In 2025, pharmaceutical manufacturers face increasing pressure to maintain compliance, reduce downtime, and optimize asset utilization. Choosing the right EAM software (Enterprise Asset Management software) is one of the most important decisions for pharma companies, as it directly affects compliance, productivity, and profitability.
This article explores the top EAM platforms available today, why they matter in regulated industries, and why Mainpac stands out as a leader in pharmaceutical asset management.
What is Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)?
Before diving into the list, let’s define the basics.
Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) is the structured approach to managing a company’s assets throughout their lifecycle — from acquisition and operation to maintenance and disposal. An EAM platform goes beyond traditional CMMS by supporting compliance, risk management, predictive maintenance, and integration with ERP, MES, and quality systems.
For pharmaceuticals, EAM software ensures that assets like reactors, HVAC systems, cleanrooms, and calibrated instruments are properly maintained, validated, and audit-ready. Without it, compliance gaps can lead to costly recalls, failed inspections, or production shutdowns.
Learn more about pharmaceutical asset management with Mainpac.
Why Pharmaceutical Companies Need EAM Software
Pharma operations are asset-intensive and highly regulated. Without a strong enterprise asset management system, companies face risks such as:
- Regulatory non-compliance (FDA, EMA, GMP, 21 CFR Part 11)
- Production downtime due to unplanned equipment failures
- High maintenance costs from reactive repairs
- Poor visibility of spare parts, calibration schedules, and asset history
- Inconsistent audit trails that fail regulatory inspections
Modern EAM management solutions mitigate these challenges by integrating compliance-first workflows with digital monitoring and predictive analytics. For example, a well-implemented enterprise asset management software can automatically flag calibration tasks, generate digital audit trails, and provide full transparency across global manufacturing sites.
Pharmaceutical Compliance Made Easy: Top EAM Software 2025
1. Mainpac EAM — Purpose-Built
Mainpac’s EAM products are designed specifically for regulated industries like pharmaceuticals. Unlike generic asset management tools, Mainpac is engineered with GMP compliance and FDA 21 CFR Part 11 in mind.
Key strengths include:
- Asset Information Model (AIM): A structured digital framework for asset configuration, hierarchy, and change control.
- Compliance-ready workflows: Built-in audit trails, e-signatures, and validation support aligned with global standards.
- Calibration management: Ensures instruments and equipment remain accurate and inspection-ready.
- Predictive & preventive maintenance: IoT-driven analytics to reduce unplanned downtime.
- Rapid deployment: Can go live in as little as 3 months.
- Integration: Seamlessly connects with ERP, MES, and LIMS systems for full operational visibility.
Looking for a pharma-ready EAM platform? Contact Mainpac today and secure compliance and uptime in 2025.
2. Fiix
Fiix is a cloud-based maintenance platform often marketed as EAM software. Its biggest advantage lies in affordability and simplicity, making it attractive for smaller organizations that don’t require advanced compliance capabilities.
However, in pharmaceuticals, Fiix falls short. It operates more like a CMMS, focusing on work orders and scheduling rather than full enterprise asset management. Pharma firms that need features like audit-ready calibration tracking and secure electronic signatures will find these missing or insufficient.
✅ Good for: Small teams with straightforward maintenance needs
❌ Limitation: Not designed for pharma — lacks GMP-specific compliance and Part 11 readiness
3. eMaint
eMaint is another widely used solution that positions itself as an EAM platform. It offers solid reporting, work order management, and some flexibility through customization.
That said, its customization-heavy nature becomes a challenge for regulated industries. To meet GMP compliance, validation, and calibration scheduling, eMaint often requires significant effort, additional modules, or external integrations. This increases both cost and deployment timelines, making it less suitable for pharmaceutical operations where compliance needs to be immediate and reliable.
✅ Good for: General manufacturing industries seeking broad flexibility
❌ Limitation: Requires extensive setup and validation work for pharmaceutical compliance
4. Maintenance Connection (Accruent product line)
Maintenance Connection has been a popular choice among mid-market organizations for years. It offers strong reliability for facilities management, with tools that cover work orders, scheduling, and preventive maintenance.
But when compared to pharma-focused enterprise asset management software like Mainpac, its limitations are clear. Maintenance Connection lacks advanced predictive maintenance features, deep integration with quality and laboratory systems, and dedicated GMP compliance workflows. This makes it better suited for facility-focused maintenance teams rather than highly regulated pharma environments.
✅ Good for: Facilities and mid-sized maintenance teams
❌ Limitation: Not optimized for pharmaceutical operations or regulatory compliance
5. IFS Ultimo
IFS Ultimo is a European-origin EAM software known for its modular and industry-agnostic approach. It provides flexibility to organizations that want to build out their asset management solution step by step.
While this modularity is attractive for some, it can be a drawback for pharma companies. Deployments are often lengthy, and the platform doesn’t specialize in pharmaceutical compliance. Features like audit-ready trails, electronic signatures, and calibration management are not core strengths, leaving pharma users with gaps to fill.
✅ Good for: Organizations looking for a customizable, flexible system
❌ Limitation: Long deployments and lack of pharma-specific compliance focus
How to Choose the Best Enterprise Asset Management Software
With so many options on the market, not all EAM software is created equal — especially for highly regulated industries like pharmaceuticals. The best enterprise asset management system is one that not only streamlines maintenance but also ensures compliance, audit readiness, and long-term scalability. Choosing the right solution can be the difference between smooth operations and costly regulatory setbacks.
When selecting an EAM enterprise asset management solution, consider:
- Compliance readiness – Does it support audit trails, e-signatures, and validation for GMP?
- Calibration workflows – Can it manage instrument accuracy, traceability, and alerts?
- Integration – Does it connect with ERP, LIMS, and MES for end-to-end data visibility?
- Deployment speed – How fast can you implement and achieve ROI?
- Scalability – Can it support multiple facilities across global operations?
By aligning your selection with these factors, pharma companies can safeguard compliance while driving efficiency.
Best Practices for EAM Management in Pharma
Implementing an enterprise asset management (EAM) system in a pharmaceutical environment goes beyond scheduling maintenance — it’s about safeguarding compliance, ensuring product quality, and maintaining operational efficiency. To get the most value from your EAM software, pharma companies should follow these best practices:
- Start with critical assets: Focus on equipment that directly affects product quality, safety, or compliance.
- Validate early: Engage QA teams during configuration to ensure workflows meet GMP standards.
- Train users thoroughly: Standardize processes for maintenance, calibration, and reporting.
- Integrate systems: Link your enterprise asset management software with ERP, QMS, and MES to eliminate silos.
- Adopt predictive maintenance: Shift from reactive to proactive strategies, reducing unexpected downtime.
- Leverage analytics: Use reporting tools to forecast failures, optimize spare parts, and prove ROI.
Conclusion
The right EAM software is more than just a maintenance tool — it’s the backbone of pharmaceutical compliance and operational efficiency. While solutions like HxGN, Accruent, and Prometheus offer strong features, Mainpac’s EAM platform stands out as purpose-built for pharma, delivering compliance readiness, predictive maintenance, and rapid deployment.
Don’t settle for generic maintenance tools.
Request a Pharma-Focused Mainpac Demo today and see why Mainpac is the #1 EAM software for pharmaceutical companies in 2025.
FAQ
Q: What is EAM software in the pharmaceutical industry?
EAM software, or Enterprise Asset Management software, is used by pharmaceutical companies to manage equipment, maintenance, calibration, and compliance. It ensures assets are reliable, audit-ready, and aligned with GMP standards.
Q: What is an Asset Information Model (AIM) in an EAM platform?
An AIM is a structured digital model of all asset data, including configuration, hierarchy, and changes. In an EAM platform, AIM helps pharmaceutical manufacturers maintain traceability and compliance across equipment lifecycles.
Q: What does 21 CFR Part 11 mean for enterprise asset management software?
21 CFR Part 11 is an FDA regulation for electronic records and signatures. An enterprise asset management system must include audit trails, user authentication, and secure e-signatures to comply with this standard.
Q: Why is calibration management important in EAM asset management software?
Calibration management ensures that critical instruments in pharma manufacturing stay accurate and compliant. EAM asset management software tracks calibration schedules, alerts teams, and stores results for inspections.
Q: How do audit trails in EAM management support GMP compliance?
Audit trails in EAM management record every change to asset data, including who made it and when. This creates a transparent, tamper-proof record that regulators require for GMP compliance.
Q: What is predictive maintenance in enterprise asset management systems?
Predictive maintenance uses IoT data and analytics within an enterprise asset management system to forecast equipment failures. This reduces downtime, cuts costs, and ensures pharma assets stay within compliance limits.
