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High Cost of Unplanned Downtime in Manufacturing

Industry Specific Solutions
May 2, 2024
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2 minute read
High Cost of Unplanned Downtime in Manufacturing

Consider this statistic from Forbes: unplanned downtime wreaks havoc on manufacturing companies, causing a staggering $50 billion in annual losses. That's right, billions! But let's break it down further. On average, each manufacturer faces a daunting 800 hours of equipment downtime every year. That's over 15 hours a week where the machines are down! And in sectors like automotive manufacturing, where every minute counts, the cost can soar to a staggering $22,000 per minute.

Yet, Unplanned downtime triggers beyond just lost production, it includes lost revenue streams, idle worker wages, emergency repair expenditures, and potential penalties for missed deadlines. Recent research by Siemens found: the cost of an hour's unplanned downtime has increased by at least 50% in every manufacturing sector surveyed over the past two years, with the automotive industry now facing costs of over $2 million per hour of downtime.

 How do you think manufacturers typically tackle maintenance? Are they proactive or reactive? Many rely on reactive "run-to-fail" strategies. But with advanced technologies like condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. These game-changers have the potential to save over 1.6 million hours of downtime annually, translating to a mind-blowing $734 billion in productivity gains.

 In summary, the staggering costs of unplanned downtime make it a critical issue for manufacturers to address through improved maintenance strategies and emerging industrial technologies. Reducing the frequency and duration of unplanned outages is essential for protecting profitability and competitiveness in today's manufacturing landscape.