North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry

NSCCI Patrons

Manufacturing Group

North Staffordshire Manufacturing Group The group is run by the Chamber in conjunction with the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), Michelin Development and the Ceramic Industry Forum. Any manufacturer can attend the various events which range from short breakfast taster sessions to the three month 'Dynamic Network' diagnostic consultancy programme.

Seminars - The group facilitates around six short sessions annually which are aimed at stimulating thought and signposting to the next steps. Recent taster sessions include:

• Lean Manufacturing
• Funding
• Planning and production control
• Stock control
• Guarding against bankruptcy of creditors

Next events
 
Opportunities in the Renwables Sector 27 May 2010

http://www.nscci.co.uk/events/event.php?eid=237

Let's do Technology - 24 June

http://www.nscci.co.uk/events/event.php?eid=235

See our latest newsletter: http://www.nscci.co.uk/preview_newsletter_2.php?newsletter_id=14

Productivity Network The network runs twice yearly and offers an eight day programme of diagnostic consultancy to qualifying companies. All companies are invited to attend a half day introductory session which will explore productivity improvement issues and offer advice and tips to take back to the factory. There is then a selection process where up to five companies can apply for the eight days diagnostic consultancy, at 50% of the normal cost, spread over the next three months. At the end of this period participating companies will be able to demonstrate improvements in efficiency and profitability.

Factory visits - throughout the year the group will organise factory visits to large and small manufacturing concerns.  Visits will give the opportunity for an insight into the workings of a diverse range of manufacturing set-ups. Recent visits: Bentley Motors; Glennans (snack foods) and Toyota & F Ball & Co.
Next visit: Michelin

Manufacturing Advice Any company with a problem can contact the chamber and we will arrange for a free consultancy session with any of the experts from our steering group.   If you are a manufacturer and would like any further information please contact Marsha Wright or Mark Brammar on 01782 202222 or marshawright@nscci.co.uk

Research and Enterprise.  The group is supported by Staffordshire University's Research and Commercial Development department.  For details on how your business can benefit from their many forms of assistance contact Dr. Stuart Brown stuart.brown@staffs.ac.uk
http://www.staffs.com/

What group members think -

"With the help and support of the North Staffs Manufacturing Group, we have been able to identify immediate efficiency savings of over £300,000 which has enabled us to offer a more competitive service to our customers.  We will be looking to roll out these exercises over the rest of our operations in order to secure our position in the marketplace" 

Steve Pym
Managing Director
Pym & Wildsmith Ltd

Having undertaken a Productivity Network programme F. Ball and Co. Ltd increased the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (O.E.E.) of one of their packing lines by over 20%.

The same techniques have since been employed in other areas to improve on quality, cost and delivery by reducing waste and downtime and increasing process flow by using Lean principles, helping us to increase our competitiveness.

The step by step structured approach used by the programme practitioners helped the members of the project team understand and feel part of the continuous improvement process and this continues to be cascaded across the whole operation.

David Woolrich
Lean Project Manager
F. Ball and Co. Ltd.

Details of our forthcoming events can be found on the events section of this website.

2010 Forthcoming Events

Events

16 September 2010Maximise Your Membership
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24 September 2010Autumn Lunch
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6 October 2010Make the Most of Technology - in partnership with Dell
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7 October 2010Speed Networking Lunch
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Courses

2 September 2010 Debt Collecting by Telephone
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