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Lancashire’s Leyland Trucks wins top business award
November 24, 2011
Leyland Trucks wins Lombard Award for Business Development and Change Management
24 November 2011
Lancashire’s Leyland Trucks was rewarded with a top business award at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Manufacturing Excellence Awards, held in London last night (Wednesday 23 November).
Lancashire’s Leyland Trucks was rewarded with a top business award at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Manufacturing Excellence Awards, held in London last night (Wednesday 23 November).
The award ceremony was compered by Alistair Campbell, and attended by Mark Prisk MP, Margaret Beckett MP as well as a host of other top business names.
Andrea Thompson, Managing Director at Leyland Trucks, said that entering Manufacturing Excellence has always provided a very useful measure of progress in the company’s efforts to achieve ever higher standards of performance. “Getting an outside view from highly regarded independent experts on how we are performing not only helps confirm we are heading in the right direction, but also identifies further opportunities for continued improvement.
"Winning an Manufacturing Excellence Award is a major endorsement of our performance and systems and for employees it’s a matter of considerable pride”.
While Stephen Tetlow, Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers said:
“Leyland Trucks’ win is hugely encouraging for manufacturing in Lancashire and UK manufacturing more generally.
“The Manufacturing Excellence programme is not just about celebrating manufacturing success around the country, but about providing practical advice for businesses to support them on their journey during these difficult economic times.”
Leyland Trucks won the Lombard Award for Business Development and Change Management and was commended in the ERA Foundation Award for Best Partnership with Education.
Leyland Trucks is a leader within the UK manufacturing sector, having been the previous overall Manufacturing Excellence prize winner two years running - in 2009 and 2010.
In the past year the company has had to adapt to the global shift in demand and has adapted its products to meet local customer needs.
The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PACCAR Inc., which is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light, medium and heavy-duty trucks under the DAF, Kenworth and Peterbilt brands.
Leyland Trucks success has been recognised by its parent company PACCAR which has ranked its factory layout as the best in the entire company. Indeed, PACCAR has asked Leyland Trucks to lead on the planned investment in Brazil, based on its own factory layout.
Lancashire based Leyland Trucks operates one of the most advanced truck assembly plants, producing vehicles from six to 44 tonnes and distributed globally under the DAF brand. It is also the first European truck manufacturer to fit bodies to its chassis as part of the production process. This ensures factory quality across the entire vehicle, simpler after-sales support, and faster completion of a fully finished truck that can be instantly put into service.
The company has also developed a niche in designing and installing covers and fittings for wagons and it is currently the only original equipment manufacturer in Europe to install truck bodies.
Leyland Trucks has installed a new computer system on its shop floor to record events, improve communication through the full production line, which in turn improves product quality accountability.
The company also encourages ideas from its employees and has a “blue ocean area” where staff are encouraged to think about new business ideas and opportunities.
Leyland Trucks also works closely with schools and colleges and is opening its doors as part of the government’s “See Inside Manufacturing” initiative.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Manufacturing Excellence programme is the most successful and long established manufacturing support programme in the UK, and the only one that provides a detailed benchmarking and assessment process to help improve manufacturing businesses.
As part of the Manufacturing Excellence programme, companies can get a free consultancy package worth £20,000. Companies that enter are asked to conduct an in-depth self assessment and those who complete one or more of the eight parts receive a free, bespoke and confidential benchmark report. The best companies in each module receive a free visit from a team of expert assessors who verify the audit responses and offer practical advice and suggestions for the business. The winning companies in each category then receive an award at the Manufacturing Excellence Awards.
Manufacturing Excellence is supported by PwC, Autodesk, PP Business Improvement, The ERA Foundation, Lombard, WMG, Arup, and Barclays Corporate.