The WZL Machine Tool Laboratory of RWTH Aachen, in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and ReliabilityWeb, is conducting the Global Maintenance Excellence Survey 2026. The aim of the international study is to gain a well-founded and current picture of strategies, technologies, and value creation potentials in industrial maintenance.
Industrial companies are currently facing profound challenges: Global uncertainties, rising costs, increasing complexity of systems, and advancing digitalization are increasing the efficiency pressure on production and maintenance organizations. In this environment, maintenance is increasingly evolving from a reactive cost factor to a strategic value driver. A capable maintenance function thus becomes a crucial lever for productivity, equipment availability, and competitiveness.
The study examines key future questions of maintenance: What role do artificial intelligence, digital solutions, and new technologies play in production? What potentials exist for increasing efficiency and reducing costs? And how can companies sustainably and future-proof their maintenance strategy and the qualification of their employees?
"The requirements for maintenance are fundamentally changing. Companies today must operate not only more efficiently but also significantly more resiliently and technologically flexibly. With the study, we want to create transparency about the current maturity level and provide concrete starting points for the further development of maintenance," says Kai Yu, project manager at the WZL Machine Tool Laboratory of RWTH Aachen.
Companies of all sizes, from small businesses to large corporations dealing with the maintenance of their production resources, are invited to participate in the Global Maintenance Excellence Survey 2026. The English-language online survey will start in May 2026 and will take about 20 minutes. Additionally, in-depth expert interviews with selected participants are planned to explore specific topics in more detail and gain practical insights from the industry. After the study is completed, all participants will receive a summary of the results with international benchmark values, relevant trends, and concrete impulses for the further development of their maintenance practices.
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