Local manufacturer completes biggest BIT project

At a time when the manufacturing sector as a whole is said to be in decline, one local manufacturing company is proving the importance of investing in staff by successfully completing the biggest business improvement project in the UK.

At a time when the manufacturing sector as a whole is said to be in decline, one local manufacturing company is proving the importance of investing in staff by successfully completing the biggest business improvement project in the UK.

Fifty four staff from brakes manufacturer Continental Teves have achieved the NVQ level 2 in Business Improvement Techniques (BIT).

The national qualification awarded by EAL, the UK’s leading awarding body for engineering and technology, and supported by SEMTA – The Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies – explores the concept of continuous improvement and helps employees apply world class tools and techniques.

Aided by Lean and Six Sigma specialists’ freshbaked Business, staff at Continental Teves have demonstrated how eliminating waste, reducing process variation, driving cost out of their products and preventing defects can dramatically improve the business performance of an organisation.

Steve Allcock, managing director of freshbaked Business says: “Not only have the staff at Continental Teves successfully completed a national qualification which will be recognised and be transferrable in future employment but they have made significant improvements to the processes at the factory through the application of the new techniques they have learnt.”

The training which took place over the last 18 months both improved productivity by eliminating non - value added activities and boosting employee morale and motivation through the participation in the programme.

Tom Whyatt, managing director at Continental Teves, comments: “This is a huge achievement for the team and I’m very proud of everyone involved. This qualification has required a great deal of commitment from our staff who have supported each other tremendously over the past eighteen months and the success of this project is down to their tenacity and enthusiasm.

“We have received first class support from freshbaked throughout this project and without their dedication and professional input none of this would have been possible.”

Says John Gazzard, an external verifier at awarding body EAL: “The primary objective of the Business Improvement Techniques NVQ is to improve business performance as a whole. This can only be done by empowering the people that make up the organisation. Both the management team and staff at Continental Teves have embraced this programme which is testament to their success.”