Episode
Ivan Getov: Maintenance Is More Than Fixing Things
- Published
- Sep 23, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1497
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Summary
What happens when a company invests in predictive maintenance, AI, and new technology before fixing its basic maintenance processes? In this episode of Maintenance Manufacturing Insights, Martin Engster talks with Ivan Getov, Maintenance Excellence Manager at Eastman Chemical Company, about why strong maintenance starts with the fundamentals. Ivan began his career as a chemical engineer and worked in operations before moving into maintenance management. Today, his focus is maintenance excellence and improving the systems that connect work identification, planning, scheduling, execution, and follow-up. Ivan explains why many maintenance teams stay stuck in reactive mode. Fixing a breakdown can feel rewarding because the results are immediate. The maintenance team gets equipment running again and becomes the hero. But Ivan believes organizations need to move away from that hero mentality and build systems that prevent problems before they become emergencies. The conversation also looks at predictive maintenance and AI. Ivan supports these technologies, but he makes an important point: technology cannot fix a broken process. If communication, planning, scheduling, and accountability are weak, adding more technology may simply make those problems happen faster. Ivan shares a real example involving a major river-water line rupture that affected a continuous manufacturing process. During the early response, people were working hard, but crews were losing time because scaffolding, insulation, lockouts, and other requirements were not properly coordinated. The solution wasn't another piece of technology. It was better organization, clear ownership, communication, accountability, escalation procedures, and a detailed plan. Martin and Ivan also discuss the complexity and safety…