Artificial intelligence can help maintenance teams find information, analyse histories and plan work faster. But Reinhard Korb argues that technology cannot replace technical judgement, disciplined leadership or the difficult work of building a sound maintenance foundation.

Every maintenance professional knows that equipment reliability is truly tested during periods of maximum production. When every minute of downtime affects productivity, product quality, and operating costs, maintenance becomes far more than equipment repair—it becomes a critical part of the production process.

A single image started a much larger conversation. In it, one person stands before an overwhelming crowd and says: “Yes, you are all wrong. Maintenance is inspiring.” The visual was deliberately provocative, but it was never directed against individuals. It challenged a stubborn narrative: “Maintenance is not sexy.”

Industrial leaders are used to managing assets over decades. Paul Polman argues that the same long-term discipline should now be applied to business itself. In a turbulent world, resilience may depend on looking beyond efficiency, quarterly performance and the boundaries of your own operations.

Maintenance professionals often work where others do not: at height, inside confined spaces and wherever equipment happens to fail. For Jan Teun Koningen, Chair of the EFNMS European Health, Safety & Environmental Committee, safer maintenance starts long before anyone picks up a tool.