Robert Sladek is an industry expert in Fixed-Equipment Mechanical Integrity (FEMI) with more than 35 years of experience in the petrochemical, chemical, and refining industries. Robert has held a wide range of roles, including NDE examiner, inspector, FEMI turnaround coordinator, maintenance inspector, Chief Inspector, FEMI Program Manager, and RBI SME. He has extensive experience RBI technology and has positioned himself as a leading RBI expert.
Robert has led or supported more than 100 RBI implementations, reassessments, and related mechanical integrity projects. He has strong project management and data management skills. Robert focuses on applying industry best practices and integrating practical technologies to deliver unique solutions.
Experience
In January 2026, Robert founded Sladek Asset Integrity, LLC after serving six years as Senior RBI Expert at Becht Engineering, where he played a key role in building and growing the company’s RBI practice. He developed efficient tools and work processes that improved team performance and delivery quality while representing Becht in the API SCIMI 581 Task Group.
Previously, Robert held a senior consulting position at Asset Optimization Consultants (2016–2020), where he specialized in RBI program consulting, implementations, and revalidations using platforms such as PCMS and GE APM (including the GE APM 580 / Lloyd’s Capstone methodology). He is a certified Risk Analyst for Lloyd’s Capstone and GE APM software.
His career began in 1988 working as an NDE Examiner, specializing in shear wave ultrasonics and interning as a visual inspector. After API 510 certification in 1992, he held hands-on inspection support roles for turnarounds and capital projects (1993–1999), followed by roles at EOTT (formerly Enron) as Maintenance Inspector and later Mechanical Integrity Supervisor/Chief Inspector across multiple sites (1999–2003). From 2003 onward he worked as a corporate engineering resource at Bayer. At Bayer, he made strong contributions to RBI program development, including a major implementation at the Baytown, Texas facility. He later served as a MI Principal Specialist, supporting global sites and representing Bayer in API standards development.
Certifications
Robert holds five API certifications:
He earned a Master Certificate in Project Management from the University of Houston in 2013.
Industry Involvement
Active in the FEMI community since 2012, Robert has contributed to the API Subcommittee on Inspection and Mechanical Integrity (SCIMI), serving in various leadership roles. He has participated in the API Inspection Summit since 2014, including roles as RBI Track Lead (2019) and Vice-Chair (2022). His insights have appeared in multiple articles in the Inspectioneering Journal.
Based in Taylor Lake Village, Texas, Robert is committed to helping operators strengthen their mechanical integrity programs through practical solutions.