Industry Forum Summer 2012 Newsletter
Public support for a better UK Manufacturing Strategy
New research shows that the public overwhelmingly agree that the UK needs a strong manufacturing base. The public sees manufacturing as a high-tech sector requiring high levels of skills. Voters of all persuasions agree that the Coalition is not doing enough to support manufacturing and they also favour the targeting of sectors of national importance. The research was carried out by the Centre for Industry and Government at the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge Universty in partnership with YouGov-Cambridge.
The results of the survey are not all good news. There is a lack of faith in manufacturing jobs, as they are thought to be the first to leave the country and not to pay as well as other industries. In fact manufacturing jobs are paid on average £5000 a year more than the equivalent work in service industries.
There is also confusion over how large the UK manufacturing sector is. Estimates range from virtually zero to over 80% of GDP. The correct figure is around 13-15% of GDP. But new research from the US Department of Commerce shows that manufacturing has a powerful effect on the rest of the economy with each extra £1 of value added in manufacturing creating £1.40 extra value added in the rest of the economy.
The public in the UK is strongly in favour of rebalancing the economy towards manufacturing. This includes getting a better balance between the North and the South. While there is also support for policies which select certain manufacturing sectors as priorities, there is little faith that governments are able to carry out such policies effectively.
The survey also shows that the public believes that manufacturing jobs are liable to move overseas. The truth is that foreign owned manufacturers in the UK contribute at least half the value added and their level of output has been increasing steadily for decades – much faster than UK owned factories. Total employment in this sector has been stable.
The Institute for Manufacturing recommends that efforts to improve the image of manufacturing should acknowledge that the public has a clear image of manufacturing as being high technology and demanding high levels of skills. They also suggest that future campaigns on manufacturing need to address the current public narrative of low wages and low job security so that careers in manufacturing are represented accurately.
Successful Total Productive Maintenance Seminar
On the 15th March 2012 Industry Forum hosted a Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) seminar at the Jaguar Visitor Centre in Birmingham. The seminar was attended by delegates from a variety of industries including automotive, aerospace and food processing.
The seminar focused understanding on the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) TPM model, based on eight pillars.
After overview presentations Outokumpu, Sheffield, UK and OCV USA gave case study presentations on their TPM implementation programmes and the results achieved.
Feedback from the delegates was very positive and the seminar was concluded by the delegates touring the Jaguar Land Rover facility.
A further seminar has been arranged for the 5th July 2012 in Birmingham. For further information visit the Industry Forum website at www.industryforum.co.uk
Industry Forum website redesigned
The Industry Forum website has recently undergone a redesign better reflecting the new branding identity and corporate strategy imperatives of Industry Forum.
The new design is cleaner and crisper in its design, utilising a choice of ‘soft’ colours and bold sharp graphics to enhance the overall user experience.
The website continues to perform well and allows Industry Forum to post up to date content pages, articles and industry news along with all IF activities and upcoming training courses via its events calendar.
The recent introduction to the website of the IF Forums allows users to register for free and join in conversations on topics such as Total Productive Maintenance, ISO/TS16949 and VDA 6.3 Process Audit. To join in the forum discussions go to www.industryforum.co.uk/forum
Japan Best Practice Visit November/December 2012
Learn from the best in Lean production!
The Japan Best Practice Visit programme allows delegates to experience first-hand what the best Japanese companies are doing and how they are achieving their international reputation for leaders in Quality, Cost and Delivery (QCD) performance.
The programme will take place between 23rd November 2012 and 1st December 2012. Places are limited to 20 delegates per programme and typically would be aimed at Vice Presidents, Directors and Senior Managers.
If you would like more information on the programme please visit the Industry Forum website www.industryforum.co.uk or contact us by telephone on +44 (0)121 717 6619 or email jbpp@industryforum.co.uk
VDA 6.3 Process Audit
VDA 6.3 is a tool developed by the German automotive industry for undertaking comprehensive, in-depth audits of an organisation’s product realisation processes. Undertaking a process audit against the requirements together with a structured scoring criteria allows comparisons with internal and external benchmarks, as well as identifying opportunities for continual improvement. Many vehicle manufacturers mandate their suppliers use VDA 6.3. Volkswagen have clarified their position in relation to VDA 6.3 in their supply base. Their expectation is that suppliers are performing VDA 6.3 process audits annually using qualified auditors. This became effective in Feb 2012 and forms part of their Customer Specific Requirements (Formel-Q).
As well as being the only UK based organisation to provide licensed training we are now an approved stockist of VDA 6.3 manuals in English. Follow the link on the VDA 6.3 page of the IF website to download an order form and submit to oversight@industryforum.co.uk to receive your new copy of the 2010 version.
We’re hosting additional open courses this year, both Module BII and Module E. Module BII is a three day training course for internal process auditors. We’re adding a course in July (9 – 11th). This will be at our Learning Centre at the Industry Forum office in Birmingham. The additional Module E course is scheduled for August 20th – 24th, again at our Learning Centre in Birmingham. This 5 day course includes the VDA exam day which qualifies successful participants as second party auditors, giving them a VDA qualification to carry out VDA 6.3 audits in their supply base. We’re also holding lots of closed courses. If an organisation requires more than 5 people to be trained, it would be more cost effective to host a closed course on your site, where you provide the delegates and facilities and we provide the training. Please contact Sophie at oversight@industryforum.co.uk if you would like to enquire about any of our VDA 6.3 training.
Finally, our VDA 6.3 online forum is up and running. It’s free to register and use. You can find it at www.industryforum/forum
Industry Forum becomes an approved provider of sanctioned MMOG-LE Training
Customer demands for shorter lead times and reliable delivery has created a need for faster, more flexible, and more efficient flow of information and products throughout all tiers of the supply chain. Business logistics plays an increasingly significant role in the competitive environment and only through continual improvement can an organisation ensure lower costs and increased customer satisfaction. It is essential that Material Planning and Logistics processes are controlled and monitored to ensure internal and external customer expectations are met and to drive continual improvement through the supply chain.
What tools are available to measure the effectiveness of the logistics process?
In the automotive industry, The Materials Management Operations Guideline/Logistics Evaluation (MMOG/LE) defines that a common, industry-wide set of best practices can help to improve delivery performance.
MMOG/LE is an assessment tool used to measure and improve materials planning and logistics efficiency within a manufacturing facility. It is designed to eliminate supply-related delivery risk for all partners within the supply chain. The intent of the MMOG/LE is to validate the organisation has robust material planning and delivery processes in place to support overall business objectives.
Vehicle manufacturers including Ford, GM, Chrysler, PSA, Volvo Car and Volvo Truck require annual submission of their suppliers’ score and/or assessment. Although the tool was developed for the automotive industry, it can be used by any manufacturing organisation to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of their processes.
Organisations can use the assessment tool for:
- Internal assessments
- Assessing current internal processes
- Benchmarking current state/ best practices
- Driving continuous improvement
- Promoting supplier development
Industry Forum is the only UK provider approved by Odette to deliver sanctioned training. To find out more about the assessment tool visit www.odette.org
To find out more about the training available visit www.industryforum.co.uk or contact Industry Forum training on +44 (0)121 717 6619
Meet The Team
Name: Dave Durbin
Job Title: Sector Manager, Automotive
In my position as Sector Manager I am responsible for the development and management of the automotive sector within Industry Forum. I lead a team of highly skilled and experienced engineers on complex and varied programmes with the key automotive clients.
I originally trained as a Mechanical Engineer, graduating with a BEng from Southampton University. I started my professional career at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK on their graduate scheme before being promoted into Project Quality Engineering. This role helped me to develop an in-depth knowledge and first-hand experience of TPS and its application in the supplier base as well as in the plant.
I worked with cross functional teams to ensure suppliers were ready for production trials and start of production ramp up volumes with quality products. This involved working closely with designers, suppliers, logistics, quality, operations and engineering internally and externally. This role allowed me to see the benefit of using practical problem solving techniques, trial planning, and production readiness processes to ensure everything ran smoothly at start of production of the new vehicle at the correct cost, quality and timing.
Following the successful model launch, I took the opportunity to do a snowboarding season and a world tour, working at a Toyota garage in New Zealand for several months to learn how it felt to strip down and service the vehicles instead of assembling them!
My next position was the Operational R&D Brand Development Manager at Mars Inc. within their most innovative and profitable market. This allowed the opportunity to focus on customer requirements/research, product quality, product design and process engineering. I helped in implementing a €6m new technology production line into the factory, supervising operations on shift and ensuring the rest of the supporting functions performed as a team to commission the new line. This role improved my ability to develop a strong link between customer requirements and operational process controls.
I joined Industry Forum as an Engineer in August 2005 and have since worked across most industry sectors to engage teams in continuous improvement activities. I have gained a broad base of knowledge and experience having worked with many SMEs through to large companies including Rolls-Royce, BMW, Jaguar-Landrover, Magna Automotive, Howdens Joinery, Findus, Electrolux, and KPMG. The main (and fun) part of the role is to use a blend of people skills and technical ability to ensure development of employees as well as company-level performance improvements, developing bespoke approaches to the challenges faced at each client, whilst using the principles and tools of continuous improvement.
I am now looking forward to further develop IF’s role within the automotive sector to support and develop the OEMs and their supply chains to ensure that the UK remains competitive in the global market.
Plant & Asset Management Expo 2012
Industry Forum recently exhibited at the Plant and Asset Management Expo 2012. The main theme of the event was optimising profitability by striving for optimum asset availability, efficiency and reliability through processes such as Total Productive Maintenance, Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) and Leadership Development and Training.
Industry Forum’s expertise in all of these fields, along with being one of only six JIPM approved JIPM TPM Assessment Agencies outside of Japan, meant that Industry Forum had a lot of knowledge, expertise and advice to bring to the delegates over the course of the three day exhibition.
