It was our absolute pleasure to host Eng. Peter Wilmott, Prof. Tom Svantesson, Eng. Ali Al Suwaidi and Dr. Alan Wilson in celebration of the World Engineering Day through a virtual panel discussion moderated by Dr. Zohair Al Sarraj, Chairman of the International Maintenance Organization (IMA), and presented by the Specialist – ExiCon International Group. During the session, developmental insights were presented in activities related to operations & maintenance, facilities management and asset management in pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs)
The session started with a welcoming note from Dr. Zohair Al Sarraj, congratulating all engineers and emphasizing that they are the main pillars in achieving sustainable development. During the session, Eng. Tom Svantesson spoke about the start of maintenance, asset management and how Industry 4.0 with the presence of artificial intelligence, data processing, machine learning, and the emergence of new engineering competencies has changed the rules of the game - what was impossible yesterday, with preventive maintenance planning has become possible today - but requires technical skills.
Eng. Peter Willmott discussed the main considerations for introducing an effective partnership culture between asset owners and providers of operations & maintenance services within the digital age of Industry 4.0. A partnership based on trust and a shared vision dedicated to common goals and understanding the expectations of both the asset owner and the service provider. He emphasized the role that employees play in making the difference, where he advised employers to tap into their ‘Minds of Gold’ through relevant skills training, development and involvement by working in Partnership where ‘Learning by understanding’ is important- but ‘Learning by doing’ ensures a continuous improvement ‘mind-set’ for a sustainable future, which is precisely what TPM sets out to do by improving the quality of our professional life in the workplace –and we can all buy into that !!
Engineer Ali Al Suwaidi shared with us a case study, starting by talking about the benefits of sustainability: the environmental benefits of "Going Green" in terms of its contribution to reducing total energy / waste, and its preservation of natural resources such as sand & water. Also its social benefits in terms of increasing employee productivity or encouraging the rights of workers as well as economic benefits such as a lower cost of buildings, operational cost and attracting foreign investors: carbon trading. In the end of the presentation, Eng. Ali concluded that sustainability is a balanced practice; if its exercised early, it can save money. He also highlighted that sustainability is not a financial burden, it is a way of life.
Dr. Alan Wilson explained the financial procedures for organizations in terms of: rate of sales revenue growth, operating profit margin, cost of capital, reduction of investments, human capital and expected cash flows as well as strategic asset management plans (SAMP).
This fruitful session was an initiative to share such rich experiences with our attendees and to congratulate all engineers in their fields worldwide as the world needs more engineers with the approprirate skills in sustainable development.
You can watch the session via the following link: