If you believe you are running a highly competitive manufacturing plant, then you would surely look for some recognition for all your managers and employees who have contributed to that achievement. Maybe, despite your success, you are not so sure how your operational performance compares with other companies in your sector and you wish to benchmark yourself. Either way,
Entry to the awards programme is free and confidential. All participants receive a highly valuable and detailed 40 page benchmarking report comparing aspects of their plant's performance with the average for their sector – again totally confidential. This detailed analysis, containing over 80 tables of comparative information would be difficult to obtain elsewhere, and is regarded by many manufacturers as the most compelling reason to enter.
And of course if you enter, you might just turn out to be one of the major award winners: these include awards for health, safety and environmental performance; people management; supply chain excellence; innovation; for the best small company; and for the most improved factory for those who have entered previously. You could win your industry sector award category outright, and possibly, become the winner of the coveted Factory of the Year title.
The Best Factory Awards, run by Works Management magazine in partnership with Cranfield School of Management are now in their 16th year. This prestigious and well known awards programme is designed to recognise and celebrate excellence in UK manufacturing operations. Equally important, it also aims to help those companies that seek to reach the highest levels of performance. The benefits of entry are huge.
The programme culminates in the awards luncheon at the prestigious Park Lane Hilton, in London on the 21st September.
But to reach that stage, you have to enter. This involves the completion of a detailed questionnaire. The best companies in each category will then be invited by Cranfield School of Management to take part in the second stage of the judging process – a site visit by a team of expert assessors.
The closing date for entries is 30th March, so I urge you to act now and contact Maggie Bridge, the awards co-ordinator at Cranfield School of Management, to request an entry questionnaire. Tel: 01234 754498, Fax: 01234 752691 or email: m.bridge@cranfield.ac.uk
