In virtually any industrial setting, every asset plays a critical role in operational success. Yet many organizations find themselves caught in the reactive maintenance cycle, addressing issues only after they occur. It may be time to consider a more proactive approach to asset performance. Let’s look at some of the tools, strategies, and concepts that are used in a proactive asset performance plan.
Asset Performance Management is a comprehensive strategy that optimizes the performance, reliability, and efficiency of physical assets throughout their lifespan. It’s not just about fixing what’s broken; it’s about predicting and preventing issues before they impact your operations.
Reactive, or break-fix maintenance involves fixing equipment only after it fails, resulting in higher repair costs, maintenance bottlenecks, and extended downtime. This approach is typically unplanned and can make every asset failure an emergency situation.
Preventative maintenance follows a scheduled routine based on time or usage to replace or repair components before they fail, helping to extend equipment lifespan but leading to unnecessary maintenance.
Predictive maintenance provides enhanced condition monitoring by analyzing trends in operational data to forecast when an asset component failure is likely to happen, allowing for more accurate scheduling of maintenance and minimizing downtime.
Prescriptive maintenance combines data and advanced analytics to not only predict when a failure will occur but also suggests corrective actions, inventory and resource requirements, optimizing maintenance efficiency and reducing costs further.
This journey isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. Each organization starts from a different point and may have varying end goals. Some may begin with basic preventive maintenance and gradually move towards more advanced predictive and prescriptive approaches. The key is to understand where you are now, where you want to be, and then chart a course that aligns with your specific operational needs and strategic objectives. As you progress along this path, you’ll find that each component builds upon the others, creating a more robust, efficient, and proactive asset performance management strategy.
At first glance, reactive maintenance seems cost-effective. Why invest in repairs before they’re needed? But this approach often comes with unexpected consequences:
In our asset-intensive industries, these issues can significantly impact the bottom line. There’s a better way to manage our critical equipment.
Imagine having the ability to anticipate equipment failures before they occur. This isn’t just a pipedream – it’s the reality of predictive and prescriptive asset maintenance. Forward-thinking companies in various sectors, from oil and gas and mining to pulp and paper, are already seeing the benefits:
While preventive maintenance (based on calendar or runtime schedules) is a step up from reactive approaches, more advanced approaches can provide better outcomes. For example, by leveraging advanced data analytics, prescriptive maintenance identifies the root cause of potential failures before they occur, allowing companies to take specific, proactive actions, leading to more efficient maintenance, extended asset lifespan, and improved overall operational efficiency. This approach ultimately results in higher cost savings and fewer disruptions to production.
As organizations advance in their APM journey, they can move from reactive to prescriptive analytics, or virtually anywhere between on the scale, by taking several progressive steps. The most advanced maintenance techniques are predictive and prescriptive, but even this distinction is important
Predictive Analytics-based Maintenance focuses on short-term asset performance management, automatically monitoring for potential issues and alerting teams to anomalies.
Prescriptive Analytics-based Maintenance goes a step further, forecasting failures, estimating repair times, and even confirming the required parts for maintenance are available.
The transition from predictive to prescriptive analytics represents a significant leap in asset performance management sophistication. While predictive maintenance answers the question “What is likely to happen?”, prescriptive maintenance addresses “What should we do about it?”
This evolution is powered by advanced analytics and machine learning. These technologies analyze vast amounts of historical, business and real-time data to predict future asset behavior and recommend optimal courses of action. This level of insight enables organizations to confidentially make data-driven decisions that maximize asset performance, minimize downtime, and optimize maintenance resources. As a result, businesses can achieve unprecedented levels of operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness in their asset performance management strategies.
It’s important to note that the ideal APM strategy varies for each organization. At Dexcent, we understand that one size doesn’t fit all. We start with comprehensive assessments to determine your current state and future goals, then provide a tailored roadmap to achieve your specific asset performance management objectives.
Don’t let preventable breakdowns impact your operations. Take the first step towards a more proactive asset performance management approach that aligns with your organizational needs and strategic goals.
Andrew Capper is Vice President of Industrial Digital Transformation at Dexcent, helping industrial organizations improve data-driven decision-making by optimizing the data journey, reuniting siloed information, and delivering a trustworthy version of the truth.
With more than 25 years of experience, he is known as a results-driven leader who delivers on commitments and tackles complex information management challenges with a practical, human-centric approach. His work spans digital transformation strategy and roadmaps, governance, digital maturity assessments, and performance measurement through clear KPIs and metrics. Andrew is a NAIT graduate with training in Instrumentation Engineering Technology and Security Systems, and he brings a strong focus on safer, more effective operations from data producers through to data consumers
Nader Asgharinia, PMP, P.Eng., is Vice President of Enterprise SCADA & Advanced Applications at Dexcent, leading the delivery of complex, mission-critical solutions with a clear focus on client experience and operational excellence. With more than 30 years in business execution and over 25 years managing multi-million-dollar programs for mission-critical and SCADA systems, he brings a pragmatic, delivery-at-scale approach to every engagement. Nader is recognized for building high-performing teams, driving disciplined portfolio execution, and delivering measurable business outcomes, including significant growth in program portfolios and team capacity over time. He holds a B.Sc.(Hons.) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Type in the UK, a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Calgary, completed Georgetown University’s Director’s Program, is a Professional Engineer in Alberta, and a Project Management Professional.
Tobias (Gerrit) Nel, CISSP, CISM, is Vice President of OT Infrastructure and Cyber Security Services at Dexcent, leading the development and delivery of practical services and solutions that integrate, complement, or replace OT infrastructure and protect OT assets from cyber threats. He is known for building resilient security frameworks, governance processes, and integrated solutions that reduce risk and support compliance across diverse industries. Gerrit has over 40 years of relevant IT/OT experience and has built and delivered highly skilled and high-performance delivery teams. His strengths include Cyber Security roadmaps, security architecture, incident response, and alignment to standards such as IEC 62443, NIST, and NERC CIP. Furthermore, he has deep foundational technical experience in Networking and OT infrastructure systems architectures that he leverages in building and leading successful delivery teams. Gerrit holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Johannesburg and brings deep cross-sector experience supporting clients in oil and gas, mining, chemical, healthcare, financial, and government environments.
Jaydeep Deshpande, P.Eng., is a seasoned and decisive executive with over 25 years of experience driving operational excellence, profitability, and market growth in national and multinational organizations. As President, he is recognized for his strategic leadership, disciplined execution, and ability to lead organizations through change. Jaydeep is passionate about developing people, building strong leadership teams, and fostering a positive, performance-driven culture. His expertise spans strategic planning, business diversification, financial management, and organizational transformation, with a consistent focus on delivering growth-oriented, profitable results. He holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta, is a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner and Project Management Professional (PMP), and has completed the CMA Accelerated Accounting Program, bringing deep financial and strategic insight to executive decision-making.
Karim Amarshi is Chair of Dexcent’s Board of Directors, providing governance leadership and strategic oversight to support the company’s long-term strategy and executive team. With nearly 40 years as an entrepreneur and owner-operator, he is recognized for building high-performance organizations and forging strategic alliances across Information Technology, government, health care, education, and energy. He is the former co-owner and Chief Executive Officer of one of Canada’s leading enterprise Information Technology solution providers, where he led the organization through three successful mergers and helped scale long-term client and vendor partnerships. Karim remains active across a diverse business portfolio, serving as a founding principal, officer, and advisor to organizations spanning Information Technology, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, and real estate in Canada and internationally.
Yasmin Jivraj, FCIPS, I.S.P., is a Board Member at Dexcent, providing executive guidance and strategic oversight to support corporate management and long-term business direction. Over a 35-year career, she has held senior leadership roles across private, public, and non-profit organizations, with a track record of building operating foundations and driving profitable growth. Following a 15-year tenure as a co-owner and President of one of Canada’s leading strategic Information Technology solution providers, she expanded her governance leadership through active board service in post-secondary education and community-focused organizations. She is recognized for decisive, purpose-led leadership, clear communication, and deep expertise in technology, business models, and methodologies that help enterprise organizations advance digital transformation.
As Chief Executive Officer, Nadir is accountable for providing overall leadership and Dexcent’s Industrial operational performance. Nadir has been involved as an executive sponsor with Oil & Gas and Mining companies for over 35 years, and through the years has developed a strong working relationship with the Executive leadership team of many Fortune 500 companies.
Nadir is known for recognizing value and superior investment opportunities in the technology services sector. His pursuit of highly prospective technology companies around the world has resulted in numerous company start-ups. Prior to starting Dexcent, Nadir had led companies through highly profitable business transactions, including the merger of Atlas Systems Group with CompCanada (later renamed Acrodex) in 2000 and later as Chairman of the Board of Axcend Pvt – an engineering solutions provider – based in Bangalore, India from 2004 – 2014. Acrodex and Axcend were sold in 2015
