The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR) will be expanding its value-added lineup of remote condition monitoring / diagnostics systems in North America (website).

The focus in this area helps address criticisms that Timken has been slow to add some of the industry's more profitable advanced condition monitoring systems, predictive maintenance systems, and related diagnostic and reliability services.

SKF has led the bearing industry for many years in this area, proving the value-added proposition in several key areas -- particularly CM, remote CM, troubleshooting and diagnostics -- is not only profitable but also serves to better leverage the company's existing customer base. Also unlike SKF, which has broken out a separate reporting division for its value-added services, Timken's are under Distribution and Services.

Timken's service, "will improve predictive maintenance activities for machinery used in heavy-industry and power-transmission markets, including metals, pulp and paper, food, mining, power generation, chemical processing and cement."

The move takes Timken into the market, head-to-head with similar services from SKF and others, offering wired, wireless, and web-based systems.

Timken describes the lineup and its customer advantages :

    Chief among the service’s benefits are the elimination of data collection inconsistencies and the speeding of planning and prioritization of repairs.
    It also leverages both Timken’s current predictive maintenance engineering network and its expertise in machine repair and maintenance. Timken’s own certified technical-service engineers collect, analyze and interpret the data. Timken’s reliability solutions are designed to help eliminate the guesswork from maintenance to increase customer profitability. Its proven solutions reduce maintenance costs, unexpected failures, repair and overhaul time and spare parts inventories.
    Among Timken’s current offerings are hand-held devices, wireless and remote monitoring systems, condition monitoring systems, consulting and reliability services.

Dan Muller, President of Timken Distribution and Services, described their offerings within the framework of the general application: "This service goes beyond data collection to focus on machine diagnostics and process improvement -- the steps that drive improved machinery reliability. It’s an extension of our strategy to improve our customers’ performance through a wide array of products and services -- from bearings, lubricants, seals and tools, to reliability solutions and predictive maintenance."