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Cluster & project overview
Clusters presently in operation (open to all CeeD member companies)
If you'd be interested in collaborating with other companies on these topics, please let us know via the contact CeeD form.
Property
This area of CeeD activity is headed up by our Chairman, Ian Dodd. Ian has 'more than a few' years of experience in dealing with commercial property matters, having managed the National Australia Bank Group's estate and as Property Services Director for Alfred McAlpine Business Services. If you have property related issues, Ian should be your first port of call for some invaluable help and guidance. Topics covered to date include new builds, improve or move decision criteria, rent reviews, advice on contract negotiations, factory layout, FM outsourcing etc. Ian cannot replace your professional adviser, but he can save you a considerable amount of time, hassle and money by sharing his knowledge and experience with you, helping steer you through the property maze.
Lean Manufacturing
Lean manufacturing essentially allows your business to achieve more with less resource, through the continuous elimination of waste. It aims to compress time. Typically, if you quarter your lead-time, you will double productivity and take 20% off your costs – or 0.25 : 2 : 20. For those companies interested in 'leaning' their enterprise, this Cluster is looking at how member companies currently approach the topic and has been on several site visits to look at lean in practice. Moving forward, it is hoped that we can engage on an informal lean learning programme in a 'learn by doing' support environment.
Environment
Cost reduction, tax avoidance, improved green credentials, ISO compliance... there are many reasons why companies are actively engaged with environmental issues. Whatever the rationale, it's a huge subject and getting bigger all the time. This Cluster brings together member companies to discuss their approach and share their knowledge on all matters environmental, be they energy, water, waste or emissions. One of our members with F/T environment professionals has even delivered a workshop to others looking to get started on the journey.
Modern Apprenticeship & Training
Time and again we've heard of companies struggling to find qualified, experienced staff from an engineering / technical background. Very often, the ideal candidate is tempted away from another company in the area, with the consequence that the cost of labour goes up for everyone. Our collective challenge is to encourage more young people into technical careers by promoting engineering as a discipline that needn't mean greasy overalls and oil under the fingernails – rather as a rewarding, fulfilling career which offers many potential development paths. CeeD's Modern Apprenticeship Passport aspires to this lofty ambition and has more than thirty young people taking part in the scheme currently. Working with academia, training partners and member companies, we've created a model which allows companies which perhaps don't have the necessary in-house expertise in some required disciplines to send their apprentices to other members companies which do, in order to complete the apprentice training. This concept is being extended to allow all staff from member companies to be trained by other member companies in specific areas where recognised training 'gaps' exist, saving Łthousands in the process.
Enhancing Engineering Education
"Scottish engineering graduates are among the best in the world... but it takes them a couple of years after University to realise what it's all about and start delivering real value." Paraphrasing of course but does this sound familiar? The objective of this Cluster is to examine ways in which this circa 2 year period can be reduced dramatically so value is delivered from day 1. Are there disconnects between what industry needs in the 21st century and what the Universities are producing? How can industry provide relevant work-based learning as part of a formal degree programme? How can academia track this and award appropriate degree credits? How can we take undergraduates out of casual student work in bars and restaurants and provide them with flexible employment in industry which can add to their skills, knowledge and employability? Only through industry and academic collaboration can these questions be resolved.
Planned Maintenance
Plant downtime is a pain - even worse when it's unscheduled! Regular maintenance, scheduled overhauls and remedial work all contribute to ensuring plant runs efficiently, effectively and profitably at all times. This Cluster examines how member companies approach their planned maintenance activities through site visits and sharing of best practice in this area.
Projects
Where Clusters are the vehicles by which companies collaborate on common issues, there are issues raised with CeeD which are unique to the individual company. Where that holds true, CeeD facilitates a project which usually involves an academic partner or a 3rd party agency to help solve the challenge.
Some examples of the Projects in which we are currently or have previously been involved are...
A Project in association with Envirowise to support Albion Automotive, British Airways Maintenance Group and Rolls-Royce in identifying a more cost-effective and efficient method of tackling the disposal of 'grey' water from their respective sites.
Two Projects in association with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) to support a member company in
- the identification of a new process for the repair of scratched LCD screens
- research into the commercial potential of what is currently a waste product going to landfill
A Project with UWS to support a Hillington company in the area of advanced CAD drawing.
A Project with UWS in the area of new product development to support a plastics company. The student who did the work was subsequently offered (and accepted) a new full time position with the company.
With UWS, an e-commerce feasibility study for a Motherwell company.
Courtesy of Diageo, a workshop was provided for two large companies in the area which were keen to increase knowledge of environmental practice, legislation and compliance.
A Project with UWS to support a local chemical company in the areas of marketing and new product development.
With UWS, the development of an existing internal after-sales software system into a commercially available enterprise sized system.
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