What does MRO mean?

MRO stands for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations. It covers everything an organization uses to keep its physical assets — machinery, facilities, and equipment — functioning, without being part of the final product it sells. This includes spare parts, lubricants, safety equipment, tools, and consumables.

Why MRO matters

MRO activities directly affect equipment uptime, worker safety, and operating costs. Poorly managed MRO inventory and maintenance schedules lead to unplanned downtime, higher repair costs, and increased safety risk — which is why MRO is closely tied to EHS and process safety programs, not just procurement.

Types of MRO

  • Preventive maintenance — scheduled inspections and servicing to avoid breakdowns
  • Corrective maintenance — repairs made after a fault or failure occurs
  • MRO inventory — spare parts, consumables, and tools kept on hand to support maintenance work

References