To improve equipment maintenance, Japan imported from the USA various maintenance approaches such as preventive maintenance (PM), productive maintenance (also PM), maintenance prevention (MP), reliability-centred maintenance (RCM), and so on.

TPM is the Japanese adaptation of these American concepts. The Japanese introduced PM in the 1950s. Prior to this they reacted to breakdowns. Since 1964, the Japanese Institute of Plant Maintenance has awarded the prestigious Distinguished Plant Prize (PM Prize) to companies which have demonstrated significant achievements in their implementation of maintenance activities. Today the award is based on TPM implementation.

Often in the West, maintenance activities are characterised by a well established division of labour:

The most important features of TPM are:

• Activities to maximise equipment effectiveness. The aim is to increase productivity by maximising output, minimising input, improving and maintaining equipment at optimum levels to reduce the life cycle costs (LCC). Improved cost effectiveness is achieved by eliminating the six big losses:
  
  
  Downtime
  • Breakdowns
  • Set-up and adjustment
  
  
  Speed losses
  • Idling and minor stoppages
  • Reduced speed
  
  
  Defects
  • Quality defects
  • Reduced yield from start-up
  
  
  
• Autonomous maintenance by operators. The key innovation is that operators perform basic maintenance on their own equipment. They maintain their equipment in good running order and develop the ability to detect potential problems before they cause loss.
  
  
• Company-led small group activities. It involves the participation of all staff in the quest to eliminate the six big losses.