Over 40 of Britain’s top manufacturing companies have made it through to the finals of the UK’s largest and most rigorous industry awards programme. Delivered by The Manufacturer in partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), The Manufacturer MX Awards (TMMX Awards) exist to encourage, benchmark, and celebrate manufacturing excellence, with every stage of the programme providing value for participants, whatever their excellence maturity.
The finalists will compete across 11 categories ranging from innovation and sustainability, through to supply chain, leadership and staff engagement, with one company being crowned the overall Manufacturer of the Year 2022. They go through to the second round of judging, and for the first time since 2019, the independent judging panels will be able to undertake site visits and the judging day face to face. Returning this year for the first time since COVID-19 restrictions have eased, is the Manufacturing in Action category. These finalists are picked from companies that The Manufacturer editorial team have visited in the last 12 months.
Commenting on this year’s programme, Managing Director of The Manufacturer, Grace Gilling said: “With UK manufacturers facing unprecedented pressures with rising energy costs, a looming talent and recruitment crisis, and continued supply chain issues, it is exceptional that so many companies have committed to participating in a rigorous benchmarking and continuous improvement programme, and to recognise successes of teams, and put themselves on a pedestal. Now is the time to showcase the amazing variety of UK manufacturing – thank you, well done to the finalists, and good luck for the next round!”
The Manufacturer MX Awards gala dinner and ceremony, the culminating event of Digital Manufacturing Week 2022, will be held at the Exhibition Centre in Liverpool on 17 November and is always a true celebration of the best of British manufacturing. This year’s ceremony will smash all previous records, with 900 guests set to be in attendance, to fill the capacity of Hall C – at Exhibition Centre, Liverpool. We are thrilled to announce Rory Bremner as a guest speaker at this year’s ceremony. Bremner is a known impressionist and comedian, noted for his work in political satire and impressions of British public figures.
All entrants to TMMX Awards receive VIP passes to Manufacturing Leaders’ or SME Growth Summits for their leadership teams, and VIP passes to Smart Factory Expo. Entry and judging are at no cost to the participants, and it could not be possible without the generous support of The Manufacturer MX Awards sponsors including judging partner High Value Manufacturing Catapult, category sponsors Autodesk, Capgemini, Cranfield University, Fujitsu, Jaguar Land Rover, Made Smarter Innovation, MHP Consulting (a Porsche company), Michael Page, and drinks reception sponsor, Ericsson.
Be part of the biggest party in UK manufacturing – get your tickets for The Manufacturer MX Awards ceremony here.
Len Palmer, Managing Director of Lander Group, who won not one, not two, but three different MX awards in 2021, said: “Lander has been entering TMMX Awards for years and we’ve always found it to be a very powerful exercise for us in terms of internal, but also peer review when it comes to the judging process. We first started applying in 2016, with a view to benchmarking ourselves and subsequently, every year since then, we’ve either picked up an award or been very close!
“Year-on-year, we’ve tried to take all the feedback and advice given during the judging process, apply it to the business and then see if we can progress. The achievement of Manufacturer of the Year in 2021 was a culmination of the progression we’ve annually been taking on board, the feedback and seeing ourselves measured against peer groups in other sectors. It has been a really powerful tool for us to drive continuous improvement activities in our business.”
After the challenging couple of years we’ve faced, it’s more important than ever to encourage, benchmark and celebrate manufacturing excellence – so we are delighted to announce the shortlist nominations for The Manufacturer MX Awards 2022.
The Manufacturer MX Awards 2022 shortlist:
The Manufacturer MX Awards 2022 shortlist:
Achieving Customer Value
Connexion Technologies
Foam Engineers
Gripple
Product Innovation & Design – sponsored by Autodesk
Druck, a Baker Hughes Business
Foam Engineers
Gripple
Janus International Europe
MasterMover
Polypipe Building Services
Philadelphia Scientific
Verder
Asif Moghal, Director, D&M Market & Industry Development, Autodesk said: “As an industry we cannot afford to wait for progress, we must make it. We must lead the development of new ideas and experiences that deliver new levels of value to our people, profits and planet. Enabling great design and innovation sit at the heart of everything we do at Autodesk, they are the keys to solving some of the planet’s most pressing challenges and driving the sort of progress we need, which is why we are delighted to be sponsoring the Product Innovation & Design category at this year’s MX awards.”
Leadership & Strategy – sponsored by MHP Consulting (a Porsche company)
British Sugar
Foam Engineers
Gripple
Oxford Plastics
Produmax
Yunex Traffic
Guy Williamson, CEO of MHP said: “MHP (a Porsche company) is shaping the future of manufacturing and mobility. As part of the industry ecosystem, we share the mission of ensuring a world-class sector here in the UK. This can only be sustained through excellence in leadership and strategy, topics which we are passionate about at MHP. “Excellence in leadership and strategy delivers improved performance through boundary-free engagement, communication, innovation and execution. The Manufacturer MX Awards celebrate success in our industry, tell inspirational stories, and contribute to our mission. We are proud to be a sponsor.”
Operational Excellence – sponsored by Cranfield University
Foam Engineers
Gripple
Jaguar Land Rover – Halewood
LifeScan Scotland
The Park
Wren Kitchens
Konstantinos Salonitis, Professor and Head of Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre at Cranfield University said: “Cranfield University are once again the proud sponsors of the Operational Excellence category in TMMX 2022. This is a category whose essence permeates all others because no improvements can be achieved and sustained without excellence in getting things done. In the last 75 years, Cranfield University has played a key part in developing the leaders of operational excellence, promoting stakeholder engagement in enduring cultures of continuous improvement. We want to encourage and recognise the best of the best underscoring the timeless importance of OpEx in manufacturing.”
People and Skills – sponsored by Michael Page
Castings Technology International
Druck, a Baker Hughes Business
Evtec Automotive
Gripple
Lisi Aerospace (BAIUK)
LifeScan Scotland
Sertec Corporation
The Shearline Group
Manufacturing in Action
Brompton Bicycles
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Cummins
Leonardo
Siemens Digital Industries Congleton
TSP Engineering
Smart Factory – sponsored by Made Smarter Innovation
Druck, a Baker Hughes Business
Gripple
Janus International Europe
Reckitt
Chris Courtney, Made Smarter Innovation Challenge Director, Innovate UK said: “Made Smarter Innovation are delighted to be sponsoring the MX Awards for a second year. It is a great way for businesses to receive recognition for their success. Made Smarter Innovation is dedicated to the innovation and adoption of digital technologies within the manufacturing supply chain, so it was only fitting that we sponsor this year’s Smart Factory award. I look forward to awarding the 2022 winner.”
Supply Chain Excellence – sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover
Druck, a Baker Hughes Business
Excell Metal Spinning
Foam Engineers
Gripple
Ricardo
Wren Kitchens
Yunex Traffic
Sustainable Manufacturing – sponsored by Fujitsu
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Encirc
Gripple
NSG Pilkington
The Park
The Vita Group
Nick Rathbone, Head of Manufacturing, Utilities & Services, Fujitsu UK said: “Fujitsu’s purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. We are therefore proud to sponsor the Sustainable Manufacturing award and to celebrate what the manufacturing industry is doing to help solve the global sustainability crisis. Good luck to all entrants.”
International Trade
ALLpaQ Packaging
Design Specific
Gripple
Lanes Health
MattressTek
MPE
Oxford Plastics
Russell Finex
Young Manufacturer of the Year – sponsored by Capgemini
Barney Carter, Reckitt
Becky Simms, MBDA UK
Greta Povile, Goodfish Group
Jack Barnes, Druck, a Baker Hughes Business
Jose Carles, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Martin Vares, Fractory
Robbie Holder, Goodfish Group
Tasha Lyth, Gripple
With an unprecedented number of entries for Young Manufacturer this year, the judges decided to also award Commendations to several entrants that missed out from making the shortlist by just a couple of points. Commended Young Manufacturers are:
Adam Taylor, Plastic Omnium Automotive
Alexandra Johnson, Produmax
Brayan Benjamin, Goodfish Group
Ryan Fairclough, MBDA UK Ltd
Timothy Mann, Goodfish Group
Julian Relph, Vice President, Head of Manufacturing, Automotive and Life Sciences Market Units, Capgemini said: “The Young Manufacturer Awards category closely aligns with Capgemini’s core values and purpose. At Capgemini we recognise the value of role models in inspiring the next generation to consider opportunities in this sector.“ We are committed to building UK talent by bringing together diverse teams to promote creativity and innovation, with a focus on junior talent across the country. We have over 50 years of heritage with a sizeable presence in cities such as Birmingham that have a strong manufacturing ethos and we’re also a large employer in Telford where the heart of the UK’s industrial revolution began. A third of our new workforce is sourced through our long-running graduate and apprentice programmes that span across digital and technology solutions, project management, cyber security and much more. “Recent events have proved that digital talent is more critical than ever before. Building an inclusive and sustainable future for all, enabled by technology, and drawing on the energy of our talent is at the heart of Capgemini’s purpose. We are convinced that true diversity of thought and approach that young talent brings is fundamental to creating successful innovative solutions.” 2021 award winner Catriona Booth, Jaguar Land Rover, commented: “Receiving this award recognises not only my contribution but, by extension, recognises the development of young female leaders in manufacturing which is really something to celebrate.”
Digital Manufacturing Week is a series of events organised by The Manufacturer, taking place on 14-18 November in Liverpool, providing industry leaders with everything they need to drive their business forward in the digital era, and showcase the very best of industry on a public stage.
The core events are: The Manufacturer MX Awards, Manufacturing Leaders’ and SME Growth Summits, Smart Factory Expo, and The Manufacturer Top 100.
There are dozens of additional fringe events taking place including networking breakfasts and dinners, workshops, and regional site visits.
Register to take part here.
