given this situation, outsourcing to specialized companies is positioned as a strategy worth considering.
The Risks of In-House Maintenance
At the operational level, company maintenance workers are exposed to significant hazards inherent to their work, such as falls, electrical hazards, fires, etc. In fact, in 2023, Spain recorded more than 107,800 workplace accidents of varying severity that were directly linked to this type of work.
From an economic perspective, maintaining equipment involves a series of significant fixed costs, such as salaries, ongoing training, and investment in machinery and infrastructure. Furthermore, a lack of staff specialization can lead to inefficiencies that affect productivity, increase downtime, and generate additional costs due to accidents or technical errors.
Furthermore, the pressure this workload places on the company’s internal resources, diverting attention from other strategic activities, should not be overlooked. The opportunity cost of using the company’s internal resources on tasks outside the core business can be considerable. In a market where agility and the capacity for innovation are essential, this situation is a burden.
Internal Staff vs. Outsourced Maintenance Services
Given these circumstances, comparing in-house and outsourced maintenance strategies can be illuminating in identifying key advantages and disadvantages:
Aspect: In-house personnel. Outsourced services.
Specialization: Limited to internal experience. Access to best practices and experts.
Costs: Fixed / Unproductive. Variable and adjusted to demand / Productive.
Flexibility: Low adaptability. High, based on needs.
Control: Direct. Dependence on third parties.
Focus: Dispersed core business. Greater focus on strategic activities.
Each work strategy has its advantages. While in-house teams allow for direct control, outsourced services offer greater flexibility and specialization. However, one aspect that should not be overlooked is access to the industry’s most cutting-edge technology, such as predictive maintenance systems, which external providers like MIM PPP integrate into their services to achieve better planning and reduce costs.
Strategic Benefits of Outsourcing
Having the support of an external maintenance team like MIM PPP brings multiple operational and financial benefits.
Focus on the core business. It frees up internal resources for key business activities such as innovation and production.
Continuous Improvement. Continuous improvement is integrated into the service, avoiding stagnation and lack of progress. Through outsourcing, it allows for better control of the amount of innovation and actions carried out in maintenance processes.
Reduces indirect costs. It transforms fixed costs into variable costs and provides greater stability to operating budgets.
Access to the latest technology. Tools such as Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and predictive analytics can prevent failures before they occur.
Greater operational flexibility. It allows services to be adjusted according to market needs, as well as adapting to possible changes in demand or business conditions.
Optimize costs. Thanks to their scale and specialization, external providers are able to reduce expenses without compromising quality.
Improves workplace safety. Delegating these tasks to specialized professionals significantly reduces exposure to potential workplace accidents.
Guaranteed regulatory compliance. Specialized providers ensure that operations comply with the latest legal and safety standards.
Outsourcing as a trend
Growing industrial complexity and the pressure to optimize resources have driven the outsourcing of maintenance. In fact, the facility management market is estimated to reach $1.9 trillion by 2024. This growth undeniably reflects the growing commitment to this type of maintenance. Furthermore, emerging technologies such as advanced analytics