Quantservice

October 14, 2025

From performance to value – How maintenance drives OEE and business impact

Quant Brazil maintenance team improving OEE performance and safety at an industrial site.

When maintenance is managed with clear goals and data-driven insight, it can transform the entire direction of production. Every percentage point in OEE, every hour of availability, and every reduction in downtime has a direct impact on performance and results.

At Quant, we believe maintenance is not just a supporting function, it’s a strategic enabler that drives productivity, enhances safety, and creates long-term value for the business.

Maintenance as a value driver

“Maintenance has a very important contribution for the availability of production plants. It has a direct impact on production and on the reliability of the equipment,” explains Ricardo Perroni, Quant Brazil.

A strong example comes from a large transformer manufacturer, where Quant helped increase availability related to maintenance from 93% to 99%. Those six percentage points translated directly into improved output, more reliable deliveries, and stronger competitiveness.

“When maintenance is aligned with business strategy, it is not just about reducing costs, it is about increasing productivity. And one of the most powerful ways to measure this productivity is through OEE.”

OEE as a business metric

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) remains one of the clearest measures of plant performance. Improvements in OEE directly affect production capacity, customer satisfaction, and financial results.

“At a lubricant production site, we reduced downtime in the bottling area by 31% and in the grease area by 72% over two years, impacting plant OEE directly,” Perroni recalls.

When downtime decreases, the effects are felt across the entire organization.

“Production schedules are met, customers receive their orders on time, and financial performance improves. Yet, these gains cannot be sustained without a strong foundation, and that foundation is always safety.”

The foundation of sustainable performance

For Quant, no performance improvement is acceptable unless it is achieved safely.

“Improving performance without ensuring safety procedures is not acceptable or sustainable. An environment where safety culture comes first generates confidence in employees, increasing productivity. Additionally, work without any medical leave assures that all resources are available for execution,” Perroni explains.

When people feel safe, they perform better, show more commitment, and contribute actively to improvements.

“Safety is not an isolated target; it connects directly to productivity and efficiency. And this connection becomes even stronger when the focus turns to people and their competence.”

Retention and competence matter

Long-term partnerships thrive when people are skilled, motivated, and committed.

“A long-term maintenance partnership depends on safety performance, consistent processes, and skilled people. That is why retaining good professionals, training, and continuously improving competences is essential during the contract,” notes Perroni.

In Brazil, where availability of skilled labor is a frequent challenge, the ability to attract and retain talent can make or break an operation.

“By investing in people, Quant ensures that knowledge and expertise remain in place, supporting stable and sustainable results. However, even the best people and processes can face setbacks if companies focus only on short-term cost reduction a barrier still common in the market.”

From cost pressure to strategic alignment

One of the biggest challenges in the Brazilian industrial environment is the constant pressure to reduce costs.

“The main barrier is the internal pressure for cost reduction in the customers. That sometimes makes companies avoid investing in maintenance and adopt a short-term strategy,” Perroni explains.

To overcome this, Quant demonstrates with data and proven results that structured maintenance reduces total costs over time, while boosting plant performance and sustainability.

“The first step is to evaluate the current maturity of maintenance and establish a short-, medium-, and long-term plan. For that, a maintenance strategy review can be applied and Quant can support customers in this journey.”

This strategic alignment ensures that maintenance is not seen as an expense, but as an enabler of business growth.

Turning maintenance into a competitive advantage

From boosting OEE and reducing downtime to strengthening safety culture and retaining skilled teams, maintenance has proven to be far more than a support function. It is a source of measurable value, a driver of competitiveness, and a foundation for growth.

“When companies in Brazil shift their perspective from performance to value, they unlock the full potential of maintenance and position themselves for long-term success.”


Want to increase the value your maintenance creates?

Quant helps industrial companies turn maintenance into sustainable value through data, safety, and skilled people.

Get in touch with our experts and let’s discuss how we can improve performance together.