AEV benefits from NSAPI business partner service
The UK’s largest electrical varnish and resin manufacturer is encouraging ‘bottom up innovation’ after signing up to a ‘pay as you go’ organisational development service from the industry’s national skills body.
Sixth generation family business AEV, which was established in 1849 in Birkenhead, is putting 60% of its factory floor workforce through subsidised Gold Standard training in a bid to improved productivity, quality, efficiency and cost throughout the business.
The company employs 28 staff and is the UK’s largest manufacturer of electrical varnishes and resins, exporting to 60 countries and with subsidiaries in Spain and Malaysia.
Registered to ISO BS EN ISO 9001:2008, AEV runs continuous regulatory compliance training, and also carries out ad hoc technical and generic skills training, the majority of which is internal and non-accredited.
Managing director, Jonathan Kemp, explains the company’s skills history: “Traditionally, we have always maintained a training plan of sorts, but without the benefit of a clear development framework.
“We got involved with the National Skills Academy Process Industries via a Manufacturing Advisory Service event, where we met Regional Skills Manager, Roger Langford. The Academy’s new business partner service is ideal for our needs, and we immediately saw the value of committing to it.
“Basically we are benefitting from the equivalent of a sector-specific organisational development specialist for around £100 per month. For a relatively small company like ourselves, without those in-house skills, it’s an absolute no brainer when you look at the return on investment.”
One of the most immediate opportunities the Academy spotted was a way of cascading the results of a MAS lean manufacturing programme which its production manager had attended.
Roger Langford explains: “This was an excellent programme, and AEV had done some work on disseminating the results, however there was a big opportunity to really maximise on that investment by integrating that new knowledge right through the shop floor.
“As a follow on, we are now helping AEV take six of its ten factory floor staff through national Gold Standard Chemical Process Operator NVQ Level Two, and three supervisors through Business Improvement Techniques NVQ Level Three.
“This will give individual recognition, to a national standard, and encourage everyone’s buy in to lean manufacturing. The ultimate result will be improved productivity, quality, efficiency and cost control throughout the business.
Jonathan is clear about where he sees the business partner service adding value: “Process improvements will come not from some edict issued from the top, but from the people who actually do the job, and that in turn will come from their self-confidence.
“In a long-standing business it takes time and thought to change the legacy mindset.
“We want to encourage a culture where our people feel they can say: ‘I know we’ve always done process X this way, but I’ve had an idea about how we can do it more efficiently.’ That’s when we will see real, bottom up innovation and improvement.”
The current NVQ L2 and L3 programme is expected to take between six to 12 months, and Roger has identified a subsidy to offset the cost. This will fund up to 70 hours per person, spent out of the factory on training.
Article provided courtesy of Chemicals Northwest www.chemicalsnorthwest.org.uk
