Productivity boost open to North West’s manufacturing and engineering businesses

Posted on: Wednesday, January 27th, 2021

Manufacturing businesses across the North West have the chance to learn from industry giants in a programme designed to boost productivity across the sector – an initiative Arden Dies have taken part in.

‘Productivity through People’ (PtP), a 10-month programme designed by Lancaster University Management School academics in partnership with industry experts from BAE Systems, Siemens and Rolls-Royce, aims to boost SME’s outputs and efficiency and help unlock the nation’s productivity puzzle.

Now in its fifth year, the Productivity through People programme at Lancaster University has successfully delivered productivity gains for more than 50 businesses across the region, with 65 owner/managers having participated in the programme to date.

As a result, participating businesses have been able to empower and engage their employees through adopting new working practices creating efficiencies and developing continuous improvements – making a big impact to the frontline. Due to the success of the pilot, first launched by Lancaster University in January 2017, the programme has been rolled out in other parts of the UK.

The most recent cohort began in a ‘traditional’ format at the start of 2020 before it was quickly adapted and moved online in light of the pandemic. Now, key decision makers from eligible companies are encouraged to apply for the latest cohort to be delivered online, starting at the end of March.

Sarah Poynter, Operations Manager at our sister company Arden Engraving, took part on behalf of the Arden Group. Sarah found the communication and support from the cohort and programme leadership beneficial when the programme moved online due to Covid-19.

She said: “It was amazing that we were able to switch so effectively and not lose momentum. As a business we could easily have paused but to be able to access that support and share practice with other businesses and know we had the support of the programme team going through such an uncertain experience was fantastic.”

Managers and key decision makers are invited to register to take part in the next phase of the programme, due to start end of March 2021. This programme is designed for owner / managers within manufacturing and engineering SMEs that are based in the North West.

For more information about the programme contact Pete Cornwall on 01524 593583, email [email protected] or visit www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/ptp

Find out more about how Arden benefitted from the course here.