From Four Companies to One Resilient Organization

Transforming four siloed energy companies into one resilient organization through strategic asset management planning and cultural alignment.

Client:
Regional Water Supplier
Business Area:
Asset Management (AM)
Industry:
Critical infrastructure & Utilities
Location:
Denmark
Project details

Overview

4 companies with different business areas about to merge into one. Each had its own maintenance system with different processes, spare parts, different ways of working, and different data standards. Even different definitions of what a “critical asset” means. 

Our client operates critical infrastructure serving thousands of households and businesses. Reliability is essential. Downtime means angry customers, regulatory scrutiny, and revenue loss. 

Following the mergers, our client faced fundamental questions: 

  • What is the quality of the data inside our systems? 
  • Which systems should we keep? Which should we retire? 
  • How do we capture knowledge before experienced people retire? 
  • How do we get departments to work together?
  • What does good Asset Management look like for an organisation like ours? 
  • How do we balance short-term operations with long-term goals? 
  • How do we do it without disrupting daily operations or losing the trust of our people? 

Management knew what they wanted. They wanted a unified, professional Asset Management setup ready for future regulatory requirements and commercial opportunities. They just didn’t know how to get there.

The Challenge: Different companies, different systems, one goal

Our client was facing several challenges: 

  • Critical maintenance knowledge lived in the heads of a few experienced employees
  • Data quality was uncertain – nobody knew if they could trust their own records
  • Operating in silos with limited transparency into each other’s operations 
  • No unified strategy for managing assets across the organisation
  • Different software systems that didn’t talk to each other 

If a key employee retired, decades of knowledge would walk out the door. If a system failed, there was no backup and no continuity. If one of the four businesses decided to do something, it would create conflicts with the others. If regulators asked for documentation, it was scattered, inconsistent, and unreliable. 

The company needed to transform the separate business units into one professional and integrated organisation, before it created irreversible problems. 

Our Approach:  We started with the real asset - the people

Asset Management strategies don’t fail due to lack of skills, but when people are left out. We ensured broad involvement and commitment.

Phase 1: Listen to everyone 

We conducted a full assessment across all organisational levels. From shop floor technicians to executive management. This revealed something critical. There was a significant gap between how work was perceived by management and how it was executed in practice. Managers thought they had control. Technicians knew they didn’t. 

Phase 2: Find the truth in the data (or lack of it)

We evaluated: 

  • Asset management maturity across all 4 companies 
  • Data quality and reliability in existing systems 
  • IT and software landscape – which systems added value, which created friction 
  • Knowledge concentration risks – who knew what, and what would happen if they left?
  • Governance gaps and decision-making bottlenecks 

Phase 3: Build the roadmap together 

We didn’t disappear and return with a final plan. We built it with the people who were going to use it. 

We worked closely with technicians and operators, showing them how changes would make their work easier and the organisation more resilient. Instead of handing over the answers, we guided the team towards solutions. This created real ownership. People understood why the changes mattered and felt they had a say in how things were done. 

Knowledge from experienced employee was captured, practical insight was shared, and decisions were made together. The result was commitment across the organisation. With people becoming part of the solution, not a barrier to it. 

The Solution:  A complete transformation roadmap

What we delivered:

1. Maturity and data quality assessment 

We evaluated Asset Management capabilities and identified critical gaps in processes, systems, and governance. 

2. Complete IT and software landscape review

We analysed which systems should be retained, shared, or phased out to support one common way of working. Not different systems fighting each other. 

3. Risk identification and improvement roadmap 

We pinpointed vulnerabilities and opportunities across the organisation, from knowledge concentration to data reliability issues. 

4. 3–4-year implementation roadmap

A step-by-step plan for executing the transformation without disrupting daily operations. Clear milestones, responsibilities, and requirements. 

How we work differently 

Most consultants deliver a plan and disappear. We don’t.  We stayed engaged through the implementation. When questions arose, we were there. When people struggled with new processes, we coached them through it. We captured knowledge from experienced employees. We documented critical maintenance procedures. And created training materials. 

We made sure the system served people, not the other way around. We didn’t force everyone onto one rigid system. We designed processes that fit how people actually work – then chose systems to support those processes.

Results: A framework that’s still driving the business today

The strategic plan became the foundation for how the company works today. The entire organisation now operates as one unified entity with shared systems, processes, and a common language around Asset Management. 

Key outcomes: 

  • Reduced operational risk – Knowledge documented, dependencies eliminated, and backup systems established 
  • Improved transparency and decision-making – Clear governance meant faster, more confident decisions 
  • Stronger resilience - By reducing dependency on individuals 
  • One organisation, one culture – The companies that once operated individually now work as a unified organisation, sharing knowledge, aligning decisions, and working towards common goals. This reduces costs and increases efficiency. 
  • Commercial readiness achieved – Prepared for future partnerships and regulatory requirements 
    As a direct continuation of the strategy project, our client later engaged us to implement a CMMS for a new innovative facility, further validating the long-term value of the foundation we helped establish. 

Key deliveries 

  • Maintenance Maturity Assessment 
  • Vision and Strategy 
  • Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP) 
  • Execution and implementation roadmap
  • IT and system landscape review 
  • Compliance support – ISO 55001

Let’s ensure your assets produce tomorrow, today.

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