Get in touch – we will reply within one working day and look at your situation together with you.
Outside view
neutral, independent of executing trades
Analysis to implementation
on request, until the measures take effect
Action plan
prioritised, with impact and responsibility
400+
turnarounds and projects as our base of experience
Why an outside view
The difference starts with implementation
Turnarounds and projects rarely fail because of a single trade. They fail because of organisation, interfaces and preparation – exactly where well-established teams find it hardest to recognise their own patterns.
An experienced, independent outside view brings two things: a comparison with what demonstrably works in comparable plants, and the courage to state uncomfortable truths before they become expensive during the shutdown. Consulting here is not an end in itself but risk prevention.
Swipe sideways to view →Analyse, evaluate, recommend – that is as far as a report goes. In the fourth step, it turns into results in the plant.
We don't advise from the textbook but from execution: our recommendations come from people who have planned, controlled and carried responsibility themselves – and therefore know what holds up in the plant and what only works on a slide.
Scope of services
Where we start
We start where experience is lacking or a neutral view is needed – and deliver not just a diagnosis but actionable measures.
Maturity & readiness analyses
A structured assessment of organisation, processes and planning quality – on request with the TAR-Check, which makes maturity measurable across clearly defined elements.
Benchmarking
Comparing key figures and approaches against reliable best-practice values. This turns a gut feeling into a substantiated assessment.
Organisation & process design
Clear roles and responsibilities, sound governance and clean milestone and FEL logic – the structure on which predictable shutdowns are built.
Turnaround & project strategy
Shutdown concept, contracting strategy and resource model, aligned with your plant and your portfolio – including the question of what stays in-house and what is better placed externally.
Lessons Learned
Structured follow-up that does not let findings fade away in a report but turns them into concrete improvements for the next shutdown.
Many consulting projects build on the TAR-Check: 16 analysis elements, three days on site, benchmarking against the industry and best practice. The assessment then rests not on impressions but on a traceable evaluation – and every later measure can be measured against it.
It is not a must. If the question is narrower or things need to move faster, we analyse through interviews and a review of documents and data. The TAR-Check is a building block – a strong one, but optional.
Interviews with those involved, review of documents and data, a look at organisation, processes and planning quality. On request structured along the 16 elements of the TAR-Check.
02
Evaluate
The results are compared against reference values from hundreds of turnarounds and projects. Impressions become a substantiated assessment – showing the places where things really get stuck.
03
Recommend
Not a paper report that ends up in a drawer, but a prioritised list of actionable measures – each with a clear impact, clear responsibility and a clear sequence.
04
Implement
On request, we don't stop at the recommendation: we support the improvement programme until the measures have become everyday practice.
What you gain
What you gain
ObjectivityThe outside view, backed by experience from execution.
ReliabilityBenchmarks instead of assumptions: a comparison against what demonstrably works.
FeasibilityPrioritised, concrete measures instead of theory – with responsibility and sequence.
Practical relevanceRecommendations from people who have planned, controlled and carried responsibility themselves.
ResultsOn request, we support implementation until it holds up in the next shutdown.
Context
When operators call us
Typical occasions where an experienced, neutral view makes the difference – the list is not exhaustive. We step in where we are needed – and support implementation for as long as you want.
01Before a major turnaroundWhen the project is bigger than anything the organisation has handled before.02After a difficult shutdownWhen it is clear that things did not go smoothly – but not exactly why.03When building or restructuring the organisationWhen roles, responsibilities and processes are being reorganised.04As an independent reviewWhen a leadership team needs an honest look at the current state.
We advise on the operator's side: ep-cm is owner-managed and belongs to no group that supplies executing trades. Our recommendation is based on what your plant needs – even if that means less scope.
Does this always require a TAR-Check?
No. The TAR-Check is the most structured way to make the maturity of your turnaround organisation measurable – and the foundation for many consulting projects. It is not essential: we also analyse through interviews and a review of documents and data when a more compact assessment is enough or the question is narrower.
Does ep-cm also support the implementation of its recommendations?
Yes – and that is the point at which advisory work succeeds or fails. On request, we support the improvement programme until the recommendations have become everyday practice – for as long as you want.
When is turnaround consulting worthwhile?
After a shutdown that went badly, before a particularly large turnaround, when building or restructuring the organisation – or when a leadership team needs an honest look at the current state.
What does consulting cost?
That depends on the scope: a compact review is something different from an improvement programme across two shutdowns. We charge by the hour, by day rates or at a fixed price – we work out together which model fits. The initial call is free of charge.
Our glossary explains technical terms from the shutdown and project business – 59 entries, each linked to the relevant service.
What would an honest look reveal?
Get in touch – we will reply within one working day and look at your situation together with you. The initial call is free of charge, and the result is guaranteed to be honest.