best practice visits
throughout the UK

Host Companies

We carefully select and approve our host companies, to represent the best in business across the UK. All host companies undergo a rigorous selection process to ensure that visitors benefit from exchange of ideas and best practice.

Our host companies have demonstrated a willingness and desire to share and promote best practice between themselves and others.

This passion for continuous improvement shows why these companies are leaders in their fields.

The following is a list of our approved host companies:

Company Topics Covered
BGB Innovation
Visit in 60 seconds:
High precision electro-mechanical engineering company … Design to manufacture … Empowered team working … Staff empowerment … Continuous improvement … Culture change … Project Related Pay (PRP) … Empowering teams … Process Mapping … Cultural issues in a small company … Organisational culture … Kaizen … Self Inspection … Incentivising staff … 5S … Lean Manufacturing … Kanban
  • Cellular Manufacturing
  • Continuous improvement
  • Empowered Teamworking

Buhler Sortex Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Customer Care … After sales service … Lean Manufacturing … Single piece flow … Shadow Boards for Tools … Kanban … Kaizen Events … OEE … Visual Management … Process Flow … Five S (5S) … Waste reduction … Organisational structure … Teamworking … Communications … Culture change
  • Customer Service
  • Manufacturing Issues
  • People & Leadership

Cooper Crouse-Hinds (UK) Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Process and quality improvement ... Lean tools and techniques ... Theory of Constraints ... 'The Goal' ... WIP Reduction ... Visual management ... Continuous improvement ... Five S (5S) ... KPI's ... Lean Six Sigma
  • Process and Quality Improvement - Continuous Improvement
  • Process and Quality Improvement - Theory of Constraints

Cummins Power Generation Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean ... Six Sigma ... Value Stream Mapping ... Project selection and Project filtering ... Integrating new products ... Continuous lean improvement ... Visual workplace practices ... Line layout (NPI) ... How to get buy-in for lean initiatives ... Vision for high growth ... Holistic structure to business improvement ... A3 process ... Top down vision ... Start it! Don’t Talk about it!
  • Environmental Issues
  • Lean
  • Six Sigma
  • Value Stream Mapping

Defense Support Group (nee ABRO)
Visit in 60 seconds:
Continuous improvement ... Culture change ... Process Improvement ... Working with teams ... Training and coaching in Lean ... Problem Solving ... Customer focus ... Partnering Agreements ... Project Management ... Theory of Constraints ... Lean tools and techniques
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Partnering Development
  • Process

Double H Nursery
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean Manufacturing … 5S … Kanban … Kaizen … TPM … Visual Management … Skills matrix … Six monthly lean audit … Suggestion board/scheme … Investors in People … Waste reduction … Quality … Environmental impacts … Horticultural industry best practice
  • Lean Manufacturing

Drallim Industries Ltd
  • Innovation
  • Leadership and Strategy
  • People Development

Dutton Engineering (Woodside) Limited
Visit in 60 seconds:
Kaizen…Lean Manufacturing…Five S…Change Management…One Piece Flow…Process re-engineering…Customer Focus…Lead-time reduction…Reducing production costs…People Development…Self-managed teams…Problem solving…Visual Aids…Creative team games…Coaching and motivation…Data collection for lean reporting…KPI…Company culture
  • Customer Focus
  • Kaizen and Lean Manufacturing
  • People development

Entek International
Visit in 60 seconds:
Continuous improvement … Lean Manufacturing … 5S … Visual Management … Autonomous Maintenance … Standard Operating Procedures … Kaizen … Lean Culture Change … Leadership … People Issues … Training Plans … Training Matrices … Training Diaries … Lean Workshops … PDCA … 5S Audits … Standardised work … Process improvement … Waste reduction
  • Continual improvement
  • Leadership
  • People Issues

Everglade Windows
Visit in 60 seconds:
Strategy ... Development and Planning ... Bridging the skills gap ... Relocation ... Capital Investment ... Lean Makeover ... Sales and Marketing ... Smoothing out demand ... Growing the business ... Customer Care ... CRM ... ERP ... Elite Sales Programme ... People development and leadership ... Training and Development
  • People Development and Leadership
  • Sales, Marketing & Customer Care
  • Strategy development & Planning

Geotechnical Instruments (UK) Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Culture change ... Leadership ... Kouzes & Postner ... Innovation in people issues ... Staff retention ... Personnel Development ... Establishing a training culture ... Becoming a world class employer ... Strategic planning - how to lead the way ... Multi-sector marketing ... Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Innovation
  • Leadership
  • Multi-sector Marketing
  • People issues and social responsibility

Ginsters
Visit in 60 seconds:
Growing the brand … Marketing … Customer Service … Product Quality … Investing in the community … Communications … Lean manufacturing … Reduction of costs … Achieving growth … New product introduction … Environmental practices … Achieving “World-Class” … Process flow
  • Developing an industry-leading bakery
  • Lean Manufacturing

H+H UK
Visit in 60 seconds:
Action on climate change... Health and Safety... Introduction of 5S... workplace organisation/ lean... People Issues
  • Action on climate change
  • Health and Safety
  • Introduction of 5S - workplace organisation/ lean
  • People Issues

Happy
Visit in 60 seconds:
Creating a great place to work … Creating work life balance … Creating great customer service … Empowerment methods … Visual displays … Recruitment and Interviewing techniques … HR … Delegation … 360° appraisals … Being a good manager … Inspiring people … Change culture … Work Life Balance … Community Service (CSR) … Upward Appraisals … Net Promoter Scores … Hands-Off Management
  • Creating a great place to work
  • Creating life balance
  • Great customer service

Hayter Limited
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean Manufacturing … Lean journey … Lean process … Lean champions … 5S … Kanban … Bin systems and triggers … Balanced line … Operational measures … TPM … Strategic Planning … Employee incentive … Annualised hours … Reward scheme … Incentive scheme … KPI’s … Visual management … Shadow Boards … Spares management … Stock control
  • Lean Tools & Techniques
  • Strategy, Development and Planning
  • Supply Chain Management

Hi-Technology Group
Visit in 60 seconds:
People Development and Leadership… Strategy, Development and Planning… product design… manufacture of tools…injection moulding…product assembly…
  • People Development and Leadership
  • Strategy, Development and Planning

HMD Kontro Seal/Less Pumps Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean manufacturing ... OEE ... TPM ... Visual Management ... Keep it Simple ... People Development and leadership ... Employee Feedback ... Supply Chain Management ... balanced scorecard ... Creating the right culture
  • Lean Manufacturing - OEE
  • People Development & Leadership – Employee Satisfaction
  • Supply Chain Management – Scorecards

Honeywell Plc
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean Tools and Techniques ... Hoshin Planning ... TPM - Total Productive Maintenance ... Visual Management ... Strategic planning ... Pro-active Health & Safety ... Gemba Walks ... Problem Solving ... Honeywell Operating System ... Waste Reduction ... Product Flow ... Managing Change
  • Hoshin Planning
  • Pro-Active Health & Safety / Problem Solving
  • TPM – Total Productive Maintenance

Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited
Visit in 60 seconds:
Award winning customer care … Customer care programme … Customer focus … Managing customer expectation … CRM Systems … Company culture … Building a team environment … Flexible working … Remote working … Communication … Leadership … Creating Vision … USP – Creating Differentiation
  • Customer Care
  • Innovation - How Isuzu Trucks came to be
  • People issues - building a team environment

It's NOT Magic!
Visit in 60 seconds:
Creating Customer Magic ... Customer Service Excellence ... Customer Research ... Customer Experience ... Differentiating your organisation ... Measuring what you deliver ... Case Studies
  • Create and enhance your customer service
  • Differentiate yourselves from your competition
  • Measure the service you deliver
  • Optimise the customer experience

It's NOT Rocket Science!
Visit in 60 seconds:
Creating Super Teams ... Enhancing Team Performance ... Leading Teams ... Change Management ... Culture Change ... Maximising Individual Performance ... Building Strong teams
  • Create Super Teams
  • Enhance team performance
  • Lead teams through change
  • Maximise Individual Performance in a Team

Johnston Sweepers Limited
  • Environmental Issues

Kwik Fit Financial Services
Visit in 60 seconds:
Award winning Human Resources ... Leadership ... Staff benefits ... award winning call centre ... Employee Surveys ... Kwik Fit training acadamy ... Skills and team working
  • Human Resources and Leadership

Kyocera Mita UK Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Network management and print solutions ... Document Imaging ... Information and Communications ... Environmental Preservation ... Quality of Life ... Culture workshops ... Green Card Programme
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Environment
  • Sales and Marketing

Mars Drinks
Visit in 60 seconds:
Building Effective Teams … Integrating teams … Training and skills development … Shared goals & vision … Team structure … Lean Manufacturing … Kaizen … TPM … Set-up reduction … One touch changeover … Waste reduction … Kanban … Andon Lights … Visual management … Continuous improvement … OEE data capture
  • Building effective teams
  • Lean Manufacturing

MARS Snackfood
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean Manufacturing … 5S … Visual management … TPM … Lean start-up … Lean audits … Red tagging … Strategic planning … Team engagement … Winning hearts and minds … Management techniques … Quality and Safety … Maintenance
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Strategy, Development and Planning

Mitsubishi Electric Air Conditioning Systems Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean Manufacturing … New technology … Company culture … Kanban … Kaizen … 5S … TPM … Visual Management … Lean signage … Managing full product lifecycle … Continuous improvement … Waste walk … Value stream mapping … Quality Problem Sheet … Five Whys? … Process flow … Environmental Management … Information Boards … Communication … Training & Development … Tube & bracket storage solutions … Quality Control
  • Driven by latest technology
  • Protecting the environment

Morgan Contract Furniture plc
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean manufacturing…5S…Waste reduction…Improved work flow…Lead time reduction…Environmental impacts…Standardisation…Design …Full product lifecycle…Reducing landfill…Protection of the environment…Seven wastes…Kanban… Kaizen…Training & development…Change management…Culture change…Apprenticeships …ISO14001…Compressed waste units…Saving energy
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Waste and Environmental Responsibility

MTM Products Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Leadership and People ... Investors in People (IIP) ... Work Life Balance ... Investors in Excellence ... Profit sharing ... Creating great customer service ... partnering with customers ... Adding value ... Corporate social responsibility ... Environmental Management ... ISO14000 ... Community initiatives ... Leadership ... Flexible Working ...
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Customer Focus and Partnerships
  • Leadership and people

Ormiston Wire Limited
Visit in 60 seconds:
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) … Sustainability … Environmental management … Renewable energy … Queens Award for Sustainable Development … Managing waste reduction … Training & Quality awareness … Staff motivation … Process improvement … Customer Focus … Continuous Improvement … Quality and environmental systems … ISO9002 … ISO14001 … Marketing
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Marketing
  • Processes / Customer Focus / Continuous Improvement

Oxford Instruments
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean Manufacturing ... Pull methodology ... Visual management ... 5S ... Standard Operating Practices ... shorter lead-times ... Supply chain ... Line-side stocking ... Order management ... RF linked barcode handsets
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Supply Chain Management

Oxoid - Thermo Fisher Scientific
Visit in 60 seconds:
Continuous Improvement…Lean Manufacturing…Five S…5S handbook…OEE…Asset Care…TPM…Visual management…KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) …Performance measurement…Leadership…Kouzes and Postner…Developing leadership behaviours…Company culture…Communication…Employee PDP’s (Personal Development Plans)…Value Boards…Communication Boards…Road maps…Waste management
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Leadership
  • Performance measurement

Plastipack Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Business strategy ... Innovative approach ... IIP ... Business networks ... Government initiatives ... Knowledge Transfer Partnership ... Product research ... Lean techniques ...
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • People Development & Leadership
  • Strategy, Development & Planning

Power Panels Electrical Systems
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean Manufacturing…World class manufacturing…Company culture…Leadership…5S… Kanban…Kaizen…OEE…TPM…Standard operating procedures (SOPs) …Waste reduction …Six Sigma…Zero defects…Achieving excellence…Internal training…Quality control…Quality management…Value stream mapping (VSM) …Continuous improvement
  • Lean Tools & Techniques
  • People Development
  • Touch of quality

Richard Edward
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean Manufacturing…5S…Lean journey…SMED…Kanban…Kaizen…TPM… OEE…Value stream mapping…People development…Leadership… Training…NVQ
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • People Development

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited
Visit in 60 seconds:
Leadership…Strategic planning…Customer focus…Leadership culture…Communication… Knowledge transfer / sharing…Employee development…Training & Development…Flexible working… ‘Ring-leader’ training…Training days…Employee development programme…Continuous improvement…Kaizen events
  • Creating a High Trust Culture
  • Strategic Planning and Deployment
  • World Class Manufacturing

Seko Synergy
Visit in 60 seconds:
Sales and After Sales Service ... Account Management ... Sales and Marketing Planning ... Supply Chain ... Freight Logistics .
  • Sales, Marketing & Customer Care
  • Supply Chain Management

Siemens Magnet Technology Ltd
Visit in 60 seconds:
Lean manufacturing...5S...Kanban...OEE...Kaizen...SOPs (Standard operating procedures)...Visual management...Value stream mapping...Single piece flow...Flow and pull systems ...Health and safety...Statistical reporting... Quality... Continuous improvement...Waste reduction...Supply chain management...Vendor managed stock...Reducing cost...Stock levels...Supplier utilisation...Shadow boards...Product inspection...Outsourcing...Lean journey...Efficiency bonus scheme
  • Lean Manufacturing - Our Journey
  • Supply Chain Improvements

Spirit Circuits
Visit in 60 seconds:
Customer Care…Marketing…Business transformation…Unique Selling Proposition (USP)… Process improvements…Quality …Training and skills…Continuous improvement…Work flow improvements…Communication…Customer retention…Business growth…Company culture…Exceeding customer expectations…Staff incentives
  • Customer Care
  • Workflow improvements

Standard Life Assurance Company
Visit in 60 seconds:
Strategic planning ... Innovation and continuous improvement ... People engagement ... Reward and recognition ... Corporate citizenship ... High performing teams ... Leadership ... Shaping the future ... Lean tools and techniques ... Waste reduction ... Five S ... Process mapping ... Just Do It! ... Benchmarking ... Document recognition ... Digital imaging
  • Innovation & continuous improvement
  • People Issues

Thomas Vale Construction Plc
Visit in 60 seconds:
Culture change…Strategic planning…Communication – internal Intranets…Communication – customers…Investing in the community…Corporate social responsibility…Partnering…Partnership frameworks…Supply chain management… Construction…Reducing costs…Lean in Construction…Managing change…Company Culture …Continuous Improvement…Focus on Quality…Client satisfaction surveys…Corporate identity…Quality management systems
  • Communication
  • Culture Change
  • Emerging Innovations (includes Lean)
  • Investing in the community
  • Partnering & Supply Chain Management

Vitacress Salads
Visit in 60 seconds:
Leadership…Talent management…Company culture…World Class Manufacturing…Mission Directed Work Teams…Process Improvement…Quality …Five S…Training…Communication…Material Supply…KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
  • People Development and Leadership
  • Process & Quality Improvement
  • Vitacress and the Environment

WebMart Limited
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Developing Supply Chain Excellence
  • Marketing and CRM
  • People development and training

Williams Lea
Visit in 60 seconds:
Innovation…Continuous improvement…Total Productivity Management (TPM) …ISO14001…Process improvement…Culture change…Data management…5S – in a service environment…OEE Measurement…Visual management…Project audits…Training matrix…Measurement tools…Shadow Boards …Information collection and analysis
  • Innovation and Continuous Improvement
  • Process Change

Wyeth UK
Visit in 60 seconds:
Operational Excellence...Lean manufacturing...Continuous improvement...Process improvement...Change management... Distribution ...Logistics...Strategic planning...Culture change..Communication...Project selection & management... DMAIC...A3 Boards
  • Operational Excellence
  • Organisational Design
  • Site Strategy development

 

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