Winners Announced! Yorkshire Productivity Awards 2008
Winners announced at Fifth Annual Yorkshire Productivity Awards
The Yorkshire Productivity Awards 2008, held at the Leeds Met Hotel on 22nd April 2008, recognised the significant steps being taken by manufacturing companies to improve their efficiency and competitiveness.
Companies are reporting tangible improvements such as:
"The total savings from the improvement activity is over £150 " 
" The workforce culture has been transformed dramatically."
"A 2.7% decrease in set up time has been achieved across one machine type."
"At current rates savings are projected to be £200 saving for the year."
The Yorkshire Productivity Awards are now in their fifth year and attract entries from manufacturing companies throughout the north of England.
Speaking at the Yorkshire Productivity Awards 2008, David Hodges, Regional Director of Skills - Yorkshire and the Humber Learning and Skills Council, said: "There has never been a more important time for manufacturing companies to review their skills needs and to address any gaps.
"Some 70% of the 2020 workforce are already employed and to continue to compete in the global market place all of us will need to continually upgrade our Skills.."
Alistair Gladstone, General Manager at Yorkshire Productivity, commented: "It is encouraging to see the growing number of manufacturing companies embracing training so wholeheartedly and achieving major benefits. Many are now taking the lessons learned from the shop floor and applying them to make efficiency gains in their offices."
Yorkshire Productivity Awards for 2008 were presented to:
Winner
Best Skills for Life Intervention Award
PD Patterns, Bradford
Sponsored by the Learning and Skills Council
Winner
Most Successful NVQ Training Award
(Large Company)
Marshalls West Lane, Halifax
Sponsored by EMTA Awards Ltd
Winner
Best Lean Implementation Award
(Large Company)
Marshalls Brookfoot, Halifax
Winner
Best Lean Implementation Award
(Small Company)
CP Group, Brighouse
Winner
Best Electronics NVQ Award
Remploy, Bolton
Winner
Best Group NVQ Award
Texecom/ Halma Group
Winner
Best NVQ Candidate Award
(Large Company)
Donna Harker, PPG Architectural Coatings, Batley
Sponsored by learndirect
Winner
Individual Award
Geoff Parker, CP Group, Brighouse
Winner
Individual Award
Trevor Gardiner, Marshalls Brookfoot, Halifax
Winner
Individual Award
Darren Spalding, Marshalls West Lane, Halifax
Winner
Best Newcomer Award
(Large Company)
Tremco-Illbruck, Wigan
Sponsored by EMS Sigma
Winner
Best Newcomer Award
(Large Company)
HBOS, Halifax
Sponsored by EMS Sigma
Winner
Best Newcomer Award
(Small Company)
ASD Lighting, Rotherham
Sponsored by EMS Sigma
Winner
Best 5S Implementation Award
Ronseal, Sheffield
Winner
Best NVQ Level 3 Award
Hughes Safety Showers, Stockport
The National Skills Academy for Manufacturing was the main sponsor of the event with individual awards sponsored by EMS Sigma, learndirect, the Learning and Skills Council and EMTA Awards Ltd.
