Knowledge proves fruitful for Freudenberg

Citation

(2008), "Knowledge proves fruitful for Freudenberg", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 40 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2008.03740cab.004

Knowledge proves fruitful for Freudenberg

Article Type: Notes and news From: Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 40, Issue 3.

Freudenberg Seals and Vibration Control Technology, a global sealing supplier with a plant in North Shields, UK, has seen significant benefits after introducing a training scheme to improve the business knowledge and acumen of employees.

Funded through the Government’s Train2Gain initiative, the business-improvement training (BIT) was undertaken by 15 people, completing 12 projects along the way. As well as employing the 5S techniques providing a standard approach to housekeeping that promotes a clean and tidy working environment, the training successfully focused on both improving the workflow and minimizing the risks of production mistakes.

The success of the training in tightening the skills of Freudenberg’s personnel, particularly the shopfloor-based staff, prompted a second phase of guidance, with an additional ten employees taking part.

Peter Johnson, plant manager at Freudenberg PPSI, commented: “This training has helped to develop our staff and we have seen significant improvements through it; for those reasons we are putting more people on to the BIT course”.

Tony Roxburgh, sales director at QGS Synergy, which facilitated the training, said: “It is very rewarding to see how our training programs help companies to work more efficiently and cost-effectively. Quite often, big savings can be made by changing small procedures”.

The BIT program examines productivity, operational efficiency, waste elimination and profitability. From this, two strands are created a model for business success and a training program that leads to the staff delivering the model.

Freudenberg comprises more than 250 companies worldwide, making products from automotive parts to household goods. At its plant in North Shields there are two sites, both making seals for the automotive business. One makes rotary-shaft seals, and the other shock-absorber seals. Between both sites there are approximately 337 employees.