Turnarounds · Turnaround ManagementA turnaround needs someone in charge.
Whether turnaround, outage or shutdown: from definition to closeout, one role is responsible for safety, quality, schedule and cost – and holds the entire organisation together.
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Overall leadership
the leading role in the TAR organisation
Definition to closeout
the same responsibility throughout
Operator's side
extended arm, independent of contractors
400+
turnarounds and projects supported
The role
The leading role in the TAR organisation
A turnaround is the most demanding maintenance event in a plant's life: in a tight time window, hundreds of people from dozens of trades work at the same time – under time pressure, with strict safety and permit requirements and with little float. Each specialist role is responsible for its own part – one role is responsible for the whole.
The turnaround manager heads this organisation – and is involved from the very start. In the definition phase, the turnaround manager decides how the shutdown is set up; in planning, builds the organisation for it; in preparation, puts the controls in place; in execution, leads every day; at start-up, hands over to operations in an orderly way; and in closeout, brings the shutdown to a close, including lessons learned for the next one.
Swipe sideways to view →The specialist roles each cover one section – the turnaround manager is involved across all six phases.
This leads to the most common confusion: turnaround management is not scheduling. Scheduling delivers the plan – the turnaround manager leads on that basis. This role makes the daily decisions, resolves conflicts at the interfaces, manages changes and keeps everyone involved in sync. That is how many individual activities become one coordinated sequence.
We provide the turnaround manager and – depending on the size – the complete team. We act as the operator's extended arm and align every decision with the safety, quality, schedule and cost of your plant. And we come from execution, not from the textbook: we know what works in the plant.
Scope of services
What we take on
Setting up the TAR organisation
Already in the definition phase: roles, responsibilities, interfaces and reporting lines are defined and brought together with objectives, scope, the outline schedule and the contracting strategy.
Operational shutdown leadership
Daily control on site: decisions at the interfaces, clear escalation paths and a reliable status report for the operator.
Coordination of trades & subcontractors
Mechanical, piping, E&I, scaffolding, insulation, cleaning and inspection are meshed into one sequence – including interface and handover management between the companies.
Stakeholder management
Business, operations, maintenance, HSE, contractors and partners as well as the authorities at one table – with clear communication and reporting lines and a language everyone understands.
Scope & change control
Additional work arising from inspection and repair is assessed, prioritised, scheduled in and documented – without losing sight of the critical path.
Readiness & clearances
Isolation management and work permits are prepared in good time and agreed with operations – safety is built in from the start, not added afterwards.
Start-up coordination
Structured handover to operations, orderly completion of punch-list items and a safe, traceable restart.
Closeout & lessons learned
The shutdown does not end with the restart: punch-list items, documentation and cost closure are completed, and the experience gained is evaluated for the next turnaround.
What you gain
What you gain
Clear leadershipLess waiting time and friction at the interfaces – instead of many isolated decisions.
Controlled changesAdditional work is brought in systematically without disrupting the sequence.
Safety runs alongsideClearances and work permits are managed like any other activity, not added as an afterthought.
Full transparencyA reliable status report – the operator knows at all times how far the shutdown has progressed.
A clean finishDocumented transition to restart, including lessons learned.
Our approach
Six phases, one responsibility
01
Definition
The turnaround manager is involved from the start – even before planning begins. In the definition phase, the turnaround manager brings together objectives, scope, schedule framework and contracting strategy. This is where it is decided how the shutdown will be set up.
02
Planning
The decisions become an organisation: which roles exist, who reports to whom and where the interfaces lie. Scheduling, scope management and technical planning build on this.
03
Preparation
Operational control is set up: communication and escalation paths are clarified, scheduling, scope and contractors and partners are aligned, and approval processes are put in place. So the turnaround does not start with open questions, but with a well-rehearsed leadership model.
04
Execution
We lead every day: based on progress, inspection results and clearances. Conflicts at the interfaces are resolved, and trades, contractor companies and stakeholders stay in sync. Deviations become visible early and are actively corrected – not explained afterwards.
05
Start-up
We coordinate the orderly handover to operations – with documented status, a punch list and clear responsibility. Scheduling provides the data, management makes the decisions.
06
Closeout & lessons learned
After the restart, the shutdown is brought to a close: punch-list items completed, documentation and cost closure finalised, experience evaluated systematically. So that the next turnaround does not start from scratch.
Context
When operators call us in
Three situations in which external shutdown leadership makes the difference – from long-term preparation to the phone call when things are already stuck.
01Large turnaroundsMany contractor companies working in parallel and a tight window that the whole site is watching.02Temporary reinforcementOperators who want to relieve or expand their operational leadership.03StabilisationTurnarounds in difficulty that need to be brought back on track at short notice.
How does Turnaround Management differ from scheduling?
Turnaround scheduling creates and maintains the schedule – it provides the data basis. Turnaround management leads operationally on this basis: it coordinates trades, subcontractors and stakeholders, makes the decisions on site and keeps everyone involved in sync. The two interlock, but they are not the same.
Does ep-cm provide the turnaround manager or a whole team?
Both – from a single turnaround manager to a complete control team with shift, area and interface coordinators, depending on the size and complexity of the shutdown.
When should the turnaround manager come on board?
As early as possible – ideally in the definition phase, when objectives, scope, schedule framework and contracting strategy are set. Then the TAR organisation is built as one from the very beginning. But we can also join later, and even step into a turnaround that is already under way to stabilise coordination.
Does ep-cm always act in the operator's interest?
Yes. The turnaround manager reports to you, not to an executing trade. ep-cm is owner-managed and independent of contractors – we align every decision with the safety, quality, schedule and cost of your plant and act as the operator's extended arm.
Does ep-cm work with our existing contractors?
Yes. We coordinate your trades and subcontractors regardless of who provides them – our contribution is leadership and integration, not replacing proven partners.
Does the responsibility end with the restart?
No. The turnaround manager sees the shutdown through to closeout: open punch-list items, documentation, cost closure and the structured evaluation of the experience gained. It is exactly this last step that decides whether the next turnaround runs better – and it is exactly this step that is most often skipped in practice.
What does Turnaround Management cost?
We bill by the hour, by day rates or at a fixed price – we work out together which model fits. A turnaround manager who supports the phases before the shutdown is something different from a complete team in shift operation. In the free initial call, we look at your situation and propose a suitable team and a price.