freshbaked looks across the bridge for expansion
The business improvement specialist of the freshbaked Group – freshbaked Business – has been awarded contracts with Swindon-based Dynamatic and Bristol-based Sanoh and Warburtons to deliver world-class training techniques that set out to improve the overall productivity and efficiency of the manufacturing operation.
Expansion into the south west of England has come about quicker than anticipated due to a demand from the Learning Skills Council for good quality training providers in the region to carry out its Train to Gain and Apprenticeship services which aim to address the skills needs of organisations across England.
Since it was established as a division of the freshbaked Group in 2006, freshbaked Business has quickly built up a strong history and excellent reputation in Wales for this specialist training and has since continued to see a growing demand for its services in the manufacturing sector.
Working closely with SEMTA – The Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies – and the Welsh Automotive Forum, the company has been able to demonstrate how eliminating waste, reducing process variation, driving cost out of products and preventing defects can dramatically improve the business performance of an organisation.
Earlier this year, freshbaked Business was given the accolade of being selected as the first accredited training provider in Wales by the National Skills Academy for Manufacturing (NSAM) and has since been chosen as one of the lead training providers in the Welsh Assembly Government’s new ProAct scheme, which provides funding for training to those organisations facing difficulties during the recession.
Steve Allcock, managing director of freshbaked Business, says: “Over the years, we have built up a solid reputation for delivering business improvement techniques to the manufacturing sector in Wales and it is great that our hard work and success here is now being recognized across the bridge.
“While there is only a river that separates us, there are different funding pots and initiatives for us to get use to, but we are really looking forward to the challenge. Just as we have made a big impression in the Welsh market, I’m confident that our team of experts will be able to do the same in England and work with the organisations there to significantly increase their ability to compete successfully in the ever changing global marketplace.”
Moving freshbaked Group’s business plan forward by two years, the strategy is to follow the same model of success that the company has achieved in Wales by establishing and building the reputation of one division of the Group in England before moving in the other complementary divisions.
Says Richard Matthews, managing director of the freshbaked Group: “Our expansion into the south west of England is testament to both the hard work of our talented staff and our approach to market. One of the main reasons why freshbaked exists is because it is our belief that we make a difference, particularly within saturated markets where there is a demand for a quality-driven product or service.
“The success that we have already accomplished in the markets in Wales has proved that our approach of ‘making a difference within a saturated market’ is a winning formula for us and we’re now ready for the next challenge of taking our style of business across the border.
“Through having a Group of complementary businesses, the cross promotional opportunity into our client base for each division is immense and introducing freshbaked Business into the west of England will allow the rest of the freshbaked Group to achieve the next level of desired growth. Once we have cracked that market, we will look to move into other English regions following the regions of the Learning Skills Council.” |
