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DTI FUNDS OBTAINED FOR EXPORT DEVELOPMENT Trade Partners UK have confirmed part-finance from Sector Partnership Funds for the CEA’s Primed for Export project, which is principally targeted at helping small to medium sized companies in the construction equipment sector to develop their export strategy. The agreed funds need to be spent by the middle of March 2002 - but there is a possibility of ongoing support in the next financial year. A key part of the project is the appointment of a CEA Trade Promotion Manager to run the programme in the field. TRADE
PROMOTION MANAGER APPOINTED -
GRANT SHANNON The CEA is delighted to announce the appointment of Grant Shannon as Trade Promotion Manager to run the Primed for Export project. Grant Shannon retired as Director of the Building Centre in December 2001. He is a former DTI Export Promoter for the Republic of Ireland with great experience of the construction industry. Grant’s philosophy he says is "to give companies practical information and actual contact details. I do not wish to take time over glossy reports and presentations". Grant will work on the CEA Primed for Export project full-time until the end of March and will aim during this time to achieve (inter alia):
Grant will also help in the development of a longer term CEA/industry export development programme; liaise with Regional Development Agencies and their International Trade Directors and offer "one on one" export advice to SMEs in order to help them to develop a sustainable export strategy. The manufacture of construction equipment and related products is worth about £4bn to the UK economy - with some companies exporting over 80% of their production. However, the CEA and Trade Partners UK view is that many smaller companies have not yet reached their export potential. This is a unique and excellent opportunity for construction equipment manufacturers and their suppliers to avail themselves of someone with hands-on exporting experience, a dedicated commitment to developing industry exports and a knowledge of construction. Most manufacturers do realise that it is in their interests to have financially healthy and strong suppliers with a mature knowledge of world markets and the excellence and expertise to compete in them. Therefore companies in the construction equipment sector who wish to benefit from a free visit from the CEA Trade Promotion Manager should contact the CEA to arrange an appointment. MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE THREE MORE COMPANIES CAN BENEFIT
REAL TIME WORKSHOPS - AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED The CEA’s Manufacturing
Excellence programme offers the ideal opportunity to increase the
efficiency of OEM manufacturers and their suppliers by utilising modern
tools and techniques to analyse and improve their businesses. Currently
the CEA is in stage one of the programme, a pilot study involving nine
companies using the SMMT Industry Forum MasterClasses to identify waste
in their processes and to train their employees in techniques to sustain
improvements. We can now offer up to
16 places The programme runs for four days and must be taken by March 2002. The cost is £1,050 - 50% funding from the CEA and the DTI. For further information or to book a place call the CEA or visit SMMT’s web site: www.industryforum.co.uk. The Promoting Performance project is open to all in the industry, large companies and SMEs, including first, second and third tier suppliers. REGIONAL FORUM PROGRAMMES The first CEA Forum on the Manufacturing Excellence programme will be held at Perkins Engines in Peterborough on the morning of Friday 25 January 2002. This event will include a tour of Track 4, a "state of the art" automated engine assembly facility, producing over 100,000 engines per year, handling over 500 different engine variants. There will also be a tour of the 700 Series - a four cylinder product assembled on a conventional push line with the lowest customer defect rate in the business. The tours will be followed by presentations on the MasterClasses and other SMMT Industry Forum programmes, which will show the improvements that can be achieved in the construction equipment industry. A feedback and question session, including members from OEM purchasing teams, will follow. The CEA aims for the Forums to be a focus for the exchange of manufacturing best practice ideas and information in the industry. Ray Golson is the CEA’s Project Manager for the Manufacturing Excellence programme. There are plans to continue and expand the programme in 2002 so companies interested in competitiveness programmes and/or in attending the Regional Forums, should contact Pam Hyde or Ray Golson at the CEA.
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PROMOTING
PERFORMANCE UPDATE
Due
to increased financial backing from the DTI, the CEA can now extend the
opportunity for three extra companies to participate in MasterClasses.
Interested component suppliers or small to middle-sized
OEMs should contact Pam Hyde or Ray Golson NOW.
on
two SMMT
Industry
Forum Real Time Workshops. This is a unique opportunity to
understand,
on a practical basis, the continuous improvement techniques used in lean
manufacturing. It is done off-site (although we are looking for two
companies to offer their facilities to run the programme). It is aimed
at Senior and Middle Management. The groups must have a mix of companies
from OEM to first, second and third tier suppliers. Areas covered are
Data Analysis, Workplace Organisation, Waste Elimination, Standard Work,
Visual Management and One Piece Flow.
