Top Award for Lean & Green Consett Company

Tuesday, 11th December 2007

Categories: Green & Local

Top award for lean and green Consett company

Consett-based International Cuisine Ltd (ICL) scooped the top industry award 'Productivity through Skills' at the National Food Manufacture Excellence Awards, after seeing off top competition from Glenmorangie and Loch Fyne Oysters.

As one of the UK's leading suppliers of chilled ready meals, ICL embarked on a lean manufacturing initiative and called in the help of NEPA (the North East Productivity Alliance) to help identify ways to drive down lead time and remove waste, boosting productivity and competitiveness as well as embedding a 'continuous improvement' culture.

The resulting increase in performance has led to numerous top industry awards honouring excellence in food manufacturing, including the productivity through skills award which heralded the company as a national example of best practice.

"International Cuisine makes a great practice story. The firm has taken a very cultural approach to lean manufacture and the entry showed impressive stats," said the award judges, a panel of industry experts.

International Cuisine, part of the Daniels Group, produce more than one million meals a week at their Consett headquarters, supplying customers throughout the UK, including supermarkets giants, Asda, Morrisons and the Co-op.

Nicole Thompson, International Cuisine Head of Human Resources, said: "We have successfully followed NEPA's 'Narrow and Deep' training programme achieving increased efficiency and staff retention. Two managers were initially released from their full time jobs to be trained by NEPA engineers as company 'Change Agents,' and are now studying for a foundation degree in Operations Improvement.

"The company took the unique decision to run a Business Improvement Technique training programme at NVQ Level II alongside the NEPA Programme. All employees were included in the training and it has since become adopted as a company training programme. So far we have put 480 of our 550 staff through this programme and 80% of our staff are now trained to be multi-skilled. This has really helped us to create a culture of continuous improvement within the company."

In order to help workers develop their managerial skills and increase their confidence, individuals at International Cuisine are given additional responsibilities, such as the opportunity to practice deputising for their manager or team leader when that person is on holiday.

Since adopting the lean manufacturing initiative, the company has seen performance improve in terms of an increase in sales, efficiency and productivity, customer service and staff retention.

Tom Weldon, International Cuisine Site Operations Director, said: "This year alone we have won the prestigious People Effectiveness Award at the Imeche Manufacturing Awards, were first-place winners of the National Meat and Fish Awards for our 'Truly Irresistible Fish Pie', which we manufacture for the Co-op and most recently we have won this Productivity through Skills award.

"Being recognised through top industry awards are an accolade to the way the workforce has embraced change and challenges associated with a diverse workforce, which has adopted a continuous improvement ethos.

"After the success of the NEPA programme, we are now embarking on the One NorthEast Energy Resource Efficiency Programme, where a team of specialist engineers will work closely with the company to develop an energy action plan, analysing current usage and highlighting innovative means to cut bills, as well as training managers and staff in energy awareness and management."

Dr Colin Herron, One NorthEast's Manufacturing and Productivity Manager, said: "I am delighted that International Cuisine has taken the NEPA programme and principles to such depth within the company. They have really embraced lean manufacturing and embedded the principles into the company culture, involving all employees. It is fantastic to see that they have received national recognition for their success."

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