Spring / Summer 2015
in this issue ... Message from Mike
New Faces
Nifco UK Secures ÂŁ50 million deal with Ford
Dynamometer Investment
Human Resources Spring / Summer 2015
Investors in People recognition
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Message from Mike Is it really three months since the last edition?! The first quarter of 2015 has flown by, but we have packed a huge amount in, so there is no shortage of stories to share with you. From the absolutely fantastic news that we have been awarded a £50million contract with Ford, to a visit from the Chancellor - the Right Honourable George Osborne - and of course, more recently, the official unveiling of our state-of-the art dynamometer, which will allow us to take our products to the next level…. Could we really have achieved much more in just three months?! We’re keen to make sure that InFocus provides an opportunity to welcome new people to the business, so we will be making sure that each edition features some of the new faces joining the Nifco team. And we’ll also be sharing updates with you on some of the events that members of the team have been organising for charity, and other great things that you are doing to make this a great place to work.
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This year, like last, promises to be another successful one, after a great start this first quarter. My message to you all is that we have to keep building on our success, working as a team and each play a part in the on-going growth of the business. We are seeing the company transform, and only together can we ensure that Nifco continues to realise its vast potential. We are increasingly being recognised as an exemplar – a company that is leading the way in industry. And that is down to our team – all of you. We are committed to rewarding you for all that you do for the business, and to ensuring that we continue to attract the best people out there as we grow. So once again, I’d like to thank you for all that you are doing - here is to another successful three months until the next edition.
IMAGE REQUIRED
Mike Matthews MBE, Managing Director and European Operations Officer
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CONTENTS Message from Mike Nifco UK Secures ÂŁ50 deal with Ford Human Resources Nifco Hits the Screens New Faces Dynamometer Stay Fighting Fit Passport to Holidays Meet Mike Happy Workplace Safety Bubble Winners Mike goes back to College Investors in People Colleague celebrations Marketing Appointment Doug Binks You asked, we listened More New Faces #theloudestwhisper Safe Parking Students join Nifco Events Calendar Logistics Kaizen
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Nifco UK secures ÂŁ50m deal
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The biggest contract in Nifco’s history…. We were delighted to be awarded a contract that could be worth as much as £50million with automotive giant Ford. We were awarded the multi-year deal following a competitive tender process that saw us go head-tohead against companies from the UK and around the world. The contract will see us produce a complex thermostatic control assembly for a next generation Ford low CO2 engine. Work will start immediately with engineers from Nifco working with Ford’s product development teams. It is expected the new deal will secure up to 50 new jobs, added to the 295 jobs that will have been maintained and secured since 2012. Mike Matthews said that the contract was a hugely significant win for the company. He said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have won this contract with Ford.” Spring / Summer 2015
“The scope and size of the deal is unprecedented, and is made even more significant by the fact we have managed to displace competitors from right around the world. It is further proof of just how far Nifco has come, and the way in which the close relationships we build with our clients are helping us to better understand their business and the ways in which we can support them. “The jobs this will secure and the impact it will have locally is such a boost, and we’re thrilled to have been chosen to deliver it.” The contract is another positive boost for us, with an order book that is full for the next five years. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said:
“Nifco’s continued success along with its new contract with Ford, is fantastic news for the North East.”
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The culture and values of the organisation play an integral role in supporting the Company’s ability to achieve its goals and the Company was recently re-certified for the Investors In People accreditation. Our brand strength has grown and we have created radio and television campaigns to support recruitment that are proving to attract many high-calibre candidates for our roles. We have been upgrading our systems to enable us to provide a more effective and efficient level of service: a new training program delivering a more consistent, joined-up approach to training and development, which has brought better focus to everyone’s roles. We are upgrading the tools of our payroll systems to include automated holiday requests and the timely supply of a variety of reports for business management. Increasingly, people want to work with us and we are currently investigating a new recruitment program to cope with the numbers of applications and enquiries for current vacancies visit our website at www.nifcoeu.com.
Who works in the Personnel Department and what is their role? Personnel is a key function that influences the business by ensuring that the organisation has the right capability to deliver its goals, that is, a resilient, skilled and motivated workforce. Our current focus is to support the business’ rapid period of growth and change, in particular recruitment, skills development, communication and consultation, and reward.
The wellbeing of our colleagues is also on our agenda, so please check our events calendar for the year, and ideas for future events are most welcome.
Meet the team (left to right) Glen Fenby, HR Advisor Alycia Davey, Training Officer Frances Hoy, HR Manager Jill Hodgson, HR Administrator Katie Waters, Payroll Administrator Rebecca Billing, HR Officer
Nifco hits the screens You would be hard-pressed not to notice that the team here at Nifco is growing at pace, with more and more new people joining us as we continue to see our order books grow. We want to make sure that we have the best team possible, so we are spreading the net far and wide, hoping to attract people from in and around the Teesside area. To help get word out that we are adding to our number, we have been running with a TV and radio campaign to promote the business. You might have seen us between your favourite TV programmes on ITV, or perhaps heard our ad on the airwaves, as we hit TFM and Metro Radio to promote some of the great jobs we have on offer. If you know of anyone who you think would be a good addition to the team, we would love you to help us spread the word. All of the latest Nifco vacancies are available at www.nifcoeu.com/careers
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New Faces Over the last two years, we have seen the Nifco team go from 360 to more than 520. So with so many new faces joining the team, we want to make sure we introduce you to a handful of your new colleagues in each edition of InFocus. Look out for more new faces throughout this edition.
Introducing Abbie McCartin
Introducing Lucian Grigoras
Lucian joined the team in February and is a Project Engineer at Nifco. His role sees him act as an interface between Nifco and both suppliers and customers. Lucian joined the team having made a short move to JLR, and before that working for Dacia-Renault for almost 8 years. “I’m enjoying it so far, and looking forward to working more closely with our customers as I settle in.”
Abbie has joined Nifco as a Buyer. She worked as an assistant buyer at Gestamp Tallent in Newton Aycliffe for three years before joining Nifco after being recommended to the company by a friend. Abbie has a degree in business leadership and management, and outside of work, she is a keen skier, spending two weeks in Austria working as an instructor earlier this year. She said: “It will take a few weeks to settle, but I am really enjoying it at Nifco and everyone is really nice. I see this as a long term move for me, and really hope to have the chance to grow with the business. In time, I would love to move into a senior buyer role.”
Introducing Jodie Heal
Jodie is from Stockton and joined the team in November. She works in assembly for Ford and made the move to Nifco after a career in catering. She said: “I was sick of my last job in catering, and decided to try something new. I’ve been here for a few months now, and I like it. Everyone is really nice and they’ve helped me since I joined the team. I hope to stay here for a while yet!”
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Dynamometer
£750,000 kit set to break the mould
We’ve invested £750,000 in a dynamometer that will allow it to produce cutting-edge parts for its automotive clients. The machine, which was officially unveiled at an event earlier this month, represents a significant investment for us and we hope it will allow us to work even more successfully with clients to help them make the efficiency gains needed to improve the performance of their vehicles.
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Paul Chapman, general manager of research and development, said: “Nifco’s success has been in no small part down to the way in which we work with clients to anticipate their needs and produce parts that allow them to make improvements and efficiencies. “The investment made in the dynamometer will allow us to take that a step further, and - as we grow our R&D division - create parts that, cumulatively, make a big difference for clients.” The dynamometer will allow us to run a vehicle engine in laboratory conditions, using a powerful electric motor to provide the resistance normally provided by a car’s weight and drag. Nifco can use the machine to understand how its parts affect any aspect of the engine’s performance, allowing the R&D team to gain more insight and make design improvements. Mike Matthews said: “The investment in the dynamometer is a significant mark of intent for us and will allow us to really understand how effective our parts are
Spring / Summer 2015
when they are put to the test under a range of conditions. “Nifco has seen significant growth and that is down to a commitment to excellence in everything we do. Part of this commitment is investment in equipment - as well as facilities and training - that keeps us at the absolute forefront when it comes to producing new and innovative products for the automotive sector. The dynamometer is the latest in a long line of investments - and one that we are sure will generate a fantastic return – and for people considering a career in manufacturing and engineering, particularly in the R&D element of the sector, this investment presents significant opportunities. “We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our parent company Nifco Inc for its continued investment in Nifco UK and of course the Regional Growth Fund for again helping us with this venture that will help to create new jobs in Teesside. And we would like to thank the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Tees Valley
Unlimited for their ongoing support.” Joe Greenwell CBE, CEO of the Automotive Investment Organisation (AIO), said: “The UK has favourable conditions for a rapid supply chain growth with nearly 2.5 million engines manufactured in the UK annually, a newly established Advanced Propulsion Centre and £4billion supply chain demand currently unfulfilled by UK manufacturers. “We are glad to see such a forward thinking company as Nifco increase their competitiveness, seize business opportunities in the UK automotive market and contribute to further advancements in the UK’s powertrain development.” Mr Greenwell attended the event at Nifco to mark the unveiling of the dynamometer. He was also taken for a tour of the two factories, and had the chance to look at Nifco’s 3D printer, something that will be used for prototypes.
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Stay fighting fit Achy knee? Back problems? We know there is nothing worse that working when you feel less than your best. So, whether you have any niggling aches and pains, or perhaps a sprained ankle from an evening run, you could soon be feeling better, with the help of our on-site physiotherapist. The sessions are available every Tuesday – all you need to do is book an appointment via the HR team.
Passport to holidays Going paperless seems to be the new trend for today’s businesses and Nifco is jumping on the bandwagon to support system efficiency and, of course, make things easier for people. We are moving the holiday booking system online, so in future you can book holidays electronically meaning you will be able to view your holiday allowance, holiday availability by day, and previous holidays taken, all in one easy-to-use place. Supervisors will respond to holiday requests through the new system in a matter of a few days, saving time and paperwork.
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There will be four booking systems on the factory floor in Nifco House and two further systems in the R&D and Powertrain Factory, Factory Two and everyone will be given full training on the new system in due course. Our HR advisor Glen Fenby is leading this new initiative. Look out for more information over the coming weeks, and get in touch with Glen if you have any queries.
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Meet Mike You may have seen the bulletin to share details of The Nifco Experience, regular planned meetings with our managing director, Mike Matthews, to give you the chance share their views and shape the future of the business. Mike has been speaking with small groups of staff together for an informal catch-up each week, to find out more about how you are doing, things you like about the workplace and things you would like to see change. It is important that your experience here is the best it can be, that you are receiving the right support and training, that you know you’re valued and respected. So we really do want to make sure you have the opportunity to have your say.
Safety Bubble winners A big well done to everyone in Factory 2 who has just completed the Safety Bubble Team audit programme. The overall scores were very close but congratulations to Team 4 who won by raising the most PoP cards! The team event is based on auditing team members’ Safety Bubble analysis of PoP cards raised. The next event will run from April to June for Factory 1. Teams will be restructured for Factory 1, as a few members have moved over to Factory 2, but we will inform you of your team prior to the event starting – so keep an eye out for Safety Bubble announcements. Anyone who needs more information on the Safety Bubble can contact Malcolm Mayes or Claire Williams.
Good luck to the teams in Factory 1 and a final well done to Factory 2, Team 4!
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Happy workplace Each year, we try to gain a good understanding of how people feel about working at Nifco in our annual Colleague Survey. And over the last few months, we have been digging a little bit deeper to understand how we can ensure that morale is high, and people feel happy to be part of the Nifco team. Some of the other groups we have in place – like Safety Bubble exercises and the Nifco Experience sessions with Mike - have helped us to glean important feedback, and we are taking this on board and are trying to make little improvements that – collectively – will make a big difference. We have also held focus groups with a selection of people from across the business to understand ways in which we can make Nifco a better employer. One of the key things people feel we need to improve upon is communication, and so, to really get to grips with what we can do, we will be organising a session with members of the team, led by an external facilitator, and involving colleagues from across the business, predominantly the shopfloor, to ensure you have your say. We will update you on progress in the next InFocus.
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Mike goes back to college Our MD Mike Matthews has been back to college to deliver a number of talks at business networking breakfasts about the need to support apprentices. Mike has spoken at both Darlington and Derwentside College, to help spread the work about the value that apprentices have brought to the Nifco business. Mike himself is a former apprentice, so is living proof of just how rewarding the career pathway can be. Mike said: “I really do believe in apprenticeships and the difference they can make to businesses. We 100% back apprentices and that has allowed us to build a business that is fresh, innovative and forward-thinking. “We will do whatever we can to ensure that more and more companies get behind apprenticeships and help us to ensure that the skills gap does not become an issue.”
Colleagues are celebrating their own happy news. Glen Fenby from HR has reached a big milestone - his 25th Wedding Anniversary! May you have many more happy years of marriage Glen. And design engineer Amey Kandalgaonkar has recently been engaged. He is due to be married later this year in India. Many congratulations Amey.
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Nifco has once again been recognised as an Investors in People company, thanks to work we are doing to make sure that we keep our team at the absolute cutting edge of industry. Investors in People is an internationally recognised standard for developing people and helps businesses to demonstrate how committed they are to their people by benchmarking against other businesses. As the company continues to grow, it is vital to us that we attract the best people, and that we continue to develop them for as long as they are with us in the way we do with our current team. IIP is a clear statement of our commitment to people. Thank you all and congratulations on this outstanding achievement.
As well as the great recognition for Nifco, Mike Matthews has been named as a finalist for the Investors In People Awards 2015 as “Leader of the Year”. The awards ceremony will be held in June at the Tower of London – good luck Mike!
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Marketing appointment to drive Nifco forward We’re moving our marketing up a gear with the appointment of a new communications manager, Erika Marshall, who joined the team at the beginning of March. Erika hopes that she will set a template for marketing that can be replicated by Nifco around the world. She joins the company from Reef Subsea, where she held a fixed term contract as their marketing manager for nine months. Prior to that, Erika worked as marketing manager at ThyssenKrupp Access for more than four years. Erika said that Nifco was a company she had been interested in working for, for a number of years.
She said: “I had followed Nifco’s progress over the years in the press, and it was always clear that it was a company that had real ambition and one that was going places. I was really keen to be part of that. “I’m really excited to get stuck in, and to help shape Nifco’s communications both internally and externally. It is clear already that it will be a great company to be part of.”
Happy 10th anniversary to Doug Binks You may have read about it in our recent bulletin, but earlier this month, Director of Finance, Doug Binks celebrated a decade of being part of the Nifco team. Doug joined the company after being made redundant and was looking for a ‘stop-gap’ to get him through to the summer months, when he hoped to take a long break. However, ten years on, Doug’s long break remains a distant dream, and he is planning for his next ten years at Nifco. He said: “In my role, I think it is essential that over the next ten years, I play a part in persuading industry that the UK is the place to do business and creating jobs for the future. I’ve worked hard and progressed far as a result and I have the opportunity to support others in doing the same.” Well done Doug – a huge achievement and here’s to many more years at Nifco!
You asked, we listened Some time ago a request was made to start a Christmas Savings Club. As a responsible employer, Nifco declined the request as we did not have the appropriate financing licencing in place. We felt that there was a need for something similar and as a result Tees Credit Union – Your Community Bank is coming to Nifco UK. The Tees Credit Union offers payroll-related savings accounts and loans which offer much better terms than some of the high street lenders, whilst being fully protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. More information will be provided in the coming weeks.
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Coming Soon… G-NNP 13
More New Faces...
Introducing Kerri Donaldson
Introducing Bradley Peacock
Kerri joined the team at the end of January and works on assembly for Ford. Kerri joined Nifco at the end of January, having previously worked in retail.
Bradley joined Nifco a couple of months ago, and is working as an assembly operative.
She said: I was recommended to Nifco by a couple of people. The company is such a big employer in the area. I have a qualification in childcare, so it’s not the career I planned, but I am enjoying it. I like that I can just get on with my job here.”
#theloudestwhisper On Friday March, 13, Nifco took part in The Loudest Whisper, a borough-wide initiative to spread the word about all that’s great about Stockton. The Loudest Whisper, part of Comic Relief, and saw Nifco take part in the world’s biggest ever game of ‘Chinese Whispers’. A big thank you to all those who helped Nifco take part, and for making sure that our voice was well and truly heard in Teesside!
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He was working in mental health, but decided to make the move to Nifco after friends who are already part of the team recommended it. “I would definitely recommend other people to join Nifco. Everyone is very friendly and helpful, and I do feel like I could progress here. Nifco really promotes career development. It is an employer that wants the best for its people.”
SAFE PARKING During the first round of Safety Bubble audits for Factory 2 we encouraged people to reverse park their car by making Factory 2 car park reverse parking only. This has been shown, as many of you will know, to be safer, as you can then drive out forward from a parking space allowing for better visibility. This type of parking is seen by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as best practise and can help to reduce the risk of car park incidents and accidents.
car parks on site. So, from 7th April we will be encouraging all employees to park so they can drive forward out of their parking space, eliminating the need to reverse out.
This has been a great success with almost 100% of Factory 2 employees reverse parking all the time.
So, please think about your parking, park so that when you leave you can drive forward from your parking space, and, be considerate and patient with those who are parking safely.
With the introduction of the next round of Safety Bubble audits, which now include Factory 1, we are rolling out the safe parking initiative to all
There are a large number of people who have attended the Safety Bubble sessions - and use the main car parks - who have seen the benefits of parking this way and have already decided to use this parking technique.
“Think Visibility” – “Think Pedestrians” – “Think Safe Parking”
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Events Calendar Students join Nifco Four Stockton students were treated a taste of industry, and spent some time with us to find out more about the careers available at Nifco.
We have a packed programme of activities and events coming up over the next few months, and you’re all invited to get involved. Here are just some of the events we have coming up:
April Health awareness – allergies Back strengthening - physio / pilates
Usman Mohammed, Anisah Mahmood, Maria Khalil and Fiona Wood, spent a week with us back in February. The students, from Egglescliffe School, took the chance to try their hand at a range of roles across the business as part of their programme organized in partnership with the school. The students took part in an interview as part of the selection process, and it is hoped the experience will give them a better understanding of life in the workplace, for when they complete their studies. Anisah Mahmood, one of the students who took part in the programme, said: “Now I know what engineering is; and what Nifco does, I see that there is so much more to it than I first thought. I am now planning to go forward and pursue a career in engineering.” We are working closely with schools in the local area, including Egglescliffe School, to provide opportunities for young people to find out more about careers in manufacturing. As well as work placements, we are supporting a number of school visits, allowing a larger number of students the chance to look around a modern manufacturing facility. Mike Matthews said: “We would like to work with as many schools as possible to ensure that their students are given the chance to see what we’re all about. The North East – like the rest of the UK – has a huge challenge ahead of it to ensure it has the right blend of skills to support its growth industries, and we are determined to be active – to do something to address this.”
Land training / circuit training Football
May Learn to Swim and Improve – Tuesdays at Darlington Dolphin Centre Health awareness – dementia, mental health Back strengthening - physio/ pilates Golf Hike Land training / circuit training Football
June
Health awareness – heart Health awareness – diabetes Health awareness – blood donor (off site) Back strengthening – physio/ pilates Land training / circuit training Coarse Fishing Football All ideas are very welcome. Please speak to a member of the HR team
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Logistics Kaizen For a while now you might have seen Dean Thomas walking around our buildings and may have wondered what he has been up to. Wonder no more! Dean runs his own consultancy business - MouldCo - and he has been working with us to improve our stock accuracy. Stock accuracy has been a long standing problem within our business. It adversely affects many areas of our business, including our ability to provide high levels of service to our customers. Due to the vast amount of improvement opportunities which have been identified through working with Dean, in the last few weeks we have re-launched the Stock Accuracy Improvement project and given it a new name, the Logistics Kaizen project. We feel this name better-reflects the scope of the planned improvement works. Dean, who is working with the delegated authority of our Directors, has been appointed as this project’s leader, whilst John Morgan has been appointed as its champion and John Legg its project manager.
Dean has made a firm promise to cascade information about this project through the organisation, including a commitment to keep you informed of its progress, how it affects you and what you can do to help. You will learn more through your team sessions and toolbox talks as well as workplace communications. Logistics Kaizen will also feature a section in each issue of InFocus. The Logistics Kaizen project will be based upon the application of lean principles - something which Dean is very passionate about – in order to reach an end goal of world class customer service and increased production capacity. The lean principles applied in this project will be wholly consistent with the forthcoming G-NNP culture implementation programme which you will learn more of in the coming weeks. For more information on the Logistics Kaizen project, you can speak to Dean directly or your line manager.
view issue online www.nifcoeu.com
issuu.com/nifco Nifco UK Limited Durham Lane Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland, TS16 0PS United Kingdom
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Phone: +44-(0)1642-672299 Fax: +44-(0)1642-611004
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