Here we talk to Richard Watkins, of Delos Partnership, about why he is backing the event. In keeping with the event’s theme, he also reveals his manufacturing superhero.
Why are you backing the MMS?
We are backing the MMS because they are looking to support best practise in UK Manufacturing industry, and create a great opportunity to share ideas and latest thinking at this event. We provide education and facilitation in helping UK companies improve performance through better customer service, better productivity and better profitability, and so it was natural for us to take up the opportunity of having a stand and a couple of speaking opportunities to share ideas. A few years ago we had a guy come from Malaysia to our courses, and we sent him to all our best clients. When I asked him why he was doing this he said “Because in Malaysia if we do not have a job, then our families starve. We want to understand how we can implement best practise, so we can compete better against you in a global market.” Competition has never been so fierce across a global climate in which the economies are not doing so well. Just selling things, or trading currencies does not add value. Manufacturing does. If our manufacturing industry is more competitive we will add more value to our economy.
How important is it to get out of the factory to pick up best practice ideas? What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given doing this?
Too many people within companies stay inside their companies thinking that there are no radical solutions that can be applied to their company. “We are unique; we do not need to change”. When I was in ICI – an agricultural chemical company – we were urged as part of a business improvement programme to go and visit Rolls Royce, Formica [table tops], Gleason’s [machine gears] and York International [air conditioners], which were completely different companies. But we learnt a phenomenal amount from them about how to change systems, processes and above all the culture of an organisation. We learnt about JIT/Lean and ERP II, and TQ/Six Sigma etc. All tools that we could apply. If we had not got about we would have let our ignorance stifle out ability to improve.
Who is your manufacturing superhero and why?
Sir John Harvey-Jones. He was a charismatic chairman of ICI back in the 80’s. He believed in manufacturing. So many companies struggle to put in place effective planning systems and processes. He once said “Planning is an unnatural process; it is much more fun to do something. The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression.” He did a great TV show called the “Troubleshooter” where he visited as a “consultant”.
Walking around a company, he went up to a Team Leader on the shopfloor and asked him how long he had worked there. “Forty Years” came back the reply. “You must have seen a lot of change in your time, then?” “No, none at all” said the team leader!
