Chris started his career in the machine tool industry before
moving to one of the world's leading compressor
manufacturers. He was involved in setting up a new factory
to manufacture air compressors, for use on the North Sea oil
rigs, prior to taking up a group role in manufacturing
engineering. His move to a specialist diesel engine
manufacturer gave him an insight in to the benefits and
pitfalls of the early flexible manufacturing systems and the
need to increase productivity on such systems.
After joining the automotive division of a major US based
group, he learned that some of the traditional planning
tools and measures used throughout manufacturing industries
could sometimes create major problems within the business.
This realisation, coupled with the need to improve
productivity in a highly unionised environment, led to his
keen interest in Lean Manufacturing, the empowerment of
employees and the constant drive to become World Class.
He moved to the People's Republic of China to take total
responsibility for setting up and the start up of a new
World Class manufacturing plant for automotive components.
This plant was soon recognised as being the benchmark plant
for quality and productivity in the turbocharger business.
Following his return to the UK, he co-ordinated the
six-sigma / operational excellence program across a number
of European plants before carrying out consultancy
assignments in the area of Lean Manufacturing.
He completed a long term assignment with another major US
based automotive component manufacturing company where he
trained employees in modern manufacturing techniques,
managed major projects and introduced the Lean Manufacturing
concepts and philosophies to traditional purchasing and
materials departments and the supply chain.
He then set up Manufacturing Awareness Limited and has
helped many companies, both large and small, in several
sectors, to implement business improvement techniques.
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