A new qualification to drive best practice in lean manufacturing has been developed for food firms by Tony Salt, training and development manager of sweet manufacturer Swizzels Matlow.
Salt, a former speaker at The Manufacturer Directors’ Conference annual event, worked with Improve, the sector skills council for food and drink manufacturing, to create the Food Manufacturing Excellence (FME) proficiency qualification.
The qualification combines the Food Manufacture and Business Improvement Techniques NVQs and offers industry lean training relevant to them which incorporates strict food and drink improvement standards.
The qualification was further developed by skills provider Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions (EMS) and feed in was sought by Heinz, Warburton’s, Kensey Foods and Coors Brewery have all fed into qualification
Following pilots of the qualification at Swizzels Matlow, Improve is now promoting the FME to other food manufacturers.
Says Salt: “FME is the future for food manufacturers. The partnership between Swizzels Matlow and during the pilot project has strengthened the learning and development opportunities for delivery of the qualification. The knowledge and understanding of lean techniques and vocational learning supplied by Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions has been exceptional.”
John Stoneley, business improvements programme manager at EMS, added: “The new training programme is very challenging but also rewarding with the success and the results we’ve had.
“The learners have put in a lot of hard work and effort and made some significant improvements to the process. They have worked very well as a team and have sustained the improvements they have achieved
For information on how to access funding towards the new ‘Food Manufacturing Excellence’ qualification contact Dharma Nurse of EMS on 0845 608 3388.
