Modernizing Maintenance: MMP’s 99.6% Uptime Through ISO 9000 & CMMS

While many companies tout customer satisfaction in marketing, true fulfillment comes from rigorously meeting client specifications and securing ISO 9000 certification.

Midland Metal Products (MMP), a fourth‑generation manufacturer of custom advertising fixtures, realized that its maintenance practices had outlived its growth. During ISO 9001 audits, the company identified a critical gap: a modern maintenance management system. The solution—implementing a CMMS—became essential for certification and operational excellence.

Measurements Count

MMP serves ad agencies that represent hundreds of consumer brands, receiving unique specifications for each display from the outset.

"Because we do custom displays, we’re bringing to life fabrications that haven’t existed before," said B.J. McDonald, MMP’s co‑owner and facility director. "Erroneous measures can ruin the display. Therefore, our measuring tools must give precise measurements."

All 242 of MMP’s measurement tools—from tape measures to micrometers—must be calibrated to the exact tolerances specified by each client.

"The ISO 9001-2008 certification helped us refine our production system and establish a flawless process that covers the entire customer journey, from order intake to final delivery," McDonald explained.

Because of the close tolerances for MMP’s custom products, calibrating measurement devices was a major issue. As part of our certification, ISO auditors examined our measurement device reliability. Bigfoot CMMS was instrumental in meeting those standards.

Before CMMS, MMP had no systematic way to track or maintain measurement tools. Today, CMMS schedules preventive maintenance (PM) for every device in the plant.

Daily PMs demonstrate to auditors and clients that MMP consistently operates within required tolerances. ISO mandates a calibration certificate for each device—a requirement that MMP now meets reliably.

Maintenance Matters

MMP uses CMMS across its entire 110,000‑sq‑ft facility, which houses 138 production machines—including turret presses, laser cutters, press brakes and resistance welders—alongside 2,100 assets ranging from air and power tools to personal‑protection equipment and janitorial supplies. With 165 employees and only three maintenance staff, the previous maintenance approach was reactive, responding to the loudest alarm.

"We couldn’t prioritize critical repairs, leading to unnecessary downtime," McDonald noted.

While implementing dual programs was substantial, the payoff—streamlined processes, higher efficiency—proved worth it.

"ISO preparation may appear complex, but the outcome is a lean system that boosts efficiency. Bigfoot CMMS helped us asset‑number every piece of equipment—from tape measures to HVAC units. Anything that needs maintenance, replacement, inspection, cleaning or calibration now has a scheduled slot in CMMS," McDonald added.

MMP uses CMMS for work orders, repair requests and PM scheduling. The team generates about 2,400 PM work orders annually, reducing unforeseen repairs to roughly 20% of the previous workload.

PM Efficiencies Boost Uptime

With 15 seats per department and a structured request hierarchy, MMP eliminated interruptions from ad‑hoc requests. The maintenance team now operates more efficiently.

"Once the PM calendar was established, we increased department productivity by distributing tasks more evenly," McDonald said.

CMMS prioritizes high‑value machine PMs, keeping breakdowns at bay. The biggest gain? A 99.6% uptime across production equipment.