Consultancy helps company achieve accreditation

A National Metals Technology Centre (NAMTEC) product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 18, 2008

The BAT4 programme helps companies to access best available techniques and technology through grant-supported consultancy services.

Neville Roe Industries in Sheffield has achieved ISO9001 quality accreditation and is implementing a new health and safety system in its manufacturing facility.

The BAT4 programme made these achievements possible.

It was run across South Yorkshire by E9 and the National Metals Technology Centre (NAMTEC).

The programme, which is funded through the European Regional Development Agency, helps companies to access best available techniques and technology through grant-supported consultancy services.

Neville Roe Industries provides grinding services as well as sub-contract manufacturing and refurbishment for large components.

The company wanted a more professional and formal structure for both its health and safety and operating systems and procedures.

Managing Director, Spencer Roe, said: "The business was starting to get too big to manage without a more formal structure".

"Also, I wanted to be able to take annual leave and be confident in the knowledge that the business would perform like clockwork and to the standards our customers have come to expect".

"The BAT4 programme of NAMTEC/E9 provided a clear and inexpensive opportunity to get impartial advice and an analysis of our systems from an external view point".

"Our management team is dedicated and lean, so we wanted someone else to break the back of the evaluation phase, then provide a concise version of processes and procedures for our team to follow, this has worked perfectly in both cases".

Roe said: "Having achieved the ISO9001 standard, we are seeing a whole host of direct benefits in terms of internal efficiency".

"This is delivering benefits as we can provide the same quality or better with less effort, cost and rework".

"We have now developed and delegated roles and responsibilities for health and safety and quality standards within our organisation".

Through the BAT4 programme, Neville Roe Industries was able to access the Evolve series of management tools, which has been refined and developed over the past six years into a comprehensive and flexible package to help people manage their businesses.

Dr John Trainor, Managing Director of E9, said: "Each Evolve module has been thoroughly tested with different companies and certification bodies and it is making a powerful difference for many businesses".

"We were delighted to be able to help Neville Roe Industries and are delighted that they have seen so many major business improvements in such a short space of time".

NAMTEC is a not for profit organisation supported by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund.

The organisation helps manufacturing businesses to become more productive and efficient, so they become competitive on a national and global scale.