Factory optimism is in the upper stratosphere. More than 80% of sites are upbeat over business prospects next year – a 30% swing from 2012. Nervous whispers of recovery have become a commanding roar. Good riddance recession, God bless recovery.
As you finalise the 2014 hoshin planner ahead of the upturn, it's worth seeking inspiration from a great manufacturing case study. Step forward St Nicholas Manufacturing of Reindeer Industrial Estate, Lapland.
St Nick's is a benchmark in manufacturing brilliance. Near limitless product diversity from fur slippers to Furbies, turned around in 24-day lead times and delivered to a global customer-base over 24 hours. Just in time manufacturing eat your heart out.
Factory boss, St Nicholas – or Father X as he goes by on to the shopfloor – is the ultimate management idol. If you think it's hard finding decent maintenance engineers near Manchester then imagine trying to recruit elves with first-rate toy assembly skills to a site somewhere within the Arctic Circle.
At Saint Nick's you never hear Donner or Blitzen bad-mouthing the boss in the canteen. Father X is all about engagement. He bellows his company mission statement until his belly wobbles: Deliver happiness to all the good little boys and girls. Every elf knows it and relishes December's unpaid overtime.
Come Boxing Day, the boss is straight out to the shopfloor. A pat on the back for another successful year and first dibs at enough mince pies and brandy to last until next Christmas.
Avuncular, altruistic and eternally jolly, there's a lot of Father Christmas in all of you; a kindred spirit who knows what it's like when half the world stops believing you even exist. We shrug shoulders and, whether it's aftershave or GDP growth, carry on leaving some wonderful gifts under the nation's Christmas trees. Ho, ho, ho – Merry Christmas!
