A storeroom manager’s top priority is to make sure that the right spare part is available when needed and without overstocking MRO spare parts. This may sound simple, but often, the big challenge is that the systems (ERP, CMMS, EAM) tell a different story than store reality. In other cases, there are spare parts in the store, but there is no matching part in the ERP/CMMS system. So in reality, it is not even known that the item is in stock. The solution to this tangle is MRO Crib Crawl services.
The process of crib crawl involves inspecting, identifying, and counting the stock of items (parts, SKUs, materials) in a storeroom (or warehouse) of a Plant, Manufacturing unit, factory, repair center, or any other location.
In some cases, the discrepancies between system data on MRO inventory and the actual inventory can be alarming.
When you have a problem like this, no one provides a better solution than us. During the crib crawl, our team members examine the storeroom inventory, identify each part, and cross-reference spare information with the material record in the ERP and CMMS. By creating a unified record for all MRO parts, the inventory data in the system is reliable and accurate.
Due to gaps in updating legacy information, migrations, stock transfers, data entry errors, etc., system data may lack accurate stock information. The availability of stock information is critical for Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Procurement functions. To ensure the right part is available at the right time, it is imperative to know what they carry and the number of parts they have in stock. This will help avoid overstocking MRO parts. By using a crib crawl service, an asset-intensive organization can create an updated and accurate baseline for the inventory position which further leads to cost reduction and higher plant reliability.
As a hybrid engagement model, we use onsite resources to handle activities that require boots on the ground, and a remote team for parts research and cataloging. It is supported by a technology platform, which makes it very easy for data to flow back and forth. Using the remote team model reduces the cost of mro crib crawl services and the turnaround time since they work a different shift.