Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a comprehensive, company-wide strategy focused on optimizing the performance of production equipment: zero breakdowns, zero defects, and zero accidents. 

Originating in Japan, particularly influenced by the work of Seiichi Nakajima, TPM engages all employees—from the shop floor to top management—in maintaining and improving the overall effectiveness of production equipment.

As advocated by the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) in 1971, the core principles of TPM are:

• Comprehensive Efficiency: The goal is to build a corporate culture that pursues the maximization of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) throughout the entire production system lifecycle.

• Zero Losses: It establishes a mechanism to proactively prevent all types of losses, including zero accidents, zero defects, and zero equipment failures. This is done through on-site, practical implementation.

• Total Participation: All employees, from top management to frontline workers, participate across every department—including production, development, sales, and administration—to achieve zero losses through collaborative, small-group activities.

In essense, the concept empowers operators and drives continuous improvement, transforming the "I use, you maintain" mindset to "I use, I maintain." This collaborative strategy enhances productivity, quality, and safety across the organization.