Asset-intensive operations with high levels of automation
ConMet is a global manufacturer of systems and components for commercial vehicles, focusing primarily on wheel ends, engine chassis castings, and cab interiors. The company also has divisions focused on e-mobility and emissions-reduction technologies such as regenerative braking and aerodynamics. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, and has nine production sites worldwide including facilities in the U.S., Mexico, and China. These facilities are asset-intensive operations with high levels of automation.
Operational limitations
The initial EAM platform was used for tasks such as maintenance management across global sites, but it had operational limitations. It was designed with a complex graphical user interface and required a lot of operator training, which was a significant factor when being used by hundreds of people worldwide. The software also used traditional database technology and was run through on-site servers, which meant data exchange between the mobile devices and central infrastructure was slow. Indeed, certain downloads and syncs between servers and mobile devices took several minutes each time. In short, the EAM system was hampering operational flexibility and productivity.
Superior in every way.
ConMet sought a more modern EAM solution. Several vendors, including IFS Ultimo, were assessed, with head-to-head comparisons carried out through specification deep dives and engineering demonstrations. ConMet identified six areas where it thought it could achieve high-value output from EAM implementation, asking the vendors to prove their solution regarding functionality and data quality. After several meetings, it became apparent that the IFS Ultimo solution was superior in every way.
“The evaluation process showed that the IFS Ultimo EAM platform was much easier to use and understand,” said Haris Bin Maqsood, EAM System Engineer, ConMet.
The IFS Ultimo EAM solution is a cloud-based platform that can be used for a full-service range of activities such as maintenance scheduling, asset lifecycle analysis, spare parts and inventory control, and capital investment planning – providing an instantly accessible single source of truth for critical data.
Tangible operational rewards
Presently, ConMet has around 270 active users of the EAM system. These include maintenance technicians, storeroom supervisors, inventory managers, planners, and buyers. It operates on a software-as-a-service, cloud-based IT architecture, which delivers far superior data transfer than the previous centralized solution.
The EAM system is flexible, intuitive, and easy to use. It has also been integrated with other enterprise resource planning systems for more collaborative work.
Power of partnership
Adopting the EAM solution has been hugely successful, resulting in more efficient and productive maintenance activities. ConMet says it now has a superior system in place compared to what it had previously, and it is functioning effectively in all of the primary spaces it was designed for.
“The IFS Ultimo team was really adaptable and worked with us to create a great solution. We now have a complete package that allows us to effectively oversee our enterprise and asset management activities, and, importantly, it has really engaged our end users.”
Downloads
-
ConMet download
Let’s connect
Get your questions answered. Schedule a personalized demo to see how Ultimo can add ease and value to your business. No strings attached
Latest resources
Not every asset needs the same maintenance schedule — but when every asset gets treated the same way, maintenance effort spreads thin and the critical assets still fail.
Before any work begins on a machine, one question comes first: is this equipment safely isolated? Lockout/tagout — LOTO — is the procedure that answers it.
Together for the Timotheos Foundation: professional maintenance in Malawi, made possible by Ultimo and Pontifexx. The Timotheos Foundation has taken an important step towards professionalising the management of its buildings and facilities in Malawi.
Ultimo is proud to be sponsoring the MAINSTREAM UK Summit, taking place 20–21 October 2026 at Millennium Point in Birmingham.