< Previous20 Business Link www.blmforum.net BUSINESS LINK labour rates than the UK, the only option for UK manufacturers, therefore, is to continue maintaining their high quality standards, whilst improving efficiency. This can only be effectively done with a vision of the end result required and a commitment to automation and performance improvement.” Whether using automation for engineering, food and drink or consumer products, the safety and reliability of the latest technology means that companies can make significant changes to the way their production line flows. Automation allows operatives to utilise a greater range of skills on the factory floor, and the additional capital generated by switching to an automated system can be re-invested in other cost and time-saving technologies, and even in new product lines. The good news for companies is that automated solutions are becoming cheaper and more flexible by the day. From basic assembly machines to leak- test fixtures and laser profiling devices, the latest innovations in automated technology are helping businesses to reduce the impact they have on the environment. In the past, no matter how skilled the operative, there was always potential for error on the production line. Today, we are looking at the possibility of 100% error and waste-free production, all thanks to factory automation. Quite simply, automated solutions help to speed up production. Product uniformity is imperative for most companies, yet it is difficult to achieve on a fast-moving production line. Automated laser profiling devices provide a handy solution, with laser triangulation ensuring that every surface of a product is inspected. The product’s overall mass can therefore be determined quickly and easily, and, moreover, there are intelligent conveyer solutions on the market that can hasten the inspection process even further without compromising on quality. There are those who argue that factory automation will bring about job losses. Quite the opposite is true. Investing in the latest machinery will encourage productivity and growth in the area, which in turn will lead to the creation of more jobs. But automation is not the only way in which to improve efficiency and productivity, in fact it may be that the current workforce is not running optimally because they are not being managed correctly. This is a matter of facilities management. For many, facilities management might mean nothing more than calling in the cleaners and ensuring that the premises runs on a day by day basis, and while this is important – it is only half the battle. Effective facility management is instead about making the most out of existing facilities and pushing efficiency as far as it can be. This can be in terms of staff productivity, morale and motivation, reduction of business costs – or all of these things combined. It is a multi-stage process that takes many individual aspects of the business infrastructure into account. Gone are the days where managers might seek to drive their staff into exhaustion in efforts to increase productivity – as we now know that a workforce which is able to maintain an efficient pace continuously, is more valuable than one that is burned out too soon. Beyond that, with rising energy costs, fuel costs and the general cost of a living wage – there is a real push towards offsetting costs through overheads, rather 19-21.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:37 Page 2www.blmforum.net Business Link 21 MANUFACTURING SPOTLIGHT than hoping for that lucky break on a new contract. For many in the food and chemicals industry, when facilities management is mentioned, this refers to some form of manufacturing plant – or processing line, often with tens of thousands of units travelling through the system on a daily basis. The smallest hiccoughs with efficiency on such a line can have drastic effects through the entire system, and considering that large retailers are some of the least forgiving in terms of deadlines – and that there are many competitors in this industry, then it becomes obvious that companies cannot afford to take any risks in this regard. Ultimately, maximising the efficiency of the manufacturing industry can go a long way to making the sector more environmentally friendly, and none of these methods require a sacrifice on the part of the manufacturer. The goal, as always, should be for manufacturers to work hand-in- hand with those in the renewables industry in order to see what can be done for the benefit of both. © Shutterstock/PopTika Units 4b & 4c, Harpings Road, National Avenue, Kingston-upon-Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire HU5 4JF Tel: +44 (0)1482 440222 Email: esales@eyh.co.uk Web: www.ehy.co.uk eyh .co.uk EAST YORKSHIRE HYDRAULICS Hydraulic engineering - design, build, installation and service. • Complete hydraulic systems • Installation and commissioning • Hydro-pneumatic accumulators • Hydraulic equipment • Cylinders Single Source Hydraulic Solutions Design, build, installation and service of hydraulic systems, cylinders, accumulators and equipment. 19-21.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:37 Page 3Q&A Kingston Engineering We sat down with Kingston Engineering to discuss the company’s 100-year heritage as well as what the future holds for the Hull-based company. 22 Business Link www.blmforum.net KINGSTON ENGINEERING - Q&A 2019 marks Kingston Engineering’s 100th year in business. Can you tell us how the company started and developed? At the time when the nation was still recovering from the aftermath of the First World War, our business was just starting out in Hull. Believe it or not, we first began trading as Hull Motor Transport and Engineering Co back in 1919, providing car and commercial vehicle repair to the motor trade. In those early years, when we were based at out original site on Dansom Lane in Hull, our business provided cylinder grinding and manufactured pistons. Under the leadership of Fred Markham, one of the best engineers in the area at the time, and Thomas Simpkins, the business focussed on giving customers a personal service – something that we continue to this very day. The business changed its name in 1924 to Kingston Engineering Co. Ltd and, as early as 1930, started making screws. Until 1945, Kingston Engineering was to significantly expand and develop its manufacturing facilities as well as increasing its workforce. The post-war years saw it rapidly becoming more specialised in screw manufacture, with the company growing a reputation for specialist screw manufacture, both domestically and overseas. Now based at a bigger site close by in Pennington Street – where we’re still based – further developments during this period saw the installation of more modern machinery and an increase in skill levels. The sixties through to the eighties was marked by significant investment in the factory and particularly in modern machinery. Well-equipped workshops ensured that the company had extensive facilities for turning, milling, grinding, shaping and welding. During this time, counter sales progressively moved from motor sales to industrial sales. The company was also now manufacturing specialist power screw products for increasingly advanced markets brought about by major technological departments. Export markets across Europe were further developed with Sweden becoming an important source of demand as we moved into the new media age. How has the company adapted in the digital era? With an increasingly evolving digital landscape, Kingston Engineering’s wealth of skill and flexibility meant that the company was well equipped to respond to these changing and challenging times. The last few decades have seen the company make major investments in new machinery and in-house facilities. With a heritage 22-23.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:45 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 23 KINGSTON ENGINEERING - Q&A built on the foundations of skill, innovation and expertise, the business has shown great flexibility and the ability to be responsive to change over the decades. This has enabled us to offer advanced solutions to customers and lead the way as one of the UK’s leading speciality manufacturers and producers of bespoke power screws. The company offers a component reclamation service, but what are the benefits? We offer a full component reclamation/enhancement service for components from equipment used across a wide range of industries. Typical applications where this service should be considered are expensive components that are mainly serviceable but with localised wear; components required for a quick replace, but are only available on extended delivery, and components where worn areas may be reclaimed and also enhanced with harder, more durable materials for longer service life and reduced downtime. Companies can get in touch with our technical staff for advice and quotations when it comes to component reclamation. What does the future hold for the company? At Kingston Engineering, we have always recognised that a wealth of experience and continued investment in innovation plays a pivotal role in our continuing success. Our current directors – Paul Bielby, Mike Hutchinson and Gill Hickson – continue today to strive for excellence and professionalism in all aspects of our business. With a combination of more than 100 years of experience between them, Kingston Engineering is very much at the forefront of offering exceptional levels of service to our customers and leading the way in precision engineering expertise. We’ll continue to invest in advanced technology and our state-of-the-art facilities. To find out more, visit www.kingston-engineering.co.uk, email sales@kingston-engineering.co.uk, or call 01482 325676. 22-23.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:45 Page 224 Business Link www.blmforum.net WATER EFFICIENCY © SHUTTERSTOCK/ AVATAR_023 water efficiency 24-26.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:48 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 25 WATER EFFICIENCY Water efficiency and responsible wastewater treatment aren’t only environmental imperatives but will typically save businesses money. W ater resources are under increasing pressure from climate change, population growth and the need to protect the environment. However, increasing ambition from government, regulators, water companies and businesses are together having a profound impact in the amount of water that’s being used and how wastewater is being treated and recycled. Waterwise, a not-for-profit organisation focussed on decreasing water consumption in the UK, has via its ‘Water Efficiency Strategy for the UK’ helped to drive this ambition and provide evidence to support policy change. The strategy’s vision is a UK in which all people, homes and businesses are water efficient. An ambitious aim, certainly, but a laudable one which is in all of our interests. In the corporate world, the responsibility is on reducing water usage and making better use of what water is used. Even media, marketing and other non-water intensive industries still use water every single day. Toilers, sinks, water coolers, dishwashes, not to mention the water involved in the commercial cleaning of an office block or building – it all adds up. Fortunately for businesses of this kind, there are several easy ways to reduce consumption and use water more efficiently. Businesses can switch to a more efficient water company that’s better aligned for the environment and a company’s overheads. There are simple and often inexpensive options to help reduce water usage in the workplace, such as fitting water aerators to taps. Also known as flow regulators, this small attachment controls the amount of water that flows through the tap without affecting water pressure as they mix the water with air. Then there are displacement devices which can be placed in toilet cisterns so that less water is used per flush. Alternatively, companies can install duel flush toilets. If an office or facility has a garden, a water butt can be installed to gather rainwater which can then be used to water grounds. Even with solutions such as these, companies should still carry out regular water audits to determine where water inefficiencies are taking place. One of the biggest issues here is leaks, which not only waste water and cost money, but can lead to damage and costly repairs – especially as not all business insurance policies cover flooding of this kind. As part of this audit process, it’s also worth determining where wastewater is going and if it can be recycled into other areas of the business or sent to a more environmentally-friendly treatment plant (more on that later). Becoming a more water efficient business means understanding exactly how water is being used and where. Although audits will provide actionable insight in this regard, a smart meter can be invaluable in reducing usage. Just like those used to monitor electricity usage, smart water meters provide detailed data on exactly how much water is being used, peak times of usage and so on. It’s a valuable tool not only for business operators, but also for water companies, helping to create an in-depth map of the nation’s water usage and demands. Reducing water isn’t only the duty of company bosses or facilities managers but should instead be the responsibility of an entire workforce. It can be difficult to motivate staff and, frankly, people are prone to forgetfulness. Compared to meeting deadlines or sealing a new deal, turning the tap off after you’ve washed your hands can seem insignificant. But it is important that an entire team works together, so putting up water efficiency posters around the workplace – particularly in areas where water is used i.e. the kitchen and bathroom – can help to keep staff informed and serve as reminders. Bosses can also appoint one staff member to serve as ‘water champion’ that will oversee a company’s initiatives and ensure staff are engaging with the water efficiency processes. This could be a shared role, in which one member of staff serves for a month before passing on the onus to another after their four-week tenure comes to an end. Even for businesses with only a handful of employees, this can really help to make a difference. As well as potentially making significant savings, there are other financial incentives for becoming more water efficient. The government has a scheme in place designed to help with costs. Part of the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) Scheme, this allows businesses to claim one hundred per cent of first year capital allowances on investments in technologies and products that encourage sustainable water use. Businesses can write off the whole cost of their 26 Á 24-26.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:48 Page 226 Business Link www.blmforum.net WATER EFFICIENCY investment against their taxable profits of the period in which they make the investment. Although office- based companies don’t use anything like the amount of water as the agriculture or construction sectors, there are hidden water usages everywhere. For example, it takes ten litres of water to produce just a single sheet of paper. In this example, companies can reduce their water footprint by going paperless or, at the very least, taking steps to lessen the amount of the paper they use. Steps such as these are part of wider efforts to reduce water usage and, by extension, wastewater. That’s all well and good for less-intensive industries but, as we’ve already alluded to, there are several sectors which require huge amounts of water. Industries including manufacturing, construction, food production and farming produce torrents of wastewater and this is typically filled with contaminates including heavy metals, pathogens, faeces and other biological matter. It therefore needs to be processed, but rather than being wasted – as has historically been the case – it can be treated, purified and recycled. There are a number of technologies that can be used in the water treatment process depending on the requirement and, indeed, the type of wastewater. Of these technologies, it’s filtration that is most commonly used thanks to cost- effective and reliable nature. Reverse osmosis, which removes contaminants from water by using pressure to force water molecules through a semipermeable membrane, has grown in popularity over the years because of its high levels of effectiveness. Treating and purifying water with ultraviolet (UV) light, however, has become a mainstay because of its efficiency, affordability and longevity. Even at a domestic level, a UV water purification system can destroy 99.9 per cent of waterborne microorganisms in a single pass. Unlike some of the other technologies and systems available, UV is an environmentally-friendly option and results in no disinfection by-products, making it a popular option in the food and drink industry. Using the correct and consistent dosage, UV treatment has been proven to deactivate the entire rogue’s gallery of microorganisms attribute to spoilage, from viruses right through to moulds. Moreover, its electrical needs are low, meaning it can run consistently with low operating cost, as well as wasting no water, making it a win-win. Whatever the business or sector, reducing water usage isn’t only an environmental imperative, but a means of cutting costs. But there’s no denying that some industries produce massive amounts of wastewater that simply cannot be prevented. Therefore, the onus is on treating that wastewater and recycling it, creating a closed loop solution and helping to solve the water crisis before it ever truly begins. © SHUTTERSTOCK/ MARIUSZ SZCZYGIEL © SHUTTERSTOCK/ KENARY820 24-26.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:49 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 27 EDUCATION & TRAINING T he world of work is evolving which means that the skills required to succeed are changing. A shrinking talent pool due to Brexit, increased digitalisation, and economic influences are forcing the skills gap to widen, and it is affecting the nation's productivity, which is now recognised as the lowest amongst the G7. Organisations in the UK are shelling out £4.4bn a year as a result of the skills shortage, according to The Open University’s 2019 Business Barometer, with 68% of employers having struggled to find staff with the required skills in the past year. Increased recruitment costs, inflated salaries and the training required for those hired at a lower level than needed, as well as temporary staffing are all highlighted as causes for this expense. While some are turning to recruiters to help find staff with the right skills, a greater focus is being placed on retraining and up-skilling one’s current workforce, with 53% of organisations adding to their training and development budgets in the last year, by an average of 10%. Employers are starting to turn away from the idea of SKILLS With the skills crisis bombarding headlines, it is no surprise that businesses are looking to invest in education and training to create talent with the skills required in today’s working world. Supporting 28 Á © SHUTTERSTOCK/ RAWPIXEL.COM 27-29.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:51 Page 128 Business Link www.blmforum.net EDUCATION & TRAINING “buying” talent are instead looking at “building” it from within. According to the Barometer, 62% hold the expectation that it will only become harder to find people with the right skills in the next year, and 61% believe they will need to look at developing talent internally if they are to guarantee that they will have access to the skills they require to be efficient and productive. Our region is fortunate in being the host of world class training facilities, like the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre, specialist training providers, leading higher education institutions and up-skilling funding opportunities. Yorkshire and Lincolnshire are rife with opportunities for business and education institution collaborations in particular. For instance, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is offered by universities across the region. CPD refers to the learning activities employers and employees complete to grow, develop and enhance their skills to ensure their academic and practical qualifications do not become outdated, enabling continuous development of professional abilities and allowing employers and employees to stay at the forefront of their professions. While universities, with their specialist up to date knowledge, offer a range of readymade courses for individuals and organisations, from using people analytics in HR to courses in system safety engineering for those working in computer science, if there is a precise development path one needs employees to follow, bespoke education programmes can be designed in collaboration with many of the region's universities. Custom programmes present a variety of flexible and effective education options that will inspire talent. Universities are prepared to work closely with business to understand them and the challenges they face, to meet learning needs as well as form courses that fit to a preferred time frame. With CPD talent can be retained, a team’s specialist skills developed and a business’s productivity enhanced. Courses on offer vary from short courses offering a combination of strategic, practical and core skills to re-enter the workplace with, to longer term leadership and management programmes for new, middle, and senior managers, business owners and entrepreneurs, to sector specific training courses designed for one’s industry, to online and distance learning so one can study flexibly from anywhere. These can be credit or non-credit earning. Building a culture that features growth and leaning opportunities is important for a plethora of reasons - not only is it good for businesses and has an impact on the bottom line, but up-skilling can impact employee satisfaction and retention. 21% of employees indicate the they are more likely to stay at a business that supports their development. Businesses can also collaborate with universities and other education institutions to gain access to high calibre students, for instance by developing a partnership to offer degree apprenticeships that allow students to gain work experience while getting the qualification of a degree and professional accreditation, but also opening up a talent pool with the skills needed by employers. While up-skilling current staff is gaining momentum and popularity with businesses, to bridge the skills gap the government is looking to properly prepare the next generation entering the workplace by pledging another £120m into eight new Institutes of Technology to train students in sought after STEM fields. As little as 20% of employees currently hold the digital skills that will support their current and future roles according to Gartner - which this funding is set help mitigate. The £120m funding bonus will see an Institute of Technology - which are unique collaborations between universities, further education colleges and employers - established in every region of England, and builds on the government’s existing investment of £170m into 12 other Institutes (which included the University of Lincoln and York College) and £400m for colleges and sixth forms for 2020-2021. © SHUTTERSTOCK/ CONSTANTIN STANCIU 27-29.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:52 Page 2The Institutes offer Levels 4 and 5 training, advanced diplomas in engineering, for digital, manufacturing, construction and engineering students to provide employers with the skilled workforce they need. At the reveal of the original 12 Institutes, research highlighted that only 7% of people between 18 and 65 in England were undertaking training at Level 4 or 5 - one of the lowest rates in the OECD. More apprenticeship opportunities are also set for the UK and T Levels are being introduced to merge classroom education and practical experience. Other programmes in our region that businesses are taking advantage of to educate and train workers include a “new- look” Skills Bank launched in Sheffield to put employers across the City Region in charge of their own skills and training. Delivered by Calderdale College, the business led programme using devolved government funding matches private sector investment with public funding to assist businesses in investing in their employees and in improving their productivity and works with businesses to provide bespoke training. Meanwhile almost £2.5 million has been made available for York, North Yorkshire and East Riding SMEs to access training. Once again delivered by Calderdale College, the Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) scheme works through a network of local professional training providers and offers fully funded training to plug skills gaps, boost productivity and business growth. Similarly in the Leeds City Region, the Skills Service provides a package of training and support for employers in the area. Funded by the European Social Fund and managed by the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, in partnership with the LEP, with the Skills Service, businesses are allocated a Skills Advisor to help identify the best training solution. It helps plan training to help businesses stay ahead of industry trends. www.blmforum.net Business Link 29 EDUCATION & TRAINING © SHUTTERSTOCK/ ALEXANDER SUPERTRAMP 27-29.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2019 10:52 Page 3Next >