Maintenance management in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has amassed a large capital-intensive infrastructure. Operation of this infrastructure is a continuing financial and economic commitment. Proper maintenance practices prolong the economic life of this infrastructure and delay replacement costs. Priorities in the Kingdom should, therefore, concentrate on two key dimensions: developing and enforcing sound maintenance practices, and supporting research in maintenance management systems appropriate to Saudi environment. The authors propose some concrete measures that can lead to the improvement of maintenance status along the two above mentioned dimensions. These are: the study and assessment of current maintenance practices, the development of adequate maintenance management information systems, and the national coordination of maintenance management education programs.