What if you could eliminate 80% of your unplanned downtime? What if you could justify a new reliability technology with a payback period measured in months, not years? Those are the kinds of insights and tools you’ll gain at the 2025 SMRP Annual Conference, October 6–9 in Fort Worth, Texas.
As someone who has been involved with SMRP and SMRPCO since the 1990s, I can attest: this annual gathering is more than a conference – it’s a launchpad for professional growth, organizational improvement, and measurable results. And this year, I’ll be there in my role as an Editor for Reliable, covering the best of what’s new and what works. Here are eight important reasons why you should attend too:
1. The Best Forum for Real-World Learning
SMRP’s conference is built around real case studies, not abstract theory. You’ll hear stories like how XYZ Manufacturing reduced unplanned downtime by 15% through predictive analytics, or how a pharmaceutical company improved wrench time by 20% through streamlined work planning. These aren’t academic exercises; they’re practical, field-tested solutions you can adapt to your own operation.
2. A Chance to Benchmark and Raise Your Game
I’ve spent much of my career helping organizations close the gap between average performance and world-class reliability. The conference provides a mirror, showing you where you stand compared to peers across industries. You’ll leave knowing whether your maintenance costs, asset availability, and safety performance are ahead of the curve or lagging behind it.
3. Keynote Perspective that Resonates
This year’s keynote, Lt. Col. Jason O. Harris (USAF, Ret.), will deliver a powerful session on trust, leadership, and high-performance teams. As reliability professionals, we often focus on technical systems, but cultural leadership is just as critical. Harris’s insights align perfectly with the human side of reliability, where execution lives or dies.
4. Networking that Pays Dividends
The conversations you’ll have at SMRP are career accelerators. Maybe it’s in the hallway with someone who’s solved the very problem you’ve been wrestling with. Maybe it’s at the reception where you connect with a peer who later helps you benchmark a new CMMS implementation. This isn’t just networking for its own sake; it’s relationship-building that translates directly into avoided mistakes and faster wins.
5. Tools, Technology, and Talent
The exhibit hall is where you see the future of our craft. This year, expect to explore:
- AI-powered vibration analysis that detects faults weeks earlier than traditional methods.
- Digital twins of pump systems, shown live in demo environments.
- IoT-enabled lubrication management, eliminating the guesswork from one of the most common causes of equipment failure.
If you’re evaluating investments, this is the safest place to kick the tires side-by-side, with your questions answered.
6. Professional Development and Certification
Having been involved with SMRPCO since its early days, I can attest to the rigor and credibility of SMRP’s certifications. Earning a CMRP, CMRT, or CAMA credential changed the trajectory of my own professional journey, and it will do the same for yours. Certification isn’t just a credential on paper; it’s proof of your mastery in a competitive marketplace.
7. How to Justify Your Trip to Your Boss
Let’s be practical: most of us need to make the business case for attending. Here are three points that resonate with managers:
- Reduce costs: Learn how leading organizations have cut unplanned downtime by 10–20%—improvements that translate into millions of dollars annually.
- Accelerate ROI on technology: Discover how new tools like AI-based condition monitoring deliver paybacks in under 12 months.
- Avoid costly mistakes: Build a network of peers to troubleshoot issues, benchmark performance, and validate investment decisions.
In short, the cost of attendance is dwarfed by the business value it enables.
8. Fort Worth as the Backdrop
Fort Worth isn’t just a convenient location, it adds context to the event. This year’s program includes an optional tour of a local manufacturing facility, where attendees can see precision maintenance principles in action. Beyond the conference center, Fort Worth’s industrial heritage and modern energy sector provide a living case study of resilience, adaptation, and innovation, mirroring the very themes of SMRP.
Bottom Line
The SMRP Annual Conference is not a calendar filler; it’s a force multiplier for you and your organization.
With my long history of engagement with SMRP and SMRPCO, I’ve seen countless professionals use this gathering as the catalyst for advancing their careers and delivering measurable business results. This year, I’ll also be covering it through my editorial lens at Reliable – capturing and sharing the insights that matter most.
If you aim to improve reliability, reduce downtime, embed precision maintenance, and create measurable business value from your asset base, then Fort Worth in October is where you belong. I’ll be there. Will you?
