March 20, 2026 The Evolution of U.S. Industrial Maintenance

How U.S. industrial operators are embracing predictive, people-driven strategies to maximize reliability, safety, and long-term performance.

By Matías Rodriguez Conde, Global Director, Service Solutions at John Crane

The U.S. industrial sector is undergoing a significant transformation. Plant operators and asset owners across the country are shifting their priorities—focusing not only on maximizing equipment uptime but also on safety, reliability, sustainability, and proactive risk management. Anticipating potential issues and addressing them before they escalate is now critical to maintaining operational excellence and avoiding costly disruptions.

At the same time, access to skilled labor and advanced resources is becoming a key differentiator for industrial service providers. In this changing landscape, holistic service frameworks are leading the way. Standardized, modular service models that integrate people, technology, and processes are delivering measurable results for U.S. manufacturers and energy producers.

This shift is reflected in the rapid growth of the U.S. predictive maintenance market, projected to reach nearly $48 billion by 2029 with robust annual growth. This underscores widespread recognition that data-driven, proactive asset management is now essential for long-term success in U.S. industry.

Talent, Turnover, and Trust

Despite technological advances, U.S. industry continues to face persistent challenges. The shortage of skilled reliability engineers is severe, and high turnover threatens the institutional knowledge that underpins safe and efficient operations. Equipment failures and emergencies don’t respect the boundaries of a conventional workday. A strong service culture—committed beyond the “9-to-5”—is now a necessity rather than a differentiator.

Building a culture of ownership over assets and rotating equipment is key. When engineers treat equipment as if it were their own, it enables the organizational shift from isolated services to fully accountable, outcome-driven solutions. All too often, the human dimension of reliability is underestimated.

From Reactive to Proactive: Moving Beyond Prediction to Action

Maintenance strategies have evolved from reactive to preventive and now to predictive. Predictive maintenance allows organizations to anticipate issues before they occur, but the true value emerges when insights drive proactive action—addressing root causes, preventing recurrence, and minimizing risk and unplanned downtime.

Advanced monitoring technologies—including remote sensors, vibration analysis, ultrasound, oil analysis, motion amplification, and thermography—are critical to this next phase. These tools enable operators to detect emerging issues early and take targeted action. Yet, technology alone is insufficient.

True value is realized when predictive technologies are combined with collaborative culture, deep domain expertise, and a clear focus on outcomes. Service excellence depends on close collaboration among on-site and remote reliability engineers, customers, and suppliers—translating insights into action and continuously refining maintenance strategies. Integrating people, processes, and technology enables predictive maintenance to deliver sustained value.

The Customer Imperative

Traditional priorities—speed and cost of repair—are giving way to broader customer expectations. Fast delivery and reduced mean time to repair (MTTR) alone are no longer sufficient. U.S. organizations now seek long-term, reliable partners, rather than transactional suppliers. They want engineers embedded on-site, functioning as part of their team, and service providers genuinely invested in their success.

Training and knowledge-sharing are highly valued, empowering customers to manage their assets more effectively. The partnership model is central: collaboration, transparency, and shared goals drive better business outcomes, reinforced by a safety-first mindset championed by senior management. This reflects a shift toward integrated, outcome-focused approaches across the asset lifecycle, where accountability and performance are mutually shared.

The most effective models adapt to the specific needs of each service, extending beyond planning and monitoring to include training, lifecycle planning, advanced monitoring, and execution. Understanding real-time operating conditions is critical. Service offerings detect issues through a proactive, data-driven approach that reduces downtime and extends equipment life. Every engagement should be underpinned by a strong service culture and a sense of accountability. Failures and emergencies can occur at any time, so service teams must be ready to respond–wherever and whenever needed. Proximity matters: experienced engineers on-site often provide the fastest and most effective resolution.

Building Sustainable Reliability

Industry data underscores the need for a holistic approach. Approximately 80% of failures result from design, installation, or operational issues—not the equipment itself. In critical U.S. industries, unplanned downtime can cost over $100,000 per hour. Reliability engineers, both on-site and digital, are consistently recognized for facilitating collaboration and knowledge transfer.

The momentum behind predictive and proactive maintenance is clear. The U.S. predictive maintenance market is projected to grow to over $70 billion by 2032, with significant annual growth anticipated nationwide.

Big Future Goals: Eliminating the Possibility of Failure

For U.S. organizations seeking to enhance reliability and sustainability, the path forward is clear. Success begins with high-impact pilot programs that integrate people, processes, and technology from the outset. Local capabilities are essential, as is a genuine “one team” partnership between customers and service providers.

Transparent metrics and verifiable proof points help demonstrate value and build trust. The industry is moving decisively from a “fix it fast” mindset to one focused on “avoid it altogether.” This shift reflects a fundamental transition toward integrated, outcome-driven solutions with clear accountability for performance. By reducing unplanned downtime, extending equipment life, and improving asset performance, organizations can substantially lower total cost of ownership and improve plant safety.

Service frameworks such as John Crane Performance Plus™ are designed to support this shift—integrating modular services, global consistency, and local U.S. expertise to deliver measurable outcomes and comprehensive solutions. As the sector evolves, U.S. organizations are encouraged to explore pilot programs or readiness assessments to begin their journey toward safer, more reliable, and sustainable plant operations.

About the Author:
Matías Conde is Global Director of Service Solutions at John Crane, based in Houston, Texas, where he leads the company’s global service strategy and international business development teams across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific. With over three decades of experience in industrial reliability, asset management, and strategic partnerships, he works closely with major energy and process industry operators to improve equipment reliability, increase operational efficiency, and reduce the total cost of ownership.

Matias plays a key role in the development and global rollout of John Crane Performance Plus™ service strategy, supporting customers through advanced asset management, digitalisation and emissions-reduction initiatives. An Industrial Engineer, Six Sigma Black Belt and Certified Reliability Leader, he also serves as President of the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP) Texas Chapter, helping to advance best practices and knowledge sharing across the reliability and asset management community

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