THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MACHINERY MAINTENANCE AND PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE IN THE CASE OF EAST AFRICA BOTTLING SHARE COMPANY

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between machinery maintenance and production performance. In addition to this, it describes the challenges of machinery maintenance and the range of maintenance practices performed in achieving production goal to enhance production performance in the case of EAB SC. This study used a descriptive research design and the potential respondents include maintenance managers, maintenance planners, maintenance technicians (Electricians and Mechanics), production operators, production team leaders and top managers who are directly part of the job in both the production and engineering department. The study used a primary data of Questionnaire and interview questions and secondary data collected from a SAP (system application and process software system) to analyze and interpret the relationship between machinery maintenance and production performance as well as the maintenance challenges and practices employed in EABSC. The quantitative data collected was analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics using SPSS while the qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. The survey was done in the four production plants of EABSC found in Addis Ababa. Spearman’s ranks as correlation coefficients were used to know if there are any relationship between maintenance cost/expenditures, machine efficiency with that of production performance. Findings revealed that there is a negative correlation between maintenance costs with that of production performance. On the other hand, there is a positive correlation between machine efficiencies with that of maintenance cost. Therefore, the conclusion is a huge amounts of maintenance cost not necessarily brings an improvement in sustaining the performance of the equipment but the focus towards maintenance practice such as autonomous maintenance and predictive maintenance brings an improvement on production performances and in turn sustaining company production objectives. It is recommended that EABSC in particular and CCBA plants in general should monitor and aim at improving the maintenance policies and strategies, maintenance planning and proper execution of maintenance activities, implementing an autonomous maintenance through operators involvement and use of predictive maintenance technologies through training and giving attention to details to PM tasks which improves the efficiency and in turn maximizes the production performance of the factories.