2021 Limble CMMS Maintenance Survey: Key Findings & Industry Trends

2020 brought unprecedented challenges for maintenance teams across every sector. To understand how the industry adapted, Limble CMMS conducted a comprehensive survey in February 2021, gathering insights from 154 maintenance and facility managers worldwide.

The survey covered critical topics such as the most pressing maintenance challenges, prevalent strategies, long‑term investment plans for CMMS and predictive maintenance, and more. Our visual report below encapsulates the data, complemented by additional statistics from leading market research providers to illustrate projected growth in key maintenance sub‑markets.

Key Takeaways

• Staffing shortages top the list of maintenance challenges.
• 9 in 10 facilities run preventive maintenance programs, and 1 in 2 already employ condition‑based monitoring.
• Half of respondents use a CMMS/EAM solution; a third rely on custom spreadsheets.
• 43% plan to increase CMMS investment within the next two years.
• 48% intend to invest in condition monitoring and predictive maintenance over the next two years.
• Key barriers include lack of executive support, budget limits, and market volatility.

Top Maintenance Challenges

The most frequently cited obstacle is staffing. Over 30% of participants report a shortage of skilled technicians and mechanics, compelling managers to invest heavily in training and upskilling.

COVID‑19 complications—remote work, supply chain disruptions, fluctuating maintenance demand, and new safety protocols—add further strain. A significant portion of respondents are Limble CMMS users, many of whom are actively reshaping their organizational culture to transition from reactive to preventive maintenance. Engaging frontline staff early in the change process is a best practice we recommend for successful adoption.

Other common pain points include budget constraints, aging equipment, misaligned management priorities, and communication gaps.

Industry Trends & Market Growth

• The global repair and maintenance market is projected to grow from $1.172 trillion in 2020 to $1.643 trillion by 2025.
• The predictive maintenance market is expected to expand from $4 billion in 2020 to $12.3 billion by 2025.
• The machine condition monitoring market is projected to rise from $2.6 billion in 2019 to $3.9 billion by 2025.

Despite the pandemic’s impact—especially on professional facilities management—the sector’s overall growth trajectory remains robust. Our data reveal a steady decline in reactive maintenance practices, with 90% of facilities now running preventive programs (up 13% from 2019). Approximately 50% of respondents report using condition‑monitoring technology.

Outsourcing remains common: roughly 85% of facilities adopt a hybrid model, handling routine tasks in‑house while outsourcing specialized work. The primary drivers are time and skill gaps and the desire to reduce costs and streamline operations.

CMMS Adoption & Trends

The CMMS market, valued at $0.92 billion in 2019, is projected to reach $1.77 billion by 2027. Around 50% of organizations employ a CMMS, EAM, or fleet management system. Those that do not rely on spreadsheets, calendar tools, or even analog methods—about a third use custom ticket‑tracking spreadsheets.

Cloud‑based solutions dominate the market due to their ease of deployment and lower operational overhead. On‑premise installations are expected to decline as businesses move toward cloud and hybrid models.

Investment Outlook

With growing market expectations for CMMS, CBM, and PdM, a significant portion of organizations are planning to invest. Our survey shows that 50% of respondents will invest in condition monitoring and predictive maintenance over the next two years, while 40% will increase spending on maintenance software.

Only 15% of participants are certain they will not invest, and many remain undecided amid pandemic‑induced uncertainty. The main deterrents are executive support gaps, budget constraints, and fear of failed implementation or low ROI.

Encouragingly, 50% of businesses plan to make substantial improvements to their maintenance operations within the next two years.

Final Thoughts

As technology costs fall and accessibility improves, adoption of modern maintenance solutions will accelerate. With CMMS and predictive analytics at their disposal, organizations can implement proactive maintenance programs with unprecedented ease. We remain committed to supporting these advancements and look forward to helping our clients thrive in the evolving maintenance landscape.