infocus winter
DESCRIPTION
The Winter edition of InFocus, a staff newsletter from Nifco UK Ltd.TRANSCRIPT
NIFCO HAS A ROYAL ENCOUNTER!
Welcome to the winteredition of InFocus.
A magazine all about Nifco UK
Winter 2014
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We have seen festive jumpers aplenty, the annual tombola and many of you will have enjoyed a great evening at our Christmas party, way back in November!
Aside from being a fun time of year for everyone, Christmas is a great chance to look back and reflect. And we have packed a huge amount into 2014, so there is so much to be proud of.
We have seen many changes in the business over the past year, and we are tremendously grateful for the role you have each played – as individuals and working as a team with your colleagues across the business – in making 2014 so successful for Nifco.
The business has enjoyed significant
growth this year, there are a great many new faces added to the team enjoying their first Christmas with the company, we have a stunning new factory housing the research and development division of the business, and of course earlier this month, we enjoyed a second visit from His Royal Highness, The Duke of York. Wow – no shortage of things to raise a glass to.
And looking ahead to 2015, the New Year promises to be another successful one for Nifco UK. As our sales and business continue to grow, it is important that we work collaboratively – as one team - to ensure our efficiency levels remain strong, and that we carry on delivering the highest level of service. And to do that, we need ambitious people – people
who want to help Nifco succeed. The expansion and developments will offer many career development opportunities – training will be on the agenda in 2015 to ensure that you all have the highest level of knowledge and skill. And it is something I hope you will all embrace and want to benefit from.
So another year flies by – but a great one for the business. I am already excited by the year ahead for Nifco UK, and I hope you all are too. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your hard work, commitment and support and to wish you a very merry Christmas, and all the very best for 2015.
Message from Mike
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Nifco….
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Contents04 A Tribute to Japan04 Cuppas and Cakes for Charity04 Fundraising at Dizzying Heights05 Party Time at Nifco05 Christmas Jumpers at Nifco06 A Royal Encounter08 Mike Talks Skills08 Ad Stars Bring Nifco to Life08 A Family Affair09 Long Service June Praised 10 Focus on Operations 11 Committed Staff Work & Study
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A Tribute to JapanThe reception area at Nifco House is now proudly displaying a beautiful piece of Japanese inspired artwork created by young local school children.
Visitors to Teesside University’s Library had previously admired the painting – by St Anne’s School - which was on display as part of an exhibition, however the work of art is now brightening the reception wall at Nifco, reminding us of our roots.
We’re proud to be part of Nifco Inc, and of course 2015 is a special year for us, as it marks 25 years since the company became part of the Japanese owned group.
The artwork will be on show for six months in the building for visitors and staff to appreciate, so we do hope it acts as a timely reminder of our strong links to our colleagues in Japan – and of course brings some colour to the entrance of the factory.
Cuppas and Cakes for CharityOur MacMillan Cancer Coffee Morning took place back in may this year, when we raised a magnificent £419, with ‘guess the name of giant teddy bear’, and by selling some of your home-cooked cakes. Though it must seem like a distant memory now, we were keen to thank staff members that provided cakes for the day and in particular, we would like to thank Amy Dunn, Jill Hodgson, Ann Mack and Jo Roberts for helping on the day. We’re planning to run another coffee day in 2015, so make sure you look out for company notices and give generously once again in the New Year!
Fundraising at Dizzying HeightsStaff at Nifco found themselves at hair-raising heights, all in aid of Children In Need, by taking part in a sponsored zip wire.
Seven daring employees took part in the charity zip wire event, and braved the dizzy heights of a crane, sailing down a wire, which was set up in the centre of Teesside.
Joanne Roberts, Jill Hodgson, Jon Gray, Jonny Good, Shaun Riley, Chris Parsons, Roger Clegg and Ben Hollings were the brave employees who signed up at the eleventh hour to take part in the challenge, which was arranged by Stockton Borough Council. Nifco covered the cost to ensure they could take part in the challenge.
For those who wanted to keep their feet more firmly on the ground, there was Liz Ryan, Ann Mack and Joanne Roberts sole sold raffle tickets – with prizes donated by suppliers up for grabs -to ensure that everyone had the chance to donate to what is a really worthwhile cause.
We raised an impressive £641 for Children in Need, so thank you to everyone who got involved…. What a generous bunch you all are!
Plastic FantasticWe were delighted to once again attend the Plastics Industry Awards in October this year, a real privilege having been so successful in building up our trophy cabinet over the years.
We were invited along as a nominee for the prestigious ‘Processor of the Year’ award, a testament to all of our hard work over the past year.
Anna Donaldson, one of our apprentices, came along with us, flying the flag for the company in the ‘Apprentice or Trainee of the Year’ category.
Mike Matthews said the evening was a great night of celebration, and that he was proud of the work that had gone in, to ensure that Nifco and Anna were recognized by the awards organisers.
He said: “I could not be prouder of how hard everyone is working to see Nifco succeed.
“Well done to everyone who has made 2014 a success for us and let’s continue with this dedication and determination into 2015 and beyond.”
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Party Time at NifcoWe like to start the party season a little bit early at Nifco, so this year, we got in the mood for Christmas on Saturday, November 29, with our annual Christmas party.
It was a great night - the perfect chance for people to swap work-wear for their glad-rags, and party the night away to top off a great year for Nifco. This year, hundreds of you came along to the Sporting Lodge in Middlesbrough to enjoy an evening of Christmassy fun! In case you missed it, here are some great pictures of the party in full swing!
Each year, we take part in Christmas Jumper Day. It’s a great chance to bring some festive cheer to the company and get everyone in the mood for the Holiday Season. But perhaps more importantly, Christmas Jumper Day raises money for a really good cause, Save the Children.
This year, lots of you, from the shopfloor and the office, donned your festive knitwear and brought the spirit of Christmas to Nifco, all in aid of charity. And, as has become tradition, there was more than just Christmas spirit in the office, with plenty of bottles of wine brought in, to be won in the annual Christmas tombola. Last year the tombola and Christmas Jumper Day raised more than £1,000 which is such a great achievement. We’re hoping for another bumper year!
Jumpers Bring a Touch of Christmas to Nifco
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A Royal EncounterWe were proud to welcome a member of the Royal family to Nifco earlier this month to open our new, state of the art Research and Development facility.
HRH The Duke of York visited our second facility to open the new site, just two years on from his last visit to open Nifco House. And a lot has changed since his last visit. Last time he was here, the Duke saw Nifco House as an empty shell – already we’re at full capacity and our R&D and Powertrain Factory is up to 75per cent capacity – a sign of just how quickly the company has grown.
The Duke was treated to a tour of both of our factories by managing director, Mike Matthews, and had the chance to speak to members of our team who shared their stories and experiences of working at Nifco.
Mike Matthews said:
“We have been really excited about this expansion and we’re delighted The Duke of York visited us again to see our progress.
“It has been a busy and productive two years since His Royal Highness’s last visit. We have increased turnover from £38m to more almost £60m, and with the new R&D facility we’re expecting turnover and productivity to
continue to rise as it keeps us well placed to stay ahead for our clients. “The second factory is a stunning new space, and a very visible sign of the speed at which the company is growing. It was fantastic to have the chance to update The Duke on Nifco’s development.”
And the speed of growth was something HRH was keen to applaud, when he made a speech to members of staff, clients and VIPs who were invited to come along and be part of the special day.
HRH The Duke of York said:
“It is two years since I last came to visit Nifco, when it was an empty space and look at what it has done.
“It was a real privilege to return to Nifco and see how that empty space has been used, with the first factory full and the new one filling up quickly.”
He also drew attention to the work we have been doing at Nifco to develop our people, and to bring through the next generation of employees, by taking on apprentices.
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He said:
“I talked to several Nifco apprentices and it was very clear that Nifco is investing in the future, and not only on the shop-floor, but investing in apprentices throughout the business. For me, that is fantastic, as I am a real advocate of the apprenticeship process. “Success as an apprentice used to be whether or not you were able to use your hands. Nowadays, it is a combination of using your hands and your mind. And speaking to Nifco’s management team, and hearing how many of them started life as an apprentice, only serves to prove that apprentices who move through the ranks of business better qualified to run that business in years to come.”
“ It is once in a lifetime that you get to meet a member of the Royal family. ”
Among the young apprentices who spoke to HRH was Anna Donaldson, who is and apprentice toolmaker. She said:
“It is once in a lifetime that you get to meet a member of the Royal family. It was a great opportunity and he seemed really interested in hearing about the company and how they’re supporting apprentices in the area.”
The event was attended by Stockton Borough Council representatives, who supported the company in planning for the Royal visit.
Leader of Stockton Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said:
“It was fantastic to see Nifco welcome The Duke of York to Eaglescliffe once again. It was a wonderful opportunity for him to see the significant progress that has been made since his last visit.
“Stockton is a great place to do business and Nifco is a great business. The success of Nifco is an excellent example of how the public and private sector are working alongside each other to encourage business growth.”
It was an eventful day for the team and one I’m sure we will all remember. We’d like to give a special mention to Sarah Watson, who is an assembly operator in our new factory. HRH stopped off to speak to her during his tour of the building and Sarah was extremely confident, despite her unexpected Royal appointment!
To all staff involved in the day, thanks for your support in making HRH’s visit a real success. Here’s hoping The Duke of York will visit us once again in the near future, as we continue to develop and grow at pace.
“ ...it was very clear that Nifco is investing in the future... ”
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A Family AffairIt’s official – Nifco is a real family affair! Brothers, sisters, mams, dads, sons, daughters… the list goes on. Many members of our team are part of the same family….
We speak to toolmaker Ronnie Jonson, whose classmates have become colleagues, and for whom Nifco is a family affair.
Ronnie Johnson started his career at Nifco in 1976, after being introduced to the company by his relative Bruce Sinclair, quality manager.
Ronnie started an apprenticeship with Elta Plastics, as it was then, but left the organisation until the early 2000s. He has been back at Nifco for almost a decade.
“I went to school with John Tinkler, IT manager and Andy McDowell, who is a
Mike Talks SkillsIf you happen to see a copy of Research & Business, Teesside University’s magazine this month, you will see our MD Mike Matthews on the cover.
Mike’s story spreads an important message about one of the biggest challenges facing not only Nifco, but all manufacturers in the UK. The skills gap.
“More than 9,000 people in the North East will
retire from their career in manufacturing over the next few years, and we need to address this,” says Mike.“We are working really hard with organisations like Teesside University, and others to make sure that we do our bit to address the skills gap. And we need to make sure we keep pushing to bring in fresh skills, with bright ideas and eager minds.
“A key part of that is the training we are putting in place that will help all
of our team be the best they can be. And as we continue to grow the business, we will be working hard to attract the most talented people possible to help us take Nifco forward.”
As well as work with the university, Nifco has strengthened its commitment to apprenticeships. Across the business, we now have more and more young people brining new skills with them, and gaining the experience they need to make a difference. It’s something we will be continuing with over the coming months, and will stand us in good stead for the future.
Ad Stars bring Nifco to LifeIf you’re picking up the local paper in the New Year, don’t be surprised if you see the smiling face of a colleague staring back at you, as we roll out a brand new look for Nifco’s recruitment advertising.
We think it is really important that people know more about the range of job opportunities available at Nifco – and so we have given the company’s advertising a new look for the new year, to make sure that we show off our lovely team and shout about how their career has progressed since joining us.
It’s really important that as a company, Nifco presents a clear and consistent image, and that, as we grow, Nifco is seen as a place people want to come and work. The new campaign is just part of our effort to make sure that Nifco is recognised regionally and nationally as a leading light in manufacturing.
We’re hoping to feature more of you in our advertising over the coming months, so keep your eyes peeled for more and more members of the team getting their five minutes of fame!
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Long Serving June Praised by ColleaguesJune Hickey has been with Nifco for more than 40 years, and despite being past the age of retirement at 71 years young, June is still very much a key part of the Nifco team.
Ann Mack and Liz Ryan are both colleagues of June, and paid tribute to a colleague who truly is part of the furniture.
Ann Mack, a lead op who has been with Nifco for three and a half years, said: “June is lovely, and a really good worker. I worked with her 30 years ago, when Nifco was still Elta Plastics, so it was great to become colleagues again when I came back to Nifco. She always has sweets on her desk – people often pop over to have a quick chat and pick up a sweet from her. June’s an important part of the team.”
Liz Ryan has worked with June for almost 14 years.
Liz said: “I remember June working on Quality Control for Ford when I started here. It’s great to have her back working with us. She is really hardworking, and to still be here all those years after first joining the company just goes to prove how committed she is.”
Congratulations June on 40 great years of service – here’s to many more to come before retirement!
Do you want to see a colleague recognised for their great work? Or is there a special work anniversary coming up for someone at Nifco UK that we can shout about in InFocus? Make sure you email your story suggestions to us at [email protected]. We’ll be happy to make a mention of them in the next edition!
general manager now. And Mike Matthews - I remember him being an apprentice. He’s a friend and a colleague, and what he has achieved here is fantastic. He’s never changed. He’s still the same person – really down to earth.”
As well as Ronnie’s former classmates, general manager Andy McDowell and IT manager John Tinkler, his own sons Chris and Daniel also work here.
Ronnie’s son Chris, 30, who was introduced straight onto the production line working in assembly,
has been with the business for five years while his son Danny, 24, has been working for Nifco for nine years as a deputy technician.
“I suppose you could say it is a family affair! It’s good working with my sons, and for all of us, it is fantastic to work at a company that is doing so well. I have had jobs in the past where I have been looking over my shoulder, worrying about whether there was enough work to keep me in employment. With things going so well here, it is the most secure I have ever felt in a job, which is good for me
and my sons,” says Ronnie.
“I like to get involved in things the company does, and have helped to arrange social gatherings and events, including outdoor activities like the Scafell Pike walk. I am also part of the health and safety and environmental committees, both of which allow me to play a part in shaping the company. It’s a good place to work, for me and my sons.”
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Operations2014 has been a tough but successful year for Nifco. Key achievements have been:
Focus on
10 new project launches throughout the year - from P32S (Qashqai) in January to gearing up for the major Jaguar X760 (The new XE small saloon) launch in January 2015
Factory 2 move – 10 moulding machines and the whole of complex assembly, with the stock build of over 500,000 component parts, concluding with the revalidation of all Ford components
Relay out of Cell D & E including machine moves and machine installation
Relay out of Basic Assembly
The launch of the stock accuracy project, with the main activity in the various warehouses being completed during the Christmas break
While all of this activity was taking place we managed to improve our labour efficiency and moulding machine utilisation indicators – so a big well done!
We have not achieved our targets for quality performance and mis-labelling, failing to meet our number of concern target month on month. This will be a major focus for us through 2015, whilst maintaining or improving our other key indicators!
So thank you to everyone for your hard work through 2014 and let’s push on and achieve all of our targets for 2015!
Thomas Set for London SuccessAt Nifco, we work hard to make sure that our team enjoy opportunities to progress their career. But when people’s career path leads them away from Nifco, its great to know that the skills they have gained with us can help them go further and achieve more.
Thomas Pickup, 23, worked at Nifco during his student days, as he worked towards a degree in Business with HR. Once he completed his studies, Thomas, who is from a small village in Gateshead, decided to take a year out to travel. After exploring far-flung places like Thailand, Australia and Fiji, Thomas – who left Nifco in January – returned with a new girlfriend and ambitions to start a life with her down in London.
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Committed Staff Combine Work and StudyEight members of the warehouse team have successfully completed their Level 2 Certificate in Warehousing and storage as part of Nifco’s commitment to training and developing staff.
The course, which was delivered by Stockton Riverside College, was designed to help learners to manage their studies around a full time job. The eight staff members that completed the course welcomed the opportunity to hone their existing skills and develop new skills to put to use while on the job.
Stephen Percival, who was among those to successfully complete the Level 2 course, said:
“It was hard work at times, but worth it. Whatever I do, I want to do to the best of my ability, it would be silly not
to take up an opportunity like this.” Warehouse operative Stuart McLaren said:
“Getting this qualification will open a lot of doors. I have had to make time to do it, but now I hope it will help me to get to the next level.”
Brian Wilson, Logistics Section Leader commended his team’s efforts:
“Nifco is a growing company and we want our operators to grow with us.”
Well done to those who took part! There will be plenty more training taking place throughout 2015, as we work to ensure we are geared up for growth.
And his career has taken him to the banks of the River Thames – working for Sims, part of the St Ives Group, a London based publishing house. The company prints books - including Harry Potter – and mailers on behalf of multi-national, blue-chip clients.
Thomas’ new role sees him managing the Royal Mail account, a contract worth £20million to Sims, working as an Account Executive.
He said: “I’ve only just joined the company, but it’s manic already.
“It’s great though, and the pace of life is so fast down here. We’re encouraged to socialise after work and go to the gym with the company’s own personal trainer at least twice a week.”
But the skills Thomas has taken with him are already helping to put him in a league of his own at the company.
He added: “Without the experience I gained at Nifco, I would not have got this job. It really was a massive help.
“The support of Mike Matthews and Frances Hoy, who was my line manager, was invaluable, and it allowed me to gain the skills I know will now help me to succeed in my new life in London.
“I want to say a massive ‘thanks’ to Nifco for the company’s support – and I hope to see its success continue for many more years to come.”
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