The EEF Future Manufacturing Awards, launched last year are designed to recognise excellence in four categories: innovation, enterprise, environmental responsibility and skills development. They are intended to reward world class performance and celebrate the excellence which exists throughout manufacturing.
Following the regional awards which took place in November all the regional winners met in London’s Dorchester Hotel yesterday afternoon for the national awards ceremony hosted by Declan Curry, presenter of BBC Two’s Working Lunch.
Newly appointed Chief Executive of EEF Terry Scuoler said:
“Manufacturers make a valuable contribution to the UK economy. EEF Awards programme proves that even in the toughest economic conditions UK manufacturers continue to break down barriers, reinvent the rules and reach out for new opportunities. We have a manufacturing industry we can all be proud of and should celebrate it more.”
The other winners included a Newcastle based company who have attracted more than 50 ex service personnel to their company to help fill their skills gap, a famous South West handbag manufacturer who started an apprentice programme to attract more young people to their company and a fridge manufacturer who increased sales by 20% after launching their new range of environmentally friendly products.
Chair of the Judging panel Professor Steve Evans, Professor of Life Cycle Engineering at Cranfield University said it was important to showcase the best in manufacturing after a year of negative headlines for the sector.
“EEF Awards defy the doom merchants and show us just what UK manufacturers are capable of. Because they work day in and day out with so many of the UKs manufacturing businesses, EEF knows better that most that this sector is far from dead. The awards prove UK manufacturers are vibrant, pugnacious and ready to face challenges.”
In total six company awards were made yesterday:
The Innovation Category sponsored by Infor
Innovative Working Practices – for the company that has designed and delivered innovation in production and business management
Winner: Eschmann Holdings Ltd (Lancing, West Sussex)
In July 2008 Eschmann Holdings won its biggest ever contract, supplying 300 operating tables to Iraq. Visa difficulties made it hard for Iraqi engineers to enter the UK so Eschmann’s engineering and export support teams travelled to Beirut to train Iraqi engineers and hospital doctors.
The project’s success also depended on a number of key suppliers. The company therefore introduced a new Quality Assurance Programme to ensure quality and regulatory compliance further down the supply chain. Despite the major challenges that comes with a contract involving Iraq, not least the difficulty or transporting goods in to the country, Eschmann’s teamwork approach and project management ensured that the goods were delivered 2 months ahead of schedule.
Innovative People Practices – for the company that has improved business performance and the working environment
Winner: Siemens Energy Service (Newcastle)
Siemens developed its own training capability following detailed analysis which showed 30% of the company’s work force would need to be replaced due to retirement within 15 years. This meant that the business would need to hire 400 tradesmen in that period.
By taking the provision in-house the quality of training has improved as well as the ability to train more apprentices. This means that the business is now attracting 20 apprentices per year rather than the 6 it used to attract. The retention rate for engineering apprentices at Siemens is now 85% which demonstrates the success of the business’ approach as the UK average is 60%.
The business was also able to attract around 50 very capable people from the armed forces by working with the resettlement agencies.
The Environment Category sponsored by British Gas
Environmental Achievement Award – for the company that has done most to improve operational efficiency while reducing its environmental impact.
Winner: Framptons Ltd (Somerset)
Framptons is a thriving family business with a heritage in the egg industry. In the last ten years it has diversified into contract packaging of liquid food. As the business has grown, so has its carbon footprint. In 2007 the company set about to reverse the trend. In its bid to become the most carbon efficient company in its sector Framptons has halved its carbon footprint, reduced waste-to-landfill by 80% and saved over one million kWh of energy – all in only two years.
Climate Change Opportunity Award – for the company that has done most to seize the business opportunities presented by climate change
Winner: Foster Refrigerator ( Windsor, Berkshire)
Foster Refrigerator has long been setting the pace for low carbon performance in the commercial refrigeration industry, pioneering the use of hydrocarbon as an environmentally friendly refrigerant in the 1990s.
Its latest ‘Eco Pro’ range of products, which are an advanced range of ‘green’ refrigeration products, reduce carbon emissions and are 50% cheaper to run than any of its competitors’ products. As a direct result of these new products the company has seen a 20% increase in sales through its dealer network and government sector.
The Enterprise Category sponsored by Westfield Health
The Business Growth Award – for the company that has achieved the most dramatic growth
Winner: MTL Group (Sheffield)
Between 2006 and 2008 MTL invested around £5 million in new machinery, including a robotic press that’s three times faster and more accurate than the manual system it replaced. Despite the recession the investment has led to the company doubling sales and a 700% increase in exports in the last two years.
The Skills Award – for the company that has done most to harness the talent of its people –
Winner: Mulberry Company (Somerset)
Mulberry Company famous for manufacturing Mulberry handbags were given the Skills award after creating a new apprenticeship in leather goods manufacturing with Skillfast, the Learning& Skills Council (LSC) and Bridgwater College.
The apprenticeship was created after the company became aware that 50% of their production staff were due for retirement within ten years. Following the establishment of the apprenticeship Mulberry has gone from was struggling to recruit anyone in 2006 to a situation where today it has a waiting list of 70 people waiting to join its Somerset production team.