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Paul Clews: “we’re not making pizzas”

For two years Paul Clews has been the managing director at Alpha Manufacturing, starting out his career in the mid 90s as an apprentice. Now, with over two decades of experience under his belt, with many of those years spent as a manufacturing manager, Paul’s vision for the future success of Alpha Manufacturing is focused on automation and identifying ways to continuously improve the customer experience. While the industry buzzword ‘automation’ conjures up images of sterile, people-free environments, Paul has a different vision – one that retains the most valuable asset Alpha Manufacturing has – its people – interwoven with a solid investment strategy that will see the business invest £8m in the next five years on new technology and machinery.

In this feature we talk to Paul Clews about how Alpha Manufacturing is responding to the opportunity presented by Industry 4.0, the industry automation standard, and Lee Moakes, managing director of TRUMPF, an Alpha Manufacturing strategic partner.

As the world of manufacturing moves towards Industry 4.0, Paul Clews’ real passion lies in how the business adapts to improve the customer experience, he shares these thoughts: “Our vision is to be the most advanced sheet metal manufacturing business in the UK, that was our vision back in 1989, and it remains our vision today. The part of that statement that has changed in the last 32 years is the interpretation of the word ‘advanced’ and how this translates into modern methods of manufacturing. However we measure ‘advanced’ the customer promise remains unchanged – to understand their product needs, design a value-engineered solution and repeat production to world-class standards every single time. Today, as we understand the complexities of Industry 4.0 and what this means for our production capabilities, we must be able to articulate these benefits clearly to the customer.”

Lee Moakes adds: “Alpha Manufacturing exemplifies everything fantastic about great British manufacturing and through a culture of invest to succeed, the business is on a significant growth trajectory. At TRUMPF, through our TruConnect proposition, we are supporting businesses exactly like Alpha Manufacturing working towards Industry 4.0. Yet, as Paul points out, adapting this industry standard to the needs of the business while simultaneously educating the customer on the tangible benefits can be a challenge.”

Paul continues: “In our business the customer comes first, and every investment decision we make is directly driven by us anticipating customer-need. If you take Industry 4.0 in its purest form, this is effectively handing over every element of manufacturing and production to our customer, eliminating all human interaction at every level through the process. From placing orders, to pulling down stock to engineering new solutions – Industry 4.0 is so connected it completely does away with the vast majority of human intervention. For this business, while we are continuously adapting our process towards a better-connected smart factory, achieving Industry 4.0, or at the very least working towards it, will also take a seismic shift in the behaviour of our customers, who rely heavily on our agile, flexible working methods.”

“In its simplest form Industry 4.0 is like ordering a pizza via an app,” explains Lee. “You place the order, you watch it being prepared and a bot tells you that it’s being baked and delivered – the only human interaction between customer and supplier is the brief exchange with the delivery driver leaving it on your step! Much like pizza ordering, Industry 4.0 assumes very little can and will go wrong and information is seamlessly exchanged between material management and information flow. Paul makes some really valid points, ultimately Industry 4.0 is a concept not an ultimate destination and Alpha Manufacturing is in fact way ahead of many manufacturing businesses in the development of a smart factory. By focusing on productivity, intelligently storing and controlling material flow with the use of STOPA and using advanced machining capability with a broad range of TRUMPF equipment, Alpha Manufacturing is already making great headway towards Industry 4.0.”

“It’s interesting exchanging ideas with Lee because he brings the perspective of many hundreds of manufacturing businesses to this debate. At Alpha Manufacturing our primary concern is always the customer and we recognise that through investment we will continue to deliver world-class manufacturing capability. Whether we’re calling it smart factory, Industry 4.0 or whatever new manufacturing concept is around the corner – our commitment remains the same – to invest hard, service well and go above and beyond our customers’ expectations. Those are the values that will drive our continued success.”

A Day in the Life of a Manufacturing Production Manager

My role at Alpha Manufacturing is to ensure that all production teams work in harmony to meet production deadlines. Here’s an example of a what that looks like as a standard day as a Production Manager.

5.30am – Day Begins

My day begins with an early morning handover from my production supervisors who have worked the nightshift. A progress report along with any issues and actioned tasks is emailed to me at the end of the nightshift at around 4.30am. From this I get an overview of the progress of all parts and can begin to create an initial action plan for my day.

7.00am – Arrival at Alpha

Arriving at Alpha, I take a factory walk through all the sheet metal departments – laser, fold, punch, machining, weld, assembly and powder coating. The aim is to assess the movement of parts between departments overnight, identify any issues and ensure that all machines are manned and running.

8am – Meet the Team

My team and I start our day in earnest with a Supervisor meeting where we discuss any concerns arising from the nightshift, labour issues and set some immediate actions and priorities. This meeting is crucial in terms of sharing of important information and quickly addressing queries.

8.30am – Management Meeting

Every day we have a management meeting, attended by all heads of departments in which we give cross departmental updates and share company wide information. We also review the performance of each area against KPI’s and agree plans and actions for each.

8.30-9.30am – Planning the Day

This is my opportunity to respond to any emails, answer any queries and action any tasks arising from any of the morning meetings. I usually plan the rest of my day during this window, having gathered all relevant information from the various meetings.

10am – Order Book Review

This is an important meeting for production and sales to discuss the progress of every order currently on our system. We go through the plan line by line, giving real-time status updates and raising any concerns or issues. Sales will bring information from customers such as priority changes or requests for earlier delivery. From this, we agree on production prioritise and the sales representatives can feed back to customers.

12pm – Team Briefing

Everyday our Production Supervisors deliver a briefing to each of their teams including KPI performance, quality alerts, health and safety updates and any other relevant information. I try to take the lead in one of these briefings per week as well as delivering any updates from our Directors.

12pm – Onwards

The structure of my morning is pretty rigid, with this routine repeated each day. The afternoon is an opportunity to complete any project work and manage the team in a more flexible way. One such project I’m currently working on is a review and increase of our current capacity in order to meet the high demand we’re experiencing at the moment.

The plan is to implement a “4 on-4 off” days/ nights Rota which will effectively see us operating 24/7. To achieve this, we need to increase our manning levels, so a good portion of my time at the moment is spent reviewing CV’s, arranging and conducting interviews of potential Shopfloor Operatives.

Throughout the afternoon, I will stay in constant communication with all of the Production Supervisors, checking progress and addressing any issues. Strong communication between departments in manufacturing is crucial as there are so many deadlines and requirements running concurrently.

4pm – Nightshift Handover

At the end of each day, I prepare a detailed handover report for the nightshift supervisor with updates on the progress of all parts, advising of any issues/ concerns from the day and setting priorities and actions during the shift. I ensure that this report is as clear and thorough as possible and expect the same in return from my morning handover.

Although the structure of my day as a Production Manager rarely deviates, the challenges that I face are different every single day, which is what makes it so engaging and interesting. The fast-paced nature of the manufacturing environment, with so many moving parts is what I love most about the job.

Enhancing Products Using CNC Punching

By utilising the flexibility of CNC Punch tooling, Alpha Manufacturing is able to offer an innovative solution which removes additional processing and ultimately increases efficiency and reduces cost. This value engineering example demonstrates how a one-off punch-tool investment in bespoke tooling saves our customers money over the lifecycle of the product.

The Punch department is one of the most versatile of all and with some innovative thinking, can be used for much more than simply perforating and profiling metal sheets. By collaborating with leading machine tool suppliers, Alpha Manufacturing is able to adapt the processing output of the machines to suit a vast range of requirements.

Punching: The basic purpose of the machine is to perforate sheet metal to a specified size, at high speed. Our punches are fitted with multi-tool changers meaning that different shapes of hole such as round, oblong, square and custom shapes can be punched simultaneously without any manual set up in between, giving greater flexibility. In addition, cluster tools allow groups of holes to be punched at once.

Cutting: Utilising slitting tools, a CNC Punch can be used to cut various geometric shapes. Depending on variables such as sheet thickness, number of holes, position of holes and set up time, cutting using a punch machines can actually be more efficient and cost effective than laser cutting.

Forming: By using specialist forming tools such as dies, rolling, flanging and countersinking tools, various forms can be achieved using a CNC Punch machine. An example of forming is “stepping”, which is the process of creating a continuous small bend in the sheet, which would usually be achieved using a fold machine such as a Press Brake. The advantages of creating the form in this way is that both punching and forming are performed on one machine, removing a whole process and reducing cost. A huge array of different forms can be produced using the CNC Punch such as louvers, brackets, countersinks, knock-outs, threads, bridges, taps, hinges, ribs and more.

Marking: Marking is becoming increasingly important in sheet metal fabrication as customers require part identification for production, legal or quality purposes. For part identification or component centring, a centre punch tool allows for clear markings to be applied. Engraving tools allow for part names and numbers to be applied, again allowing for parts to be identified and documented. Similarly, embossing tools can create letters and numbers in 3D, raised from the sheet.

Alpha Manufacturing Expands with the Launch of New Division

In response to a significant uplift in demand for integrated assembly services, Hixon-based Alpha Manufacturing has launched a new division called Alpha Integrated Solutions. The new division, which will operate from a facility at nearby Hixon Airfield Estate, demonstrates that Alpha Manufacturing is well on track in the delivery of it’s ambitious five-year growth plan which includes an investment of over £8m in production capability. Alpha Integrated Solutions will work closely with new and existing customers to develop complete products that bring together components manufactured by Alpha Manufacturing and other suppliers. This approach to fabricating products, brings significant cost and efficiency savings to the customer.

Commenting on this expansion, Alpha Manufacturing managing director Paul Clews says: “Since the business was launched in the late 80s we’ve always had a robust assembly offering, however, in the last 12 months we have seen a sharp increase in demand for our assembly services. Two things have really driven this growth. First, the pandemic has forced customers to really consider supply chain efficiencies and product handling, resulting in many more customers choosing Alpha Manufacturing to fabricate the entire product, eliminating the need for multiple suppliers to ‘touch’ the product. The second driver is a consequence of our metal design and engineering skills; increasingly customers are turning to us to design and fabricate the entire product utilising components from other suppliers to achieve a complete solution.”

This expansion is an exciting development for Alpha Manufacturing and with more great news on the horizon, the business continues to deliver strong growth performance, and in doing so bolstering the wider economic prosperity of the region, Paul expands on this points: “We’re passionate about our contribution to the economic performance of Staffordshire as a fantastic centre of modern manufacturing. Just this week we’ve announced our alliance with Made in the Midlands which is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the growth of the region as a whole. And we’ve also been shortlisted in the Midlands Insider Awards as Manufacturer of the Year – the good news just keeps on coming!”

Having a Strong Team in Every Production Process is Key to Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction in Manufacturing predominantly hinges on a few key factors which can quite clearly distinguish an excellent manufacturer from an adequate one. These metrics are quality, delivery and value and generally, delivering on these will build high levels of customer satisfaction. Crucial to achieving this are the multiple teams which work in tandem to meet customer expectations.

Communication is vital where numerous production teams need to work in unison to ensure that overall production deadlines are met. At Alpha Manufacturing, all departments are in constant communication through daily production meetings, team briefings and management meetings, the left hand always knows what the right hand is doing. Where issues arise, flexibility and adaptability from the various teams are needed to keep a project on track.

A perfect example of this was a recent project for a new customer who required an extremely fast turnaround on a new design of COVID-19 protection screens. The enquiry arrived late on a Friday and the sales team were quick to react, quoting the project while the engineering and NPI teams simultaneously worked on the product design. Working over the weekend, the Engineering department met with the customer to sign off the design and the various production teams then began processing the parts. The first despatch of the brand-new design of the product left Alpha Manufacturing early the next week. In this example, all teams worked quickly and closely, communicating throughout to ensure that the customers’ expectations were met. Needless to say, the customer was very satisfied and has since placed much more work.

The saying “a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link” certainly applies in manufacturing where each team depends on the strength of the next and the overall success of production is contingent on everybody’s contribution. Thankfully, here at Alpha we have strong teams in all areas as well as a collective drive for success which ultimately leads to high customer satisfaction.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gemma Smith recently completed her Manufacturing & Production Engineering Degree at Derby University after 5 years as a Higher Apprentice with Alpha Manufacturing. She is now a key member of the Design Team, working as a Production Engineer responsible primarily for design work for Alpha Manufacturing’s stainless-steel department.

The Importance of Programming in Sheet Metal Fabrication

CNC Programming is the process of converting 2D or 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings into a CAM (Computer Aided Manufacture) language that is understood by sheet metal processing machines, using specialised programming software such as RADAN. Once converted, these elements are then repeated in a pattern, known as a “nest” which represents the path that the processing machine will follow. Nesting is crucial in maximising raw material utilisation, which has a significant impact on efficiency and cost.

Programming schedules are created by the Manufacturing ERP system which creates a work-to list for programmers. Programmers create new CAM files where needed and also assign processing machines, sheet size/ thickness as well, clearances, tooling and output options. At all times the programmer is working to optimise the processing of the components, reducing waste through scrap whilst ensuring that processing is as fast as possible.

Once programmed, the file is saved in the CAM library and a physical copy of the program instructions is printed and given to the machine operator. This “Route Card” is scanned, the appropriate CAM file is selected the program runs before the route card is scanned once again after processing is complete. This process ensures that all programs are tracked through the factory and any processing issues can be traced back easily. All parts are checked for accuracy at regular intervals throughout processing by the operator, to ensure that physical dimensions and specifications match the drawings.

Alpha Manufacturing Programming Manager Mark Clews outlines the importance of the programming team:

“A successful sheet metal programmer needs to be detail orientated. We’re the first stage of the manufacturing process and mistakes here can cause valuable material to be wasted, parts to be manufactured incorrectly and even damage to the machine. All of which are costly in terms of time and money as well as potentially causing knock-on issues for other customers’ parts.”

An effective programming team will consist of detail orientated, creative and tech savvy members. They have the crucial responsibility of taking a concept and optimising it for the manufacturing process. Decisions they make and at this early stage will affect the overall success of a parts manufacture.

Alpha Manufacturing Joins Made in Midlands

Staffordshire-based Alpha Manufacturing, one of the UK’s leading sheet metal manufacturing businesses has become a member of Made in the Midlands, demonstrating the firm’s commitment to the promotion of the Midlands as a region of global manufacturing excellence. With a strong customer base in overseas markets, Alpha Manufacturing, part of the Bri-Stor Group, is keen to work with other like-minded organisations in the support of Made in the Midlands’ ongoing pledge to increase export of Midlands manufacturing capability. To celebrate this new partnership, Bri-Stor Group CEO Martin Smith is speaking at this week’s Made Futures virtual expo – an event designed to help job seekers, graduates and students find meaningful work in manufacturing.

Commenting on the partnership and speaking about the Made Futures virtual expo, Martin Smith has this to say: “We have an unrivalled position in the UK sheet metal manufacturing sector and this has been earnt through continuous investment in people, production capability, research and development and customer relationships. We have significant growth plans in Alpha Manufacturing and in the next few days we will be announcing the first stage of a two-stage plan to expand the business with the addition of new production and assembly facilities.

“Joining Made in the Midlands goes to the heart of our ambition – while the success of our business remains our priority, we are entirely committed to the growth of Midlands manufacturing and we want to bring our expertise and voice to this mission. By contributing to Made in the Midlands we can help reinforce the message that the Midlands manufacturing industry has a serious role to play in Global Britain.

“On a personal level I am really keen to bring my experience to the Made Futures event. The future success of manufacturing is heavily reliant on us attracting and retaining talented people and we must work hard to ensure our industry is viewed as a dynamic and progressive sector. Year-on-year we invest heavily in the development of our people whatever stage they are in their career and this culture of people-first is best illustrated through our Apprenticeship Scheme. Now in its eleventh year, we will welcome 15 new recruits into the Group in September and we fully expect each and every one of them to graduate and take up a role within the Group. The Made Futures event is an important opportunity to showcase not only Alpha Manufacturing, but also the wider opportunity of pursuing a career in this brilliant industry.”

Charles Addison, Made in the Midlands’ managing director is delighted to welcome the Bri-Stor Group, he comments: “It gives me immense pride to welcome the Bri-Stor Group into our organisation. Both Alpha Manufacturing and Bri-Stor Systems exemplify everything that is fantastic about Midlands manufacturing – investing heavily in both people and production. By uniting our industry we have a much stronger voice in a global market and faced with new challenges post-Brexit and indeed, post-COVID we can make a much bigger impact with one voice. The Bri-Stor Group is an important addition to our existing community and I very much look forward to hearing Martin speak at our Made Futures event – his story alone should inspire others to go above and beyond to achieve success.”

Post Pandemic Purchasing – Jon Clemson – Supply Chain Manager

Significant shocks have been delivered to supply chains over the past 12 months, which have seen both global and localised networks impacted.

The decline in demand across many sectors as a result of Covid resulted in many plants closing or downsizing. As the post-Covid recovery gathers pace, this has brought many challenges to the supply chain.

These challenges have been exacerbated by the prolonged Brexit negotiations and the accompanying uncertainty. The extended supply chain has had to deal with the very real prospect of a no-deal Brexit, along with the logistical hurdles associated with the new regulatory framework around supplying goods into the EU. This fast-evolving backdrop has meant purchasing practices have had to adapt more quickly than ever to keep up.

There is no better example than in the case of commodity items, such as steel.

As the world lurched into various states of lockdown in April 2020, the steel mills were still producing at pre-Covid levels. Demand for steel dropped dramatically as manufacturing plants were closed, mothballed or slowed down, and there was a likelihood the market would become saturated with product. This forced the mills to act.

Hence, a view was taken to “cool down” the mills and reduce the rates of production to better suit the much reduced demand; this defence mechanism would prevent the anticipated market saturation and protect prices.

Nationwide, as a Brexit deal was secured, and the impact of Covid was beginning to be mitigated via the vaccine rollout, levels of confidence grew and gradually business across the country finally started to resume, returning to the operational levels not seen since before the pandemic. Demand for raw materials began to not only match those of previous levels, but exceed pre pandemic requirements.

With the barometer of demand now rapidly rising, the mills’ decision to reduce steel production threatened to create a perfect storm for supply chains.

Demand for steel was now beginning to outweigh availability in both the local and global market places. The interrupted raw material supply and volatile, unsecured price points were factors that resulted in overnight price increases by dealers, aggregating over 30% across all grades of material in a matter of weeks.

Alpha Manufacturing, during pre-Brexit preparations, identified the need for our supply chains to be stronger, smarter, more diverse, and agile. We optimised our supply chains, and worked transparently and tirelessly with our business partners across this key material area. Steps were taken to ensure continuity of supply so that delivery of finished product to Alpha’s end customer wasn’t jeopardised.

Purchasing processes and controls throughout the business, along with the strong relationships and support of our resilient, flexible supply chains, have once again, post pandemic, been all the more important to have in place, to mitigate the impact to our end users potentially caused by gaps in material availability.

In summary, throughout an exceptionally challenging 12 months, I am proud to state that as a business we have been successful in securing levels of raw material that have allowed our production facilities to remain fully operational, satisfied the requirements of our customers, and ultimately, have enabled us to diversify and develop across the business.

As more and more businesses across the country come back to work, and once again begin to thrive, I am confident in the capability, and capacity of Alpha Manufacturing, to meet with the positive growth in demand that we are experiencing.

Here’s to getting back to better!

The Importance of Maintenance Teams in Manufacturing – Owen Jones

In 2016 I joined Alpha as an Apprentice because I knew I was interested in Engineering, although I had no idea of what role I’d like to work in. As part of the Apprenticeship rotation programme, I worked in the maintenance department and it instantly felt like a good fit. So, once I completed the course, I asked to join the team full time and I’ve now been here for two years.

The Maintenance team deal with such a wide variety of issues every single day, from machine breakdowns and maintenance to site electrics, new installations, groundworks, painting, and much more. We’re on call-out for any breakdowns and issues outside of normal working hours so we have to be flexible. Currently there are 8 of us working in the maintenance team, including 2 electricians and we’re all relatively young and ambitious.

If a machine is out of operation it can have serious implications for the business because we work to a busy schedule with tight deadlines. If one customer’s parts are delayed because of machine downtime, it has a knock-on effect for other parts and other customers. This is why it’s so important to have an effective, dynamic maintenance team to rely on. We often have to work quickly under pressure to make sure downtime is minimised. That might mean working unusual hours or going the extra mile to make sure a machine part is here for a certain time.

The reason I love working in the maintenance team is that we’re a bit like the unsung heroes in manufacturing. We work constantly in the background to make sure everything is running smoothly. If no one notices anything wrong, it means we’ve done our job right. Personally, I’m aiming to become Alpha’s Maintenance Manager, so I take every day and every new challenge as an opportunity to learn something new.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Owen Jones joined Alpha as an Apprentice back in 2016 after hearing about the company from friends in his home village of Hixon. One of his proudest memories during his apprenticeship came during the annual team building trip to Elan Valley in Wales, where he was chosen as project lead in a group community project. He still credits this experience for the gains in confidence that ultimately helped him succeed as an Apprentice. Today, Owen is a vital member of Alpha’s Maintenance team, with the ambitions of one day becoming Maintenance Manager.

Building a Career in Manufacturing – Sean McColl

An Insight into the Career Journey of a Production Manager

I started my career in sheet metal when I was 19, starting out as a welder with a leading Turf machinery manufacturer in 2008. This is where I learnt the basics of metal fabrication, welding various turf machinery products every day and developing my skills. It was here I discovered a passion for manufacturing and particularly the processes involved.

From there, I moved around different areas of production, spending time as a Laser Operator and Press-Brake Operator. Eventually I moved into design as a CAD (Computer Aided Design) Engineer and here I saw the other side of Manufacturing – the work that went into the concept of a product and its pre-production. I learnt all about design for manufacture principles and value engineering which gave me a better understanding of the end-to-end manufacturing process.

Around this time, I started studying for a Higher National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and moved into production scheduling, responsible for co-ordinating the production of new orders and planning capacity. The knowledge and understanding I gained here was priceless and I soon became a Production Manager for a Laser Cutting company. I loved the role and the responsibility of orchestrating people, material and capacity to achieve strict deadlines. The fast-paced nature of production is what really excites me.

The move to Alpha Manufacturing as Production Manager was a big one for me in 2019 and now, two years on, I can honestly say I love my job. Being a target driven person, I thrive on seeing my team hit our KPI’s and achieve deadlines. I love the dynamic nature of the work too – our portfolio of parts and assemblies is ever changing as new customers come on board and this keeps things fresh. Every day is different and presents its own unique challenges.

My next career goal is to become Senior Production Manager responsible for all production departments. I’m really ambitious and the good thing with manufacturing is that there’s always more to learn. The production challenges of today are the engineering knowledge of tomorrow. Ultimately, I’d like to become an Operations Manager and hopefully with experience and continued hard work I’ll get there.

If I were to give any piece of advice to somebody just setting out in a manufacturing career, it would be to let curiosity be your compass and gain inter-departmental experience to understand the varied perspectives of production. I would also stress the importance of being hands on and accepting that success isn’t the perfect narrative; plenty of failures will occur.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sean McColl has 13 years’ experience in engineering with a wealth of knowledge in all departments of sheet metal fabrication. Sean is responsible for overseeing Alpha Manufacturing’s production team, ensuring deadlines are met and quality remains high across the board. He’s ambitious about his career and aims to eventually become an Operations Manager. Outside of work, Sean has recently become a proud dad and loves spending quality time with the family.

Digital Transformation is here to stay – Corey Hammond

Staying connected was one of the biggest and most unexpected challenges of 2020. Not only for business but for families, communities and wider society. At Alpha Manufacturing, as with most other companies, we had to adapt quickly to people working from home, limiting numbers attending meetings and restricting visitors.

Before the pandemic hit in March, meetings in person were unrestricted in terms of attendees and face to face meetings were viewed as essential building blocks in forming new business relationships. All employees were required on site during office hours, regardless of the nature of their role.

Now, after three lockdowns we’re all now accustomed to virtual meetings, video calls, remote working and digital collaboration. It has become as efficient and productive to perform a business meeting over Zoom or Teams as it is in person. Instant chat is more effective than email in many cases, and we’ve all been surprised at how much we can get done from the comfort of our homes.

There are so many benefits to adopting digital and if there’s one good thing that will come out of the pandemic for business, it’s that a light has been shone on communication technology. I have to wonder, has this changed the future of business communications both internally and externally permanently? I’m inclined to think so.

Personally, my job doesn’t require full attendance at work and most can be done from home. However, being new to my role, the need to learn was the factor that kept me in the office. I also actually enjoy the routine of getting ready in a morning, commuting, having social interaction at work and learning on a day-to-day basis from those around me.

However, having seen the way Alpha Manufacturing has successfully adopted new digital technologies, I think it’s clear that the benefits of digital definitely outweigh any drawbacks. Internal communications, maintaining customer relationships and reaching out to potential customers have all been enhanced by a more digital approach.

Our “Stronger Together” ethos could easily have been tested by COVID but through digital platforming and communication, it has reinforced the strength of our team and underpins greater collaboration with customers, suppliers and partners.

Digital transformation is here to stay.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 20-year-old Corey Hammond is an Alpha Manufacturing Graduate Apprentice who has recently started a Business Management Degree with the Open University. He’s also the youngest member of Alpha’s sales team, training to become a key account manager. Outside of work, Corey is a fitness fanatic who enjoys kickboxing and Jujitsu.

Turning an idea into reality – Gemma Smith

Why Alpha has all the skills end-to-end.

One thing that sets Alpha Manufacturing apart in our market place is our ability to offer the entire sheet metal fabrication service in house. This means we can supply a complete end-to end, turnkey solution for our customers. The first stage of this solution is always design and that’s my department. I work on both new part design, and improvements of existing parts.

When a new product comes to Alpha Manufacturing, it’s assessed by our NPI (New Product Introduction) team. They will determine whether it’s feasible for it to be manufactured by us, exactly what is required in terms of Design and which processes will be needed to produce it.

At this stage, an APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) meeting takes place between Design, NPI, Quality, Production and Sales. The aim is to define exactly what is required of each department in order to produce the particular part.

The Design team is responsible for any redesign work, creating drawings, prototyping and creating any JIGS or fixtures needed for any of the manufacturing processes. Once any new part or product is manufactured it is first checked by the Quality team, who will perform an ISIR (Initial Sample Inspection Report) to ensure all dimensions and specifications are correct and that overall, the part is correct for further manufacture.

Our Design team also constantly looks for opportunities to implement Design for Manufacture principles in all new and existing parts, which makes production more efficient and cost effective. Sometimes, there’s a sudden requirement which needs urgent input from the Design team.

One particular example was a welded assembly which required a fixture to be designed and manufactured but the customer required the part on a quick turnaround. The solution was to incorporate slots and tags into the design, allowing the parts to self-locate, negating the need for a fixture and speeding up production.

After approval from the customer, I re-designed the part and programmed the parts for the Laser Operative. Once Laser-Cut, the parts were folded and then welded to the new drawing before being polished.

Once complete, I managed the part through packing and despatch ready for delivery to the customer. This is a simple example of how Alpha Manufacturing are able to offer the entire sheet metal fabrication service from design to delivery. Even in short timescales, we can be flexible enough to respond with innovative design solutions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The future of your career is only limited by your ambition and your drive to succeed

At just 17, Karen joined the Bri-Stor Group as a receptionist. Unsure of her career path at that point, she loved the vibrant atmosphere of the Bri-Stor Group. Today, almost three decades on, Karen holds the most senior HR position across the Group, looking after the employment rights and welfare of almost 500 people as well as leading on recruitment and the Group’s career development programme.

Working closely with the senior management teams across all three of the Bri-Stor Group businesses and also supporting Apprenticeship Manager, Will Davies-Hill, Karen never takes for granted the opportunity she has to positively influence the career path of people joining the Group.

Karen tells us more about her role and her passion for people development: “When I joined the business, I guess I wasn’t really sure where I was heading. I loved the ‘front of house’ part of my job and engaging with colleagues and visitors and in many ways my role in the business naturally evolved. Back in the 90s the company was very different to the Bri-Stor Group of today and people often ‘flexed’ in their positions to fulfil a range of duties. My HR role started just like that. Initially I got involved in admin work, supporting with some payroll duties but I quickly realised that I loved the HR element of my role and that’s how my career kicked-off.”

Recognising Karen’s natural flare for HR, the business sponsored her to complete the CIPD Human Resource Management qualifications which, along with an ongoing programme of professional development, has resulted in Karen becoming a highly accomplished and skilled HR practitioner. Yet, setting aside the essential work she completes to keep the Group’s HR function operating at extremely high standards, Karen remains personally and professionally committed to the development of every colleague in the business, including the Apprentices.

Karen continues: “When I joined the business, I was given every opportunity to advance my skills, and therefore my career and I feel passionate that every member of the Bri-Stor Group family can access the same opportunity. I work very closely with Will Davies-Hill to ensure that our Apprenticeship Scheme meets the needs of young people coming into the workplace and I take this responsibility very seriously. In truth, you’re in work for a very long time and as I know from personal experience, the opportunities you seek out in your early career-years really shape your future.”

In 2021, the Bri-Stor Group will recruit 15 Apprentices across Bri-Stor Systems and Alpha Manufacturing and Karen has these words of advice: “The Group is a dynamic, pacey environment where you’ll learn fast and get maximum support and opportunity. That said, you’ll be expected to bring your ‘A Game’ every single day – but the rewards are there for those Apprentices seeking an exciting future in engineering. We’re looking forwarding to meeting you.”

I take every opportunity to nurture our Apprentices – this is my opportunity to give back

When Paul Clews started his career at 16 as an Apprentice Engineer little did he know that by 43 he’d be the Managing Director of two of the region’s most dynamic engineering businesses – Alpha Manufacturing and Atlas Coatings. With a career very much grounded ‘on the tools’, Paul’s hard graft and determination has earned him immense respect from colleagues across the Bri-Stor Group.

This is Paul’s story. A bright lad with big ambitions, Paul had a passion for mechanics and design engineering. Completing his GCSEs, he had every option open to him to advance his education but struggled to see how A Levels and a degree would suit him. Paul shares his thoughts on his early career choices and how it has influenced his career today: “Right the way up to the completion of my GCSEs I thought I’d take the A Level and Uni route – I was pretty committed to an engineering degree, but something didn’t feel right. It was through talking to a neighbour that I heard about an Apprenticeship Scheme at Belle Engineering and the penny dropped – the opportunity to earn money and gain engineering skills sounded like the perfect combination.”

Gaining an Apprenticeship at Belle Engineering with just two places available and 30 applicants was gruelling and Paul, tenacious even back then, gave it his all to secure a valuable place, Paul continues: “I worked hard to get onto the Apprenticeship, and this really spurred me on, I thought if I can be successful doing this, what else can I achieve? The next four years were hard graft splitting my time between work and studying for my BTEC National Diploma in Engineering, but everything started to click. Learning while working gives you such a solid grounding and I embraced every opportunity to learn all the shopfloor skills.

“In year three and four of my Apprenticeship I moved into office functions which really whet my appetite for all things design, it was in these two years that I really decided that I wanted to focus on becoming a Design Engineer. By year four, I’d achieved my HND in Engineering and if I’m being brutally honest the only poor choice I’ve made in my education and career was not grasping the opportunity to complete my full engineering degree. I think by that time I was really ready just to focus on work.”

For the next 10 years Paul progressed rapidly through his career from Tooling Design Engineer to Production Manager in just a few years. It’s in his role as Production Manager that Paul cites the implementation of Lean Manufacturing principles as a career highlight – an accomplishment that is considered world-class amongst the manufacturing community. In 2010, Paul makes his move to Alpha Manufacturing as Production Manager and it’s here his career advances even further. Paul continues: “I’ve got so much respect for Belle Engineering; at the time I was there I was given every opportunity to further my career and that’s what drew me to the Bri-Stor Group and the role at Alpha Manufacturing. The opportunity to grow and achieve your full potential is a value that really stands out in this business.”

Today, Paul retains the same strength of character that spurred him on in his early career days as a 16-year-old Apprentice, and while he carries the huge responsibility of leading a team of over 200 people, he remains committed to the professional development of the people around him, he concludes: “Everybody deserves a chance to succeed and achieve their ambitions if they’re prepared to put the hard work in. I look back on my own career and I’m thankful to all the people that took the time out of their own day to show me the way. Now, almost 30 years on, I take every opportunity to nurture the Apprentices in this business, this really is my opportunity to give back.”

Joining the Bri-Stor Group is an Exciting Opportunity

Growing up in Staffordshire, just a few miles from the family business, Martin Smith spent much of his childhood watching his parents build Bri-Stor Systems Limited (Bri-Stor is an abbreviation of British Storage). Today, as CEO of the Bri-Stor Group, he reflects on his own career and the tough lessons he learned along the way.

“Growing up in the 80s and 90s I didn’t see a lot of my parents; they were always at work and I suppose looking back I didn’t really have a full appreciation of their hard work and what it meant for my future. At that time, I spent a lot of time playing sport, in particular cricket and hockey and enjoyed playing at a reasonably high level. As for school, I was a challenging lad to say the least, I was a bright kid and I loved my school, but I was quite mischievous and was often looking for clever ways to distract my mates and the teaching staff. That said, I did pretty well in my GCSEs and A Levels, and the turning point really came for me when I was 18 and took up a place on a four-year degree at Bath University, studying International Business and Foreign Languages.”

In year three of his degree Martin started a role at Peugeot, based in Paris, a turning point in his future, as he explains: “my role at Peugeot really changed my view of the workplace. I’d always done well academically but this was my first opportunity to really get stuck into something outside of education. It was an incredible experience and built my confidence no-end. It was never a given that I would work for Bri-Stor Group, far from it, my dad’s view was “you make your own way son” so that’s exactly what I did. I worked flat out at Peugeot, rarely seeing anything other than the inside of the office or my tiny flat – but it was a solid grounding.”

Graduating from Bath University and gaining experience in the world of manufacturing and engineering, Martin felt he was set for a career in the family business, he tells us what happened next: “I can recall the conversation with my dad about joining the business and he was adamant that I had to go and find out what my value was in the world of work. What he meant was, go and get three job offers and we’ll talk about a job at Bri-Stor Group. So that’s what I did, I got offers from three global management consultancy businesses and my dad’s response? “Well done son. You can have half the salary and you can start in the paint shop, on the night shift” – so that’s exactly what I did.”

For several years Martin worked night shifts, day shifts and a combination of the two. He worked in all departments learning the shopfloor skills required to run the business and eventually became Production Manager in Alpha Manufacturing, he continues: “It was pure hard work, but to this day I remind people that you shouldn’t expect somebody to do something you wouldn’t be prepared to do yourself. That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career in the Group and is a strong part of our culture today. I look at how hard the teams work throughout the business, but what really stands out is the strong team ethic that underpins it all. As we welcome new Apprentices into the business, I know we are giving them the very best opportunity to develop a successful career. In truth, if you’re wondering if an Apprenticeship will broaden your horizons, then read about Paul Clews’ career – he is the very essence of how an Apprenticeship can pave the way for a bright, successful future.”

What are you looking for in this year’s Apprentices?

“As with every cohort of Apprentices, we expect to see determination and the willingness to try new skills. For many of this year’s intake, regardless of age, they will have experienced a really disruptive education, so we are looking for Apprentices with a really strong, positive mindset. Joining the Bri-Stor Group is the start of an exciting chapter.”