Manufacturing firms in the North West have the chance to make efficiency gains and significantly reduce their operating costs, thanks to the launch of a new productivity improvement programme.

The Manufacturers Network has joined forces with Kaizen Impact Coaching to deliver the Productivity and Capability Energiser programme (PaCE).

The new partnership provides manufacturing leaders and their management teams with 15 days of intensive targeted support from two specialist coaches over a five-month period.

It is designed to help them improve manufacturing productivity by optimising processes, maximising value, standardising work and strengthening leadership.

Participants will build capability and make improvements using proven Kaizen techniques including value stream mapping, process observation and practical problem solving. They will also attain the Lean Competency System (LCS) accreditation from Cardiff University.

Chris Merriman, Associate Director of Practitioner Services at the Manufacturers Network explains: “Our new programme affords manufacturing leaders and managers time they never usually get to take a step back from their business and analyse where productivity, processes and workflow can be improved."

“More importantly, they get to work with a highly effective specialist Kaizen coaching team on identifying opportunities to increase productivity and reduce costs."

“Participants attend for three days each month to receive intensive coaching which includes improving workflow and identifying activities to achieve the highest return on investment and longer-term financial benefits."

“They then have the chance to start applying identified improvements and benchmarking progress at the end of the programme."

Barry Williams from Kaizen Impact Coaching, who has worked for global manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls Royce and Airbus adds: “Over the five months, we deliver each step in individual blocks, with the pace set to deliver the greatest potential for learning."

“Our purpose is to deliver high impact improvement, in a scalable, high value, easy to follow approach that can be used forever."

“We'll be working with the manufacturers to build their capability to see things differently, use facts and data, and understand where and how they can make improvements."

“We’ll be providing them with everything they need to make sustainable improvement in targeted areas. They will develop wider knowledge, skills, tools and confidence to deliver improvement across their business. The benefits and potential of the approach are huge, and so too the value.”

By working with other manufacturing firms during the programme, the aim is that participants will also benefit by growing their networks, sharing best practice and encouraging more collaborative ways of working.

From its headquarters at Trafford Park, the Manufacturers Network provides a host of productivity excellence and business transformation programmes, with courses combining advanced manufacturing techniques and latest thinking, practical insights, and best practice from the factory floor to the board room.

Its team has worked with manufacturing giants such as Siemens, Continental, Ricoh and GSK. The network’s manufacturing specialists deliver site visits and study tours for knowledge transfer, organisational assessments for excellence, education, on-site support and peer-to-peer learning.

For further information about the new programme, call 0161 533 1617, visit www.manufacturersnetwork.co.uk/kaizen-impact-coaching or email hello@manufacturersnetwork.co.uk