Smart and effective asset management 

Commissioned by construction consortium VeenIX, INNOCY has been responsible for the asset management of the widening of the A9 between Badhoevedorp and Holendrecht since the tender. Now that the project is in full swing, INNOCY is taking on various roles with the most important being the entire asset management during the realization and operation phases. And the inventive consultancy and engineering firm is doing so in its own unique way: for a fixed price. 

From day one, we were asked by VeenIX to co-write the tender plan that eventually led to the winning bid, begins Jasper Staadegaard, business development manager at INNOCY. "After being awarded, we immediately started setting up the asset management policy, RAMS, maintenance engineering, failure coordination, etc. In other words, we are the first point of contact for the construction consortium and stage manager towards Rijkswaterstaat to monitor the agreements made."

Unique example

The A9 is a unique example of a fully integrated asset management approach, Staadegaard believes. "Especially because we said early on in the tender that we wanted to approach asset management with more responsibility than by hours. And for a fixed amount per month. We are aware that there are risks involved if we run outside the scope and out of time. By integral overview, we optimize current and future maintenance costs and thus reduce indirect costs for daily maintenance. With this substantive knowledge of the systems to be built, we reduce total maintenance costs for the entire project, through 2040. Our integrated approach is necessary for the responsibility we take on to shift the focus from low-cost design to low-cost lifecycle costs. A method that has worked out well so far."

Integrated asset management

INNOCY is both strategically, tactically and operationally linked to the project, handling Strategic Asset Management (SAM), Maintenance Management (MM) and all RAMS activities. "To this end, we have set up our own system that potentially meets ISO 55000 certification, even though the A9 project is not certified in this way," says Arjan Haak, involved as asset manager on the project from INNOCY. "From the SAM, we keep the area running, as established in the Strategic Asset Management Plan. Maintenance is planned in such a way that road traffic is hindered as little as possible and that all objects along the route continue to function properly. This fits in with the integral asset management approach for this project. As soon as a breakdown occurs, it comes to us in the emergency service. Then the malfunction must be resolved within the specified time frame to avoid penalty points. From the emergency service, we work hard to resolve all breakdowns as quickly as possible."

Open communication

Maintenance Management currently takes up by far the most time for INNOCY. "Some 85% of our work goes into this discipline," says Hook. "That will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future. A challenge in which all our knowledge comes in handy given the decreasing number of hours we have to spend in combination with the age of the acreage. Furthermore, from RAMS we continue to look at how we can monitor future maintenance. We find it important to communicate openly and transparently about the problems we encounter. And always consider whether the solution fits well with Maintenance Management for the long term, the objectives for the project and what is best for the construction consortium."

Triangle of asset management

Haak calls the triangle between SAM, RAMS and MM the "INNOCY way of asset management. "The methodology lends itself perfectly to these types of larger projects to flawlessly implement keeping the road safe and available. Where we make an almost standardized system project-specific. That is our strength here at VeenIX and also to the future." Staadegaard concludes, "A successful formula that we are happy to replicate in follow-up projects, drawing on previous experience. We work integrally as one team on the project goals, optimal lifecycle costs and what is good for the construction consortium."