Monthly Archives: August 2021

News

5 ways to increase employee productivity

Ensuring productivity is at its highest throughout the workforce is extremely important and impactful to a businesses performance, which is why it should always be a top priority to make sure that employees have the best support and materials that will allow them to be the most productive they can possibly be. 

Since employee engagement and retention is key to business success, organisations are always asking how to increase productivity and work efficiency. Increasing employee productivity doesn’t always mean spending a lot of money. It is important to start with the small things as these will build your success. Rewarding employees for small wins or mini-milestones will encourage them to go the extra mile at work and will inspire a more productive workforce. Ian Edwards, COO and co-founder of rewards and incentivisation platform, BeeLiked 

Set goals

It is important to sit down and set goals with your employees as they will be more productive if they know what they’re working towards. Ian explains “Employees feel more fired up and motivated to achieve if they know what’s expected of them. Make sure your organisation’s mission and goals are clearly communicated. Encourage employees to use their available productivity tools to carry out assignments and meet targets.” This is the perfect time to introduce and discuss rewards for when employees achieve the goals set for them. A great way to do this is to create a playful rewards program that shows appreciation for the little wins and targets met. The great thing about rewards programs is that they can be ongoing which motivates employees to continue to work productively develop. 

Provide feedback 

Providing detailed feedback to employees provides them with the information they need to improve and will make them want to try harder to achieve their goals. Positive feedback also motivates employees to keep up the hard work and go above and beyond in everything they do. 

Ian explains “Offering constructive feedback is an incredible way to foster employee growth, improve trust and communication and strengthen bonds. To ensure feedback is given and received in the most productive way possible, be sure to avoid giving unsolicited advice, be specific, practice empathy, encourage a two-way conversation and focus on performance, not personality. Instead of waiting for quarterly or yearly reviews, make feedback a regular part of company life. And always be sure to follow up to see if an employee is putting the feedback into action or needs further guidance.”

Create a more productive working environment

A very important factor to increasing employee productivity is ensuring that everyone is working in an environment that encourages productivity. With people returning to work after months of remote working, now is the time to improve the office. Ian explains “Keeping the office clean, sprucing the workplace up with new paint and fixtures, bringing in more natural light, removing clutter, and setting a congenial tone that reflects your organization’s culture are all small steps that make employees feel more comfortable and relaxed which, in turn, makes them more productive. Employment productivity can only be achieved if employees feel they work in an environment which meets their needs and allows them to work at their best capacity.” 

Use productivity apps 

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to consider what else can be introduced into the workplace to increase productivity amongst employees. A great initiative that can be introduced is the use of productivity apps. These are tools employees use at work to make tasks easier and streamline workflows, playing a key role in productivity and work efficiency.

There are thousands of productivity apps available for personal and business use, but the best ones aim to help employees get organised, improve habits, and increase focus. An example of one of the best productivity apps is Google’s ‘G Suite for Business’ which contains Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Meet, and more. It also includes shared calendars, video and voice conferencing, and a team messaging app. It’s all designed to make work more collaborative and productive to achieve great results.

Provide incentives and rewards 

Employers are constantly being reminded to reward employees for their hard work and include incentives to encourage them to work harder. Employee incentive programs keep employees engaged and motivated, and celebrating achievements through rewards will make employees feel appreciated for the hard work they’ve put in, and will inspire them to work harder. Employees who feel appreciated are healthier, experience less stress, and have fewer sick days. 

Gamification is a great way to reward employees and also gives them an incentive to be productive at work. Organisations can use entertaining games such as Spin the Wheel, which employees can win prizes from every time they reach a goal or target set for them to achieve.  

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which methods will work best for your business to encourage productivity, but the key thing to remember is that when employees feel recognized for what they do, their happiness increases and they will inherently work harder for the business to produce great results.

News, Property

Ecogee Complete Works on Award-Winning Baltic View

Liverpool based property services company Ecogee has unveiled the recent completion of one of its most notable projects to date Baltic View.

Following a year of growth for the firm which has seen it double its turnover in the last 12 months to £10million, the team delivered exterior brick-slip and rendering work to the value of £700,000 on the award-winning development project by Crossfield Construction, which has provided 130 new one, two and three bedroom apartments and a total of nine commercial units, all located in the sought after L1 postcode area.

Lead by Managing Director Brendan Helm and Business Development Director Denis Hennigan, Ecogee has seen increases across all of its services, including a number of commercial and residential builds working with the likes of Prima Housing, SSE Energy, Scottish Power and One Vision Housing to name a few. The number of projects undertaken by the firm in the last year has risen by 25% despite ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.

Brendan said: “Despite some minor setbacks as a result of the ongoing pandemic, we are delighted to have completed this major project at Baltic View with the accommodation now seeing its first residential occupants moving in. It was a privilege to be able to work on a site of this scale and in such an iconic and up and coming area of Liverpool, having secured the job after going through a competitive tender process.

“Ecogee has been established for almost nine years now and together Denis and I have over 60 years’ combined experience in construction and energy solutions alongside a team of highly skilled people around us – it was our knowledge and portfolio of past work that I think really set us apart for this job”.

Ecogee was established in 2012 and has since made a name for itself as a leading North West firm providing ECO grants, new build developments for both private and domestic markets, social housing repairs and maintenance and external wall and rendering work.

Brendan added: “Our task at Baltic View was to fit an ‘Aliva System’, a state-of-the-art external wall product that includes Rockwool insulation, silicon render and a unique lightweight brick-slip finish which was all delivered on time and on budget. Our work on this building was the first of any construction site in Liverpool to be given the green light following the first Covid shutdown thanks to the thorough health and safety measures we had put in place. That’s something that we prioritise before and during the build and long into the future, putting residents first.

“External wall insulation is essential to building longevity and safety and in recent years, a number of new legislation and guidance has been put in place. As a company we’ve always worked with the highest quality materials and implemented the best tried and tested construction methods, and the finishes that we work with, such as the brick-slip finish here at Baltic View, are pioneering within the industry with not many organisations offering this service.

“With so many older buildings being investigated and redeveloped due to safety concerns around the outer exterior work, it’s also been a priority to us to ensure that any job that we complete surpasses the requirements and is of the highest standard possible. Not only does a job done right ensure optimum safety and longevity for the building but it’s also much more sustainable meaning that the apartments themselves retain more heat particularly through the winter months.”

 

Events, Hospitality, News, North Wales, Tourism, Travel

North Wales Holiday Park Optimistic about first Post-COVID Festival

GLITTER, face paint, and wellies – those are the items hundreds of holidaymakers will be packing in their suitcases before heading to North Wales this summer! Party in the Park, organised by leading tourism group Lyons Holiday Parks, is set to get the beachside booming in July, and again on August Bank Holiday weekend.

The exclusive event is the first of its kind at the group’s flagship park, Lyons Robin Hood in Prestatyn, and all hands are on deck to help make this one-off event a cracker. With the majority of the UK’s leading festivals on hold for the second year running due to Covid-19 restrictions, Party in the Park organisers are hopeful that this event will bring some much-needed cheer and ‘festival vibes’ to the popular tourist resort this summer.

Guests and owners will be treated to incredible circus acts, fire-eaters, stilt walkers, as well as plenty of performances from the Robin Hood Ranger’s in-house Ents Team. Guest acts such as Dua Lipa and will also be entertaining the crowds.

Martin Mugglestone, Ents Team manager for Lyons, said planning the all-singing, all-dancing festival is bringing some spark back into the park and his team. He said: “I speak for all of us when I say a good outdoor dance, drink, and sing-along is exactly what’s needed. We’ve got everything from live music, entertainment, bars, slush puppies, popcorn, and we really appreciate everyone just wants a good time this summer.”

Marketing manager Chloe Woodcock said the festival is a step in the right direction in terms of the easing of lockdown restrictions. She said: “The fact we can actually have a festival here in North Wales, albeit limited to guests and owners, is just amazing this year. Last summer, so many people were deprived of their favourite summer events, and if we can replicate just a fragment of Glastonbury or Creamfields this year, we’ll be very happy indeed.”

Party in the Park will go ahead on August 8th Sunday, and August 30st  2021 (bank holiday Monday)

News

Waste supports indie gaming clients with innovative new revenue share initiative, called Upstart

Independent creative agency Waste has launched an innovative new revenue-share initiative called Upstart, as it seeks to diversify its revenue streams and support up-and-coming independent gaming clients.

The agency, which also works with many of the world’s biggest AAA games brands including Supercell, Riot, and Nintendo, developed the new model in the face of continued commodification in the ad industry and a need to develop new value-based revenue streams, but also in recognition of the fact that many smaller studios lack the advertising budgets or expertise required to market their games.

Upstart aims to help expand the potential of gaming and entertainment companies by engaging with them through a “freemium” model, where its marketing services are provided completely free-of-charge and in return, Waste receives a percentage of net revenue generated.

Upstart clients can tap into Waste’s 15 years of games marketing experience, accessing expertise across strategy, creative ideation, content production, social media and community management, along with advice on brand positioning and pricing, with no risk involved.

The first client to benefit from the Upstart model is French independent gaming studio RyseUp, which has partnered with Waste to launch the game Roboquest. The game has already had a significant number of “overwhelmingly positive” reviews on Steam (out of just under 2000) and is coming soon as a console exclusive via the Xbox Game Preview program later this year.

Waste is now looking for more high-potential gaming and entertainment clients to partner with as part of the Upstart model.

The initiative is led by Visar Statovci, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Waste.

 

Visar Statovci, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Waste, said: “With commoditisation an ever-present reality in our industry, and the price-per-hour model coming under increased scrutiny from clients, it’s important that creative agencies like us employ their creativity in revenue generation and new ways of working.

“Upstart offers up-and-coming gaming and entertainment brands access to our expertise and industry contacts enables them to maximise their opportunities. The model represents greater value for them as clients as well as helping us to make the shift from “service providers” to true partners.

“It’s fantastic to be able to support passionate indie studios like RyseUp and give them the benefit of our 15 years’ experience, but it’s also hugely energising for our team, who get to play a significant role in the success and journey of new and exciting games.”

 

Milen Ivanov, CEO, RyseUp Studios, said: “The best thing about our partnership with Waste is having the freedom to fully focus on doing what we do best: developing our game. Waste have unlocked opportunities, opened doors and given us access to resources that have allowed us to supercharge the marketing of our game.

“Beyond the hard business benefits, we feel like we’ve built a real partnership with a group of people who are as passionate about what we do as we are. It’s been amazing to get that support, and we’re looking forward to a bright future.”

News

Undy site manager wins leading industry award

A site manager building new homes for Bellway has been awarded a prestigious industry award for his work at a development in Undy.

Bellway’s Mark Symonds, site manager at Greystone Meadows, has won a coveted Quality Award in the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) 2021 Pride in the Job awards programme.

Mark, who has been site manager at Greystone Meadows since building work began in June 2019, has now won nine awards with the NHBC.

The winners of the 2021 Quality Awards were announced on Friday 18 June, following a year-long judging process by NHBC officials.

Now in its 41st year, Pride in the Job remains one of the most highly regarded competitions in the industry, recognising site managers who demonstrate best practice and excellence on-site to build homes of the highest quality.

Mark said: “In over 20 years of being a site manager, I have been fortunate enough to win nine NHBC awards. The expectation for delivering high-quality homes is greater than it has ever been before and to get this award during such a challenging period means a lot to me.

“It has been a tough year and very difficult to keep everything operating smoothly on site, from the supply chain to the scheduling of work, but I am lucky to have a good team at present and I have been very pleased with the workmanship throughout.

“We have 18 months left on site and sales have been going really well. I really do enjoy the work I do and I come to the site every day excited and passionate about what we do. Bellway expects a good quality service throughout, and I would like to think that I am delivering on that.

“We made a really good start to the site and I have been thrilled to win. Timing is really important, as if you are just starting or finishing a site, it is difficult to be nominated, so you can’t win every time. I am looking forward to the next stage of awards and to see what happens.”

Mark will now progress to the next stage of the competition, which will see the winners of the Seal of Excellence and overall Regional Award announced.

Chris Bowen, Construction Director for Bellway Wales, said: “To be recognised by the NHBC is the biggest accolade you could achieve as a site manager, so we are all very proud of Mark and his team on receiving a Quality Award in 2021.

“In a year which has tested everybody in so many ways throughout the construction industry and beyond, Bellway’s commitment to building the highest standard of home remains paramount to our success and Mark has demonstrated that consistently through this most challenging of periods.

“The dedication of all our site managers and their teams is a vital part of Bellway retaining its five-star status with the Home Builders Federation (HBF) for the last five years in succession. Their commitment to delivering homes on time while maintaining the highest level of customer service is a key reason why nine out of 10 Bellway buyers would recommend us as a developer of choice.

“We congratulate Mark and wish him the very best of luck for the Seal of Excellence stage of the awards later this year.”

For more information on homes being built by Bellway, visit bellway.co.uk.

Fashion, News, North of England

Lockdown Baby Mum launches Jewellery Business Inspired by Scandinavian Living

A mum who gave birth alone during the height of the first lockdown has launched a jewellery business inspired by Scandinavian living.

Naz Wilson, gave birth to her 11-month old son, Harry, during the first wave of lockdown in the UK. Due to Covid restrictions she underwent a C-section alone and then spent most of the remaining year shielding.

During this time, she decided to take the next step with her handmade jewellery and launch Eiram Design Jewellery.

Naz said: “I’ve always wanted to design jewellery but never had the courage to take the full step and launch my own online store. During lockdown I decided to take a leap of faith and it’s been going strong ever since”

Eiram Design Jewellery is based in the small market town of Darlington in the North East UK. Naz, who is also currently doing her PhD in Entrepreneurship, specialises in wire wrapped designs.

She said: “I work a lot with different materials, mainly silver and freshwater pearls. I take inspiration from Scandinavia to bring timeless pieces to women at an affordable price. All jewellery is designed and sourced by me and carefully handcrafted to be elegant and lightweight.”

The mum-of-two said the name for her business is inspired by her daughter, Marie aged 6.

“Eiram Design Jewellery is named after my daughter Marie, who is the strongest person I know. Eiram is her name spelt backwards. Marie almost died at birth and was in NICU for weeks.”

She continued: “Marie loves helping me with business advice which can be quite fun because of her raw honesty!”

Future plans include ambitions to have her own jewellery studio and expand her business.

“I absolutely love what I do and hope that I can expand in the future. At the moment I am working on the spring/summer collection.

After a full year of lockdown who knows what the future will bring? All I know is that I am very excited about it”

News

Sedex analysis of global supply chain data reveals insights on gender inequalities in the workplace and the power of data for driving equality goals

New analysis from Sedex, one of the world’s leading ethical trade membership organisations, reveals insights on gender roles within global supply chains from its members, as it calls for all businesses to collect gender data.

Using data that is separated by gender, collected from 42,000 business sites, across 143 countries and 12.5m workers, the analysis highlights that women make up nearly half (43%) of the global workforce, but hold only a quarter (27%) of management positions and a third (31%) of supervisor roles. Women are also less likely to be promoted, with an average of 38% of promotions in the past year going to women and 62% going to men.

The data was collected through the Sedex ethical data platform, which contains information from tens of thousands of businesses within supply chains and millions of workers across the globe. The organisation is using this layer of data to drive initiatives from buyers and suppliers throughout the supply chain, with the aim of improving gender equality within work.

The full findings and analysis can be found in Sedex’s recent insights report <title> launched today.

Commenting on the findings, Jessica McGoverne, Director of Policy and Corporate Affairs at Sedex says: “Without gender data, businesses cannot understand where women are disadvantaged and what progress is being made on women’s economic empowerment. Working with our members, we’re helping them to identify, through our platform, where the gender risks are, and how they can support better working conditions through their partners across the supply chain.

“Inequality between men and women in management positions, for example, can be a barrier to better pay and professional development opportunities, and can also be a factor of increased risks of violence and harassment against women in the workplace.

“It’s therefore never been more important for all parties – both buyers and suppliers – to collect gender data on workers throughout the supply chain. If you have accurate data, you can take action to boost equality for millions of people.”

Jiselle Steele, Private Sector Gender Advisor, Oxfam Business Advisory Service says: “Oxfam’s research shows that to tackle gender inequality in supply chains, companies need to collect the right data. Gender-disaggregated data enables companies along the value chain to identify the workplace issues that disproportionately impact women; understand the barriers to women’s representation; and establish where the gender pay gaps are. This can then be used to support women’s access to dignified work and human rights”.

Female representation in roles and sectors

The report also revealed that in certain sectors and roles, gender imbalances are particularly prominent. These typically follow traditional gender norms of male-dominant and female-dominant industries.

For example, the data revealed that women’s workforce participation is 69% in human health activities, 62% in the apparel manufacturing sector, and 60% in services to buildings and landscape activities (inc. cleaning). However, women make up just 26% in computer programming, consultancy and related activities, 21% in security and investigation and just 14% in specialised construction roles. These three sectors require specialised, more technical skills, and are also typically better paid.

The agriculture and apparel manufacturing sectors have the largest gaps between men and women when comparing workforce composition against the workplace equality data points included in the report. These sectors are also recognised as having labour-intensive and low-skilled work within their supply chains, are reliant on migrant labour, and often have tough conditions that put workers’ health and safety at risk.

Women underrepresented on worker committees

One solution to promote better working conditions for women lies in greater female representation on worker committees. These provide channels through which workers can raise issues and concerns to management. Collective bargaining opportunities provided by worker committees (and other forms of associations) allow workers to drive positive change.

But worker committees don’t always reflect the proportion of female workers. In apparel manufacturing, women make up 49% of worker committees, despite being 62% of the workforce. And in agriculture, women are 44% of the workforce but make up 38% on worker committees.

These issues also have an impact on the breadth of some of Sedex’s insights. At an aggregate level, more than 80% of sites did not provide gender-disaggregated information for promotions or worker committees. Over 90% did not separate data on worker grievances by gender.

McGoverne adds: “Clearly, it’s never been more important to have data on women’s representation in business, to help empower women and improve their working conditions. Through this report, we’re calling on all businesses to further identify and commit to collecting key gender data indicators, which will make it easier to identify where women aren’t being treated equally at work. If you can identify this, you can start to make a real difference across the globe for gender equality.”

Full details about Sedex’s Gender Data Insights report can be read here: https://www.sedex.com/global-supply-chain-data-reveals-gender-inequalities-in-the-workplace-and-highlights-the-power-of-data-for-driving-equality/

 

 

News

Challenging the status quo: Tech Amigos launches outcome-based pricing model to deliver certainty for customers in the UK

Tech Amigos is a young, dynamic technology consultancy with a mission to deliver on the promise of Agile and DevOps. With the recent launch of its outcome-based pricing model, Tech Amigos is set to increase its UK presence by delivering certainty for customers and helping them to better manage their risk.

Instead of charging clients on a day-rate basis, the amigos are looking to challenge the status quo, and work with customers who wish to see certain results with a fixed price. This provides business leaders with clarity around delivery for projects. Clients are also better placed to manage risks in the current economic climate.

Essentially, the journey to cloud adoption can be a confusing and intimidating experience with so many different services, configurations and costs to consider. Tech Amigos’ services therefore consist of cloud design, cloud automation and continuous delivery, all of which aim to accelerate processes, without compromising quality. In addition to this, the team has created Amigos Hub, which is a collaborative partner ecosystem that compliments Tech Amigos’ core services.

The consultancy was born in 2018 with the synergy of three amigos, bringing diverse and extensive experience from the technology industry. The team collaborates with clients to fully visualize cloud transformation projects and deliver scalable technology stacks in the cloud. Automating processes is at the heart of the amigos’ ethos; accelerating the way these deliver. Tech Amigos also collaborates with client development teams, finding ways to best leverage tooling for continuous integration and automating software delivery.

The amigos operate under three core beliefs:

·     Implement standards

Agile and DevOps culture requires the definition of a standard process backed by relevant automation patterns.
·     Raise quality

Speed to market should not equate to sub-standard quality. Amigos Labs helps the team to experiment with new technology and create high-quality, reusable patterns.
·     Deliver outcomes

Well-defined, measurable outcomes are cost-effective alternatives to hiring consultants on a day-rate basis.

Sachin Deshpande, Founder and CTO at Tech Amigos, explains: “Being a small yet dynamic technology consultancy, we provide customers with a hyper-personalised service where they get day-to-day access and action from senior experts in the field. Our combined expertise and passion to help clients accelerate their digital transformation journeys are what drive us to go above and beyond tight specifications. Alongside this, our ability to transfer knowledge is vital in helping organisations to become self-sufficient.

“This will be particularly critical in the new, hybrid working world, as staggered working patterns could have a serious impact on performance if not navigated carefully. Business leaders must therefore invest in the right technologies to improve their software, while also taking the time to integrate these solutions into their current software engineering processes. Put simply, the right level of automation and tooling will help to maintain velocity on Agile projects, and make distributed teams more efficient.”

Deshpande continues: “Taking this one step further, we are delighted to be announcing the launch of our outcome-based pricing model to help companies in our target segment (start-ups / scale-ups) make the best use of our services. Ultimately, we want to deliver the right solution for the right price, and create conditions to deliver true business value.”

News

Vantage 365 launches new intranet solution to support SMEs shifting toward remote working

Digital transformation specialist, Vantage 365, has recently launched a new solution capable of quickly delivering a built and working intranet for small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] looking to adapt to remote working or to streamline processes.

The Midlands-based technology company’s Intranet Express product, which is built on top of Microsoft’s collaborative SharePoint platform, within Microsoft 365, promises to give firms complete control over how and from where corporate information and resources are organised, shared and accessed.

Capable of being fully deployed in as little as five days, the platform is focused on making communication impactful, engaging and appealing while maintaining a strong corporate identity, as well as supporting the creation of high-quality content without the requirement for in-depth knowledge of SharePoint.

Intranet Express’ list of key features includes a wide range of templates that are both eye catching and functional, Flex-Desk – a state-of-the-art desk or room booking system – the ability to gamify employees’ engagement with content via a simple-to-manage reward system, and a dedicated mobile app that enables users to bring their intranet directly into the palm of their hand and from any location.

What’s more, with packages starting from as little as £250 per month and with flexible payment options available, the product offers SMEs a cost-effective solution for streamlining processes and data into one easy-accessible resource.

Matt Weston, Managing Director of Vantage 365, said: “We are thrilled to have launched our Intranet Express offering to support the digital transformation of SMEs across the UK.

“The past 18 months has seen a huge increase in remote working as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and many companies are now recognising the benefits that working flexibly long term can bring them.

“A well implemented intranet helps to keep teams connected and engaged with company goals and culture as they move towards flexible working, and I would encourage businesses to get in touch to find out how we can tailor our services to meet their personal requirements.”

With offices at The Waterfront business centre in the West Midlands town of Brierley Hill, Vantage 365 specialises in providing vital IT support to businesses of all sizes at a time when it is needed the most. The firm works in partnership with Microsoft, Powell Software and Mint Technology to help clients to get the most out of their digital technologies.

For more information, visit:

https://vantage365.co.uk/

 

Manufacturing, News, North of England

“24-hour turnaround” for Mersen UK Teesside high precision products facilitated by Teesside University digitised manufacturing KTP

Mersen UK Teesside, a world-leading manufacturing facility specialising in machined graphite products, anti-corrosion and hot glass handling equipment (CERBERITE®), is now offering a 24-hour turnaround time for low volume, high precision engineering products following the introduction of a digitised manufacturing process developed in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Teesside University.

Mersen is a global expert in electrical specialties and advanced materials for high-tech industries. With more than 50 industrial sites and 16 R&D centres in 35 countries, the company develops customised solutions and delivers key products to its clients to meet the new technological challenges shaping tomorrow’s world. For Mersen UK Teesside, the KTP fed directly into the company’s overall aim to increase revenue from low volume, high value sales, maximising manufacturing operations profitability and a growing market for highly variable precision graphite parts in short lead times.

A KTP is an Innovate UK-funded programme that helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within universities. Mersen UK Teesside sought the University’s expertise through a two-year project, overseen by Dr David Hughes, a Senior Lecturer and Enterprise Fellow (Materials Engineering) in the institution’s School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies.

“Due to the nature of products that Mersen manufacture, the part volume is generally low but high value, with small batch (less than 10) and one-off production of specialist parts (known as ‘Strangers’) generating a majority of their current sales revenue,” Dr Hughes said. “Mersen’s objective is to expand its high precision engineering capabilities to meet growing demands from specialist customers it cannot currently serve. Such clients have regular low volume, high value requirements, stringent focus on accuracy, tolerance, traceability and short lead times that were not previously achievable within Mersen’s (or most of their competitors) operations. To react quickly to these unique part requirements Mersen recognised the need for more intelligent manufacturing systems and processes to ensure sufficient flexibility, automation and integration of the Strangers pipeline.”

In response, the KTP project introduced an Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) webstore offering customers a one-day turnaround time, a significant improvement compared to previous lead times. Activities from the KTP are aiming to increase current market share over the coming years, whilst enhanced data collection and analysis offer significant opportunities for optimisation and a cultural shift to welcome digitisation. This included the addition of Robotic Process Automation (RPA). The project, led by Knowledge Transfer Partnership associate Daniel Pybus – who has subsequently enrolled on a PhD at the University – has addressed several key opportunities, Dr Hughes explained.

“Developing knowledge and tools to collect, measure and monitor production data has been an important development which has allowed Mersen to identify opportunities for optimisation by analysing accurate, real-time data,” he said. “The management and display of such data has highlighted several key areas for continuous improvement which will directly contribute to its strategy to meet growing demands from specialist customers. Whilst traditional manufacturing processes are reactive and disruptive, the KTP project has built the tools required to become more predictive to enable a more flexible, dynamic manufacturing process with less disruption. This enables it to minimise industry lead times toward a market-leading position, maximising opportunities in existing UK and export markets and new specialist markets such as electrical discharge machining electrodes.”

Additionally, stock cutting was traditionally done by eye, risking lower yields and higher waste through offcuts. Mersen needed a solution to challenge this practice and replace it with a system that can analyse inventory and suggest cutting techniques for higher yield and lower waste. The KTP project has addressed this by developing an evolutionary algorithm which suggests optimised cutting order. This enables Mersen to improve profit margins by maximising raw material utilisation and has shown savings of 20% in current trials. In order for the required opportunities to be addressed, a culture shift needed to occur to ensure the team embraced Industry 4.0 solutions. The KTP assisted this shift through training, communication, and giving responsibility and accountability to the team in the developments undertaken.

“The KTP partnership has provided the company with the means to identify and solve complex problems to improve efficiency and accelerate growth, as well as helping Mersen to expand its industrial network and giving the opportunity to support digitisation and development in the local region,” said Mersen UK Teesside Managing Director Andrew Freer. “As digitisation continues, significant savings are expected through automation and smarter, leaner working practices. It is expected that more value-adding tasks will be carried out, improving company efficiency, financial performance and customer satisfaction. New working practices will enable Mersen to offer more competitive bids for work, and further research and development has the scope to increase the range of products offered. Critically, all these capabilities aim to provide a competitive advantage that will secure Mersen’s place in the European market post-Brexit. Without this advantage, new trading arrangements could otherwise mean that our products and lead times are less attractive in Europe.”

Following on from the learning developed in this KTP, the University has launched the Industrial Digitalisation Technology Centre (IDTC) to support SMEs in the Tees Valley explore the opportunities Industry 4.0 technologies bring, such as Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, modelling, simulation and sensor technology – creating an essential competitive edge that generates real value for businesses. Funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the IDTC offers consultancy and mentoring for digitalisation projects that typically last from six to 12 months, giving businesses a practical opportunity to investigate the digital tools and services available to help plan their digitalisation journey.

Mersen is supporting the IDTC and, as members of the University’s School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies industrial advisory board, feed into teaching design and the implementation of digitalisation across its engineering degrees.