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Reliability & Maintenance

Comparative Performance Analyses

The International Study of Plant Reliability andMaintenance Effectiveness (RAM Study) was

developed in partnership with industry leaders to

help better identify and quantify areas for

improved maintenance performance. Clients have

commented that this study provides the most

comprehensive set of reliability and maintenance

performance benchmark targets and best practices

assessments in the industry. As such, our efforts

have made us trusted industry advisors with a

reputation for providing tools that increase

company performance and maximize profits.

Participants have declared that Solomon's RAM

Study provides significant contributions to

their performance improvement initiatives and

the results they achieve.

BenefitsClients rely on Solomon's biennial RAM Study to:

Determine competitive position using standardSolomon industry peer groups

Develop customized peer groups to assessspecific performance needs

Improve operational performance with regardto reliability and maintenance

Manage risk Minimize life-cycle cost

Key FeaturesWe use rigorous validation and a proven

methodology to normalize differences in scale,

complexity, and location, permitting realistic

comparisons. Our on-line data entry forms, the only

accepted method for inputting data, have

extensive built-in data checks to assist subscribers

and ensure the consistency and quality of all

reported data.

Additional study features that ensure data accuracy

and deliver increased value to participants include:

Absolute client confidentiality Common nomenclature and data validation by

Solomon's industry experts

Performance comparison at unit and majorequipment component levels

Overall participant and geographic averagesand comparisons

Market-based analysis of operations with plantsize and process type averages

Gap analysis based on real data andidentification with performance averages

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Major Areas of InterestSolomon continues to maintain and/or enhance all

reliability and maintenance effectiveness factors.

The components that work together to measure

overall reliability and maintenance effectiveness

are as follows:

Cost of production losses caused bymaintenance outages

Direct costs (labor, contracts, and materials) ofmaintenance work

Indirect costs of maintenance support staff andconsumables

Operator time for maintenance work Annual cost of capital tied up in inventories of

spares

The database framework now covers more than

7,500 process units.

Gap

Costs, US $/yr

Gap

Elements

Analysis ofCost Gaps

Leaders

Plant

Selection of aPeer Group

Industry Data

Discovery ofCausal Factors

MEI PerformanceHalves

FactorValues

Poor Best Poor Best

PSR09-01

Figure 1. Target-setting process

Study DeliverablesEach participant receives electronic data files

containing study and client-specific results, as well

as calculation details for all indicators. All

deliverables are provided on the Internet in

electronic format in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel,

or Word format:

Data Collection Workbook Study Report Peer Group Benchmark Tables Participant Indices Tables Peer Group Range Graphs Participant Performance Gap Analysis Improvement Scenario ToolsA final presentation is also provided at the location

of your choice.

Proven SuccessRAM Study participant performance in both

mechanical availability and maintenance cost

indices have improved by 10% on average between

CPA study cycles, compared to an average

improvement of less than 4% in most sectors. This

improvement confirms without any doubt that

Solomons confidential industry benchmarking of

the reliability and maintenance function helps

identify key performance improvement targets

(refer to Figure 1) and has become an essential tool

for continuous performance improvement of

reliability and maintenance in process industries.

Our database shows performance improvement

for RAM Study participants in the fuels refining

industry to be two to three times greater than

that achieved by non-participants.

Contact

RAM Study Project Manager

Al Poling

Phone: 972.739.1731

Email: Al.Poling@SolomonOnline.com

HSB Solomon Associates LLC

13455 Noel Road, Suite 1500

Dallas, TX 75240-6634