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Purpose The trend of outsourcing heavy equipment maintenance, including belt conveyor installations, is on the rise. Owners and operators of such systems, on the other hand, face a difficult problem in finding a competent contractor to whom these maintenance services might be outsourced. This study proposes a framework for selecting a suitable contractor for the outsourcing of maintenance of belt conveyor installations. Design/methodology/approach Through a review of the literature, field visits and expert opinion, this article defines the selection criteria for contractors performing outsourced maintenance tasks on belt conveyor installations. To pick the best contractor among options, a hybrid structural methodology incorporating AHP and PROMETHEE-II is used. Findings The article has identified seven criteria that affect the selection of maintenance contractors for belt conveyor systems, including financial health, organizational strength, service track record, maintenance service quality, personal skills, tools and equipment support and health, safety, and environment. Each criterion is built upon several sub-criteria. AHP methodology has been used to rank the selection criteria and the methodology of PROMETHEE-II has been used for selecting the best contractor among alternatives. Practical implications A comprehensive list of selection criteria for outsourced maintenance activities of belt conveyor installations has been established. Following that, a framework for selecting the best contractor among alternatives is created. This will assist the organizations that own and operate these installations in making informed decisions about the hiring of suitable maintenance contractors. Originality/value Using the input of various stakeholders, this research considerably contributes to the literature on outsourcing maintenance of heavy machinery installations such as belt conveyor systems. Such a study will lead to the formulation of guidelines for the selection of maintenance contractors.
Parmar et al. (Fri,) studied this question.