Maintenance
Implementing a multi-site connected fieldworker solution - a BlueScope case study
%20(1).png)
At a glance:
- BlueScope is one of the world's leading manufacturers of metal-coated and painted steel building products.
- In 2021, BlueScope launched a global initiative to digitally transform their asset management and improve overall performance across people, processes and assets.
- Critical to the success of this digital transformation was digitally connecting maintenance teams in the field with office systems to enable digital work execution and quality data capture.
- BlueScope implemented Obzervr's Digital Work Management Solution as their connected field worker solution globally.
- To ensure the successful rollout and adoption of their connected field worker program, BlueScope took a staged approach to implementation, collaborated with Obzervr as their technology solution provider, engaged frontline teams early, and ensured leadership alignment and management support right from the start.
BlueScope is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of metal-coated and painted steel building products. With operations in 15 countries, over 160 sites, and a workforce of more than 16,500, BlueScope plays a vital role in the global construction supply chain. In Australia, they are the largest steel manufacturer, and in New Zealand - the only one. Their products include Colorbond, Deckform, Truecore, Zincalume, Lysaght, Enduro Frame, Xlerplate, and Galvaspan.
In 2020, BlueScope recognised the impact to operational efficiency globally of maintenance and operations teams still using paper-based checklists, forms, and logs for maintenance inspections and repairs.
For BlueScope this manual and paper-based approach was leading to:
- sub optimal storage of records
- fault reporting delays
- manual and double-entry of data into systems such as SAP
- limited visibility into asset health
- lack of data to enable predictive maintenance.
BlueScope's Asset Intelligence Program: a vision for digital transformation
In 2021, BlueScope launched its Asset Intelligence Program to address these challenges by digitising their asset management and empowering their workforce with technology and data.
The initiative was designed to deliver strategic transformation by:
- introducing 5 key digital platforms: Asset Strategy, Asset Information System, Connected Field Worker, Safe System of Work, Predictive Maintenance
- improving data collection through connectivity (IoT sensors and mobile devices)
- enhancing resource capability, and
- improving data visualisation and sharing.
And aimed to:
- Shift maintenance from preventative time-based maintenance to condition-based prescriptive maintenance
- Deploy smart wireless devices for real-time monitoring of assets
- Use advanced analytics tools to visualise and evaluate asset health
- Eliminate or automate routine manual tasks associated with asset management
- Transform data into useful and easily accessible information
- Build digital capability and literacy across their workforce.
For BlueScope, this wasn’t just a technology upgrade - it was a strategic digital transformation project focused on improving its people capabilities, processes, and overall operational performance.
The critical component - connecting field workers
Connecting field workers with business systems was critical to the success of this program. In late 2021, BlueScope partnered with Obzervr to run an initial non-integrated Proof of Concept project of Obzervr's Digital Work Management Solution as the mobile-first solution for inspections and servicing. Following the successful POC, BlueScope commenced the roll out of Obzervr including integration with SAP.
For BlueScope, Obzervr’s Digital Work Management Solution provided:
- A mobile-first solution with an intuitive mobile app and offline functionality
- Real-time data capture and auto-syncing back to SAP and other business systems
- Seamless integration with SAP ECC R3
- Structured data capture for improved accuracy
- Full audit trails and historical data for asset health trending.
With Obzervr, Technicians were now able to create notifications on-site without having to wait for desktop computer access or Supervisor input. This transformed how maintenance was being performed across sites.
The following video steps through how BlueScope's maintenance teams use Obzervr to complete daily and weekly maintenance tasks digitally - significantly streamlining their maintenance operations and enabling quality data captured at the source.
How BlueScope successfully implemented a multi-site connected fieldworker solution
At the 2025 Mainstream Conference, BlueScope's Stoj Naumoski and Mustafa Atax presented a live session on how the organisation rolled out the connected field worker solution. They also shared their insights and learnings on how to achieve a successful implementation (and importantly) widespread adoption of new technologies:
1. Triangle of Success: BlueScope's rollout strategy was built around a 'Triangle of Success' which ensured alignment between the leadership, digital execution, asset strategy, and operational delivery teams.
2. Staged Implementation: BlueScope took a staged and collaborative approach to implementing their connected field worker solution to ensure high engagement and minimal disruption. The staged approach started with the initial Proof of Concept run in their demo environment. POC pilot project helped inform the scope to roll out Obzervr across business units and integrations with business systems.
BlueScope's key learnings and improvement opportunities:
Following the rollout of their connected field worker solution as part of their Asset Intelligence Program, BlueScope identified the following critical success factors and improvement opportunity recommendations to others:
- Don’t digitise everything at once: Start with high-impact areas to avoid confusion and complexity.
- Learn before you launch: Use sandbox environments to test and refine workflows.
- Engage users early: Select devices and workflows based on frontline feedback.
- Avoid dual systems: Running paper and digital in parallel creates confusion - commit to the transition.
- Integrate early: Don’t wait to connect with other systems like SAP; do it in parallel with your Obzervr implementation.
- Support matters: Management backing and dedicated resources are essential for success.
.png)
The results: efficiency, accuracy, and empowerment
Following the successful pilot project run at their Port Kembla site, BlueScope commenced rollout of Obzervr across sites globally which is already returning the following benefits:
- Real-time fault reporting
- Faster issue resolution
- Elimination of double data entry and paper-based processes
- Improved visibility into asset condition and maintenance history
- Improved data accuracy and full audit trails
Additionally, BlueScope has achieved a cultural shift - empowering its workforce to become digitally literate practitioners and embedding continuous improvement into its operations.
Ready to start on your own connected field worker journey?
At Obzervr, we help maintenance teams move from outdated, paper-based processes to full digital work execution, and connect field technicians with office teams to help them work smarter, safer and more efficiently.
With over 100 years of combined asset maintenance experience, our team understands the day-to-day challenges that maintenance teams face, and how technologies and automation can streamline workflows, boost efficiency, improve safety, reduce asset downtime and deliver actionable insights from quality data.
That’s why the Obzervr Digital Work Management Solution has been built to be highly configurable and fast to implement - allowing asset intensive organisations to digitally transform maintenance and be fully integrated with their office systems in as little as 90 days.
GET STARTED WITH A DISCOVERY SESSION
Book a 30-60min introductory discovery session with our team to explore how Obzervr can help you drive productivity gains fast.
During this initial online session, we'll:
- Discuss what your organisation’s priorities and challenges are
- Then provide an overview of Obzervr’s Digital Work Management Solution based on what you want to acheive
- Walk you through our 90-day implementation approach that makes digital transformation faster and easier.
