Three crucial choices for the future of maintenance

Ahead of the Swedish Maintenance Fair (Underhållsmässan 2026), HYDAC highlights three crucial issues that are already shaping the industry’s view of maintenance. With extensive experience and customers in both stationary and mobile industries, the company clearly sees the choices these issues are now forcing.

Digitalisation, skills shortages and sustainability are some of the major challenges facing maintenance professionals. One player closely following developments is HYDAC, a global company with extensive experience in hydraulics, sensor technology and industrial solutions.

– We have a broad customer base, from fixed industrial installations to mobile applications. In the fixed segment much of our business is with the Swedish basic industry, such as the steel, mining and forest sectors, says Peter Lindberg, Sales Manager and Business Developer at HYDAC.

This gives the company clear insight into the needs of industry and the challenges that characterise maintenance work.

Sustainability, from vision to reality

Sustainability has become an increasingly important issue for maintenance professionals. Industrial companies are facing growing demands to reduce their energy consumption, extend the service life of equipment, and use resources more efficiently.

– But it is also about transferring knowledge. There is a great need to educate industry about which solutions and products can help them become more sustainable. This could involve more energy-efficient solutions, for example. When something needs to be maintained or replaced, you can choose a solution that uses less energy and reduces emissions, says Peter Lindberg.

Sten-Ove Claesson, a consultant at HYDAC and former Technical Manager, argues that sustainability in maintenance also requires looking beyond immediate issues and adopting a more long-term perspective.

– Today, it is not just a matter of solving urgent problems. Instead of replacing A with A because something has broken down, you can replace A with B and create more long-term benefits. We develop solutions that reduce both oil and energy consumption through smarter systems, such as frequency-controlled pumps that only use energy when needed.

Digitalisation as a slow revolution

Despite technological advances and the clear benefits of digital and predictive maintenance, progress remains slow. Much of the challenge lies in being willing to make the transition from reactive to proactive maintenance and in prioritising long-term gains over short-term savings. Many industrial companies also operate older machinery, which can make it difficult to introduce new digital solutions.

– Maintenance professionals tend to be conservative. Having the technology alone is not enough. Maintenance managers and production leaders also need an understanding of systems that can anticipate problems before they occur, says Sten-Ove Claesson.

The challenge therefore lies not only in installing sensors or collection systems, but in getting the entire organisation to see the value of the data that is collected. It is about building a culture where proactive maintenance is seen as an investment rather than a cost.

– The companies that invest in skills development, digitalisation and sustainability today will be the ones that lead the maintenance profession forward, says Peter Lindberg.

Addressing the skills shortage and lack of technical expertise

The lack of technical expertise is another major challenge for the maintenance industry. Today, the industry has a great need for qualified personnel with an understanding of both mechanics and digital technology. It is particularly difficult to find employees who can combine knowledge of hydraulics with automation.

– Simply knowing about electricity or mechanics is not enough. Working with modern maintenance systems requires a broad skill set, and technicians with this type of expertise are hard to find, says Sten-Ove Claesson.

Meeting this challenge requires a long-term commitment to skills development and training. HYDAC emphasises the importance of actively working with schools and vocational training programmes to spark interest in the maintenance profession.

– We need to show that today’s industry is high-tech and that maintenance is a key part of the sustainable transition. When we invite school classes to visit our operations, the pupils quickly realise that there is much more to it than oil and lubrication, says Peter Lindberg.

Issues such as sustainability, digitalisation and expertise are already part of everyday life in the industry and will become even more crucial in the future. At the Underhållsmässan 2026, HYDAC will be participating as an exhibitor to highlight these issues, exchange experiences and discuss what maintenance might look like in practice in the future.

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