A Food Manufacturing Asset Care Model and Its Quiet Revolution in Productivity
Concerns about the UK’s sluggish productivity have been a familiar headline for years. Economists such as Simon French and Toby Nangle have long highlighted the same message: if an economy wants to thrive, smarter working practices matter. At MCP, this principle has shaped our approach to technical training for decades and nowhere is this more evident than in our long-term partnership with a major food manufacturer.
For over 25 years, MCP’s Asset Care Training Programme has focused on the straightforward goal of helping people work smarter. As John Saysell, Head of Business Development & Training, puts it with characteristic simplicity, “it starts with giving people the skills and confidence to take better care of the equipment they work with every day.”
The Starting Point: A Reactive Culture
When MCP began supporting the business in 2011, its engineering structure was firmly traditional. Engineers were single-skilled, and routine interactions were slow and fragmented. Operators had no tools or training to carry out basic CILT activities (cleaning, inspection, lubrication and tightening), and maintenance planning was largely weekend-based, ad-hoc and undocumented.
Key challenges included:
Single-skilled engineering workforce
No operator contribution to asset care
Weekend-heavy maintenance
Inconsistent planned maintenance
High reactivity and repeated failures
Limited teamwork between departments
Misaligned shift patterns
Put simply, the operation relied on firefighting. Engineering time was absorbed by low-level tasks, leaving little room for improvement work or long-term reliability planning.
A Structured, Integrated Solution
Working with the client, MCP introduced a holistic development plan designed to strengthen operator capability, improve engineering versatility, and build a proactive maintenance culture.
1. Introducing the Technical Operator Role
Creating the “technical operator” role became the backbone of the Operator Asset Care (OAC) programme. One-third of the operator workforce stepped into this role, supported by structured training and clear expectations.
2. Embedding Operator Asset Care (OAC)
OAC encourages operators to take ownership of the equipment they use daily. With targeted training in CILT and equipment care, operators began managing high-frequency, low-risk tasks that would previously have fallen to engineers. This shift allowed engineering teams to focus on more complex preventive work and reliability improvements.
3. Developing Multi-Skilled Engineering Teams
A progressive training roadmap supported both engineers and technical operators. This included:
A 10-day mechanical and pneumatic programme for technical operators
Cross-skilling for engineers: electrical for mechanical fitters and mechanical tasks for electricians
On-rig practice followed by supervised on-the-job consolidation
Competence assessments linked to SOPs and ongoing development plans
4. Improving Fault-Finding Capability
Selected engineers also completed advanced fault-finding and root cause analysis training, strengthening long-term problem-solving capacity and reducing repeat failures.
What Changed
The programme reshaped how tasks were distributed, completed, and documented. Highlights include:
Redesigned maintenance plans to incorporate operator-level tasks
Competence-based SOPs for all high-frequency, low-risk activities
Training cascaded through ‘train-the-trainer’ programmes
Greater alignment between operator and engineering teams
Reduction of shift engineering technician numbers through improved efficiency
Example site tasks included replacing sensors, heater elements and temperature probes; refurbishing pneumatic cylinders; and resolving electro-pneumatic faults.
Training options grew across multiple sites, tailored for both large and small teams:
For Engineers
Mechanical ↔ Electrical cross-skilling
Logical fault finding & RCA
PLC: basic and advanced
SOP and risk assessment writing
Plant reliability (FMECA)
AMIS methodology
Behavioural development
For Technical Operators
Mechanical Skills (2 weeks, City & Guilds)
Mechanical Maintenance & Installation (Level 2)
Food Manufacturing Excellence (Level 2)
Train-the-Trainer
SOP and risk assessment writing
Behavioural development
Competence assessments were rigorous, with successful completion earning a City & Guilds accredited certificate—a meaningful milestone for many progressing through new responsibilities.
The Measurable Impact
Analysis following the training showed a remarkable improvement:
Mechanical fitters, now trained in electrical high-frequency tasks, saved an estimated 1,200–2,400 hours of downtime in a single year.
Beyond the numbers, the organisation benefited from stronger cross-functional collaboration, increased engineering focus on critical assets, and a cultural shift towards proactive maintenance.
Looking Ahead
Although the gains have been significant, the journey is ongoing. Continuous improvement is at the heart of the programme, and the business continues to refine its maintenance model to reflect evolving needs. As the case study shows, redirecting skilled engineering time toward the right equipment—rather than maintaining every asset to the same standard—is essential for sustainable productivity.
The original objective, “help people work smarter”, remains just as relevant today. With a committed workforce, aligned development pathways, and a shared vision for reliability, the organisation is well positioned to keep improving year after year—without waiting for the weekend to fix everything.