Posted to News on 25th Jan 2012, 13:32
More companies turn to AWS Group to extend asset life
Under the pressure of the current economic downturn, many companies are looking at their equipment and are deferring a decision to purchase new machinery, opting instead to keep the legacy equipment operating for longer. When government and government agencies are affected by the current round of spending cuts, the deferral period can last as long as 20 years.
Specialist electronics contract manufacturer AWS reports that interest and orders relating to MRO (Maintain, Repair and Overhaul) is increasing and it has been involved in several new inquires about extending the life of assets. Over the last two years, AWS reports that the proportion of its MRO work has increased across the Group and now represents about 12 per cent of revenue, which is a significant increase on the 2009 figure of 2.5 per cent.
Extending the life of an asset is not a straightforward decision and several aspects have to be considered carefully, particularly in the specialist area of electronics in which AWS operates. The obvious one is obsolescence of component parts, quickly followed by loss of knowledge; in some instances, original OEMs are no longer trading and information about specifications and test procedures is lacking, all of which requires AWS to reverse-engineer some applications.
Whole Life Support
Mike Berridge, Director of Business Improvement at AWS Group, comments: "Our Whole Life Support strategy epitomises the Group's dedication to customer service and technical excellence. We are finding that customers are seeking complete solutions more and more when looking to outsource. We have gone from being just a contract manufacturer to providing services at the product development stage right through to end of life and in particular MRO. Our skills in electronic engineering, procurement and project management that serve us well in these traditional areas are now proving invaluable at a time when our customers have restricted capital spending and are seeking cost-effective solutions to asset management."
AWS operates in a wide range of industry sectors and the MRO operation reflects this - product support is provided in such diverse areas as mining equipment, satellite systems, medical equipment, road and rail infrastructure and vending equipment.
MRO services from AWS cover: dedicated repair facilities with expert engineers for both current and legacy equipment; repair services for non-AWS products, including now-defunct original manufacturer equipment (OME); refurbishment to 'as-new' standard, including upgrades; obsolescence management; reverse engineering, particularly with respect to legacy equipment; managing MRO outsourcing; and TUPE transfer.
For more information about AWS Group's capabilities for extending asset life, go to www.awselectronicsgroup.com.
