Not even disruption on the West Coast Mainline could prevent 200 of the country’s leading manufacturers heading to Manchester for the fourth annual Manufacturing Champions Awards.
The strongest field of entries in the event’s history filled the ballroom at the Midland Hotel in the city centre, with teams and indivduals present from factories across the length and breadth of Britain – from Portsmouth to Inverness, and everywhere in between.
Everyone was in agreement: it’s a good time to be part of Team #ukmfg, and an honour to do something you love and go home after each shift with the satisfaction of producing a tangible, value-adding product.
The only thing attendees agreed on more vehemently was the major skills shortage facing our great sector – something that Manufacturing Management editor Chris Beck highlighted to delegates. In his opening speech, Chris threw down a gauntlet to all those present: to make skills a top priority for the coming 12 months.
“You guys are best placed to inspire the next generation,” he said. “Be proud about what you do, and shout about the great work you are undertaking in your sites. No pressure, but the future of the manufacturing industry may well rest largely in the hands of people like you.”
If the class of 2017 is anything to go by, though, there’s nothing to worry about. The day’s nine category winners all gave off an inspirational air: from the Skills and Community Champion Award Winner, Ian Green of Nissan Motor Manufacturing, who has played a major role in encouraging young people, from all backgrounds and vulnerabilities, into STEM subjects, to Rising Star Kodi Gledhill of Coca-Cola European Partners’ site in Wakefield, who has been driven by her proactive attitude and eagerness to learn, taking on many different projects and helping to inspire others – and in particular females – to look at a career in manufacturing.
Our class of 2017 join an illustrious list of UK manufacturing champions honoured at the awards since 2014. This year’s grand final had begun with awards host and TV presenter, Steph McGovern interviewing two of last year’s award winners.
The panel consisted of John Coughlan, operations director at TSP Engineering, and 2016 Manufacturing Leader award winner, and Chris King, product line manager at Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems, who heads up last year’s winning Manufacturing Team. Both highlighted how their success has seen businesses grow and prosper, with Coughlan highlighting the positive impact the award has had in attracting new orders to the company.
Many people working outside of industry may believe that ‘the UK doesn’t make things any more’, but the Manufacturing Champions Awards finalists nip that thought in the bud. On the evidence of the talent on show this year, UK manufacturing has a bright future – a thought to warm the cockles on what was a cold and wet December afternoon.
The team at Manufacturing Management would like to extend our congratulations to all our Manufacturing Champions winners and shortlisted finalists.
Entries for the 2018 awards will open in June, and, if you have a team, individual or project that is deserving of recognition, then we strongly encourage you to enter. The awards offer the chance to shine a light on the people in your site who are making a difference and deserve national recognition.
And the winner is…
Manufacturing Leader Award Winner: Kenny Macfarlane,
Handrail Creations
Manufacturing Team Award
Winner: Waste Reducation Team, DEB Ltd
Manufacturing Team Award
Highly Commended: Coca-Cola PET Lines, Coca-Cola HBC
Safe Workplace Champion
Winner: Fraser Rankine,
Farne Salmon & Trout
Safe Workplace Champion
Highly Commended: Lee Dale, PEME
Skills & Community Champion
Winner: Ian Green,
Nissan Motor Manufacturing
Skills & Community Champion
Highly Commended: Jim Wallace, Arconic Manufacturing (GB) Ltd
Employee-led Innovation Award Winner: Philip Edwards,
Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems
Unsung Hero
Winner: John Dawson,
Fogarty Filled Products
Rising Star
Winner: Kodi Gledhill, CCEP
Rising Star
Highly Commended: Daniel Blake, TrakRap Limited
Maintenance Award
Winner: Business Unit 2
Maintenance Team, Weetabix
SME Innovators Award
Winner: OEM Sales & Engineering, Elfab Ltd
