I am interested in understanding the ratio of planners to technicians or in relation to the plant size, as my company is undergoing complex expansion. However, we are currently facing the challenge of not being able to add more planners.
At my current workplace, each Maintenance Planner is responsible for overseeing a team of Technicians. They work closely with a Maintenance Engineer/Supervisor and a crew of Mechanics, Electricians, and Building Repairers to plan maintenance tasks. Additionally, there is another Maintenance Engineer/Supervisor who manages Instrumentation Technicians, with Maintenance Planners coordinating orders based on the location of the instruments needing service. Due to the varying size of our pharmaceutical manufacturing plant and equipment density, we conduct a study to determine the workload for each Maintenance Planner. This involves analyzing the number of orders generated by each building and distributing them evenly among the planners to ensure a "fair share" of tasks. This results in the creation of sub-plant areas, such as buildings with packaging lines, laboratories, manufacturing areas, and offices assigned to different planners. To maintain balance and ensure efficiency, we rotate Maintenance Planners every two years within their designated sub-plant area. In the event of a major expansion, such as adding a new manufacturing building with additional equipment, we would hire another Planner and conduct a new workload analysis to allocate tasks appropriately. Furthermore, any new manufacturing building would prompt a Maintenance Capacity Analysis to determine the necessary number and types of technicians required for optimal operation.
Consider the following questions to determine if your team of Maintenance Planners is adequately equipped to handle the workload: How many Maintenance Planners are currently on staff and how many work orders do they process annually? Evaluate the workload per planner to gauge if they have sufficient tasks assigned and if they can take on more without compromising performance. Additionally, assess how many additional orders the new expansion will bring and if your current team can manage the increased workload. This analysis is similar to assessing if more mechanics are needed for the expansion.
The ideal ratio of planners to technicians typically varies from 1 planner for every 10 to 20 technicians. The competency of your planners plays a crucial role in determining this ratio. Are your planners seasoned senior techs or fresh engineers with years of experience? It's important to consider factors beyond just the number of work orders, as some may require significantly more manhours than others. A more accurate assessment can be made based on the manhours spent on each task.
What tasks are involved in the role of a planner besides work planning and scheduling? Do planners handle work permit applications? Are they responsible for turnaround/shutdown planning? Do they maintain and update equipment master data, preventive maintenance schedules, task lists, bill of materials, and work centers? Do they generate key performance indicators (KPIs)? Do planners identify and specify materials needed for projects? How do they coordinate between different crafts within the organization?
quote: Josh pointed out the importance of considering man-hours spent when analyzing work orders, as some may have low man-hours while others have high man-hours. It is crucial to base decisions on the amount of man-hours spent. However, we did not have the Maintenance Planners' man-hours spent by planned order data available for analysis.
It sounds like you're in a tricky spot with your expansion! While there's no one-size-fits-all ratio of planners to technicians, a common approach is to consider the complexity of your operations—often, larger plants benefit from having at least one planner for every 20 to 50 technicians. Since you're unable to add more planners right now, you might explore cross-training technicians to take on some planning responsibilities or leveraging technology to streamline planning processes. It could help your team manage the workload better while you adjust to the growth. Good luck!
✅ Work Order Management
✅ Asset Tracking
✅ Preventive Maintenance
✅ Inspection Report
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Answer: 1. What is the recommended planner to technician ratio for plant size optimization? - The recommended planner to technician ratio for plant size optimization can vary depending on the industry and specific operations of the plant. However, a common guideline is to aim for a ratio that ensures efficient coordination and utilization of resources.
Answer: - Companies can optimize plant size without adding more planners by implementing efficient scheduling systems, utilizing technology for automation and tracking, improving communication channels between planners and technicians, and providing adequate training to enhance the skills of existing staff.
Answer: - Companies may face challenges such as resource constraints, increased workload on existing planners, difficulties in forecasting demand accurately, and potential disruptions in communication and coordination between planners and technicians during complex expansions.
Answer: - Some best practices for managing the planner to technician ratio during plant expansions include conducting a thorough analysis of current workflows and resource allocation, investing in training and development programs for planners and technicians, implementing software solutions for better scheduling and task management, and fostering a collaborative work environment to enhance efficiency.
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