Start-up is an activity in which a facility, a specific part of the facility, has completed the pre-commissioning and commissioning and is ready for operation to ensure the design specifications and operational requirements are met including the trial activities.
The start-up of a new facility has technical and management challenges where operation personnel must familiarize themselves with new equipment, systems, processes, and technologies. A successful initial start-up requires good planning, competent teams, good leadership and direction, as well as proper completion of pre-commissioning & commissioning. A poorly managed initial start-up can reduce the return on investment (ROI) of the project as it delays revenue streams, increases labour and material costs, as well as compromises safety and business reputation.