Essex hi-tech firm gets helping hand from innovative support scheme
For immediate release
A firm which makes hi-tech monitoring equipment has saved thousands of pounds and seen a long-running business problem solved – thanks to a free business support scheme.
Radio-Tech Ltd makes wireless electronic devices for everything from spotting the build-up of legionella, the bacteria which causes the potentially life-threatening Legionnaires ’ disease– to electronic smart meters.
The Harlow-based company has just taken part in the Essex Manufacturing Innovation and Growth programme (EMIG).
EMIG is a fully funded programme developed by CambridgeUniversity’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) and supported by Essex County Council.
It is designed to help small and medium-sized manufacturing companies identify specific weak spots in their business and deliver long-term improvements through an achievable action plan, while being mentored by an experienced practitioner.
Ade Asefeso, the firm’s Operations Director, said taking part in the scheme had saved his firm thousands of pounds and had a significant impact on the business.
Radio-Tech showed evidence of good practice in a number of areas but the company knew it could not rest on its laurels. The EMIG diagnosis highlighted quality issues as an area for improvement; areas the company already knew should be re-visited.
“The company already had a fantastic defect reduction programme, but working with mentors from EMIG we found we could improve our quality and development processes.
“I think we are a fairly typical SME, it’s not that we don’t know what’s wrong with us, or how to fix it, but we don’t have the time to fix it.”
The firm’s mentor, IfM practitioner John McManus, suggested Radio-Tech might benefit from additional resource and introduced them to a well-qualified graduate with the specific remit of implementing the EMIG action plan.
The 12-week subsidised placement was easily arranged under a Graduate Internship Scheme run by AngliaRuskinUniversity.
As part of the EMIG programme, the company’s mentor helped the company select the right graduate for the job and mentor him through the placement.
“What really excited me was through the project we were able to bring in a Cambridge graduate to an SME of this size; normally it would cost you thousands and he was able to focus on a particular business issue.
“Most of our products are used in environments where they come into contact with water, and if water gets into the assembly it will die, we wanted to ensure that our processes were as robust as possible.
“I was quite surprised that within three days he came back with a solution, not only that he thought of how to protect the device but with physical instructions of how to do it.Basically I think the graduate scheme is the best thing since sliced bread.
Mr Asefeso said the impact on the company had been extremely beneficial. “For me personally, even though I’m taking advantage of the programme, I haven’t spent anything outside of my budget, so I don’t have to justify it to anyone to go onto the programme.
“If there’s a company seeking support, I would strongly recommend that you go on it [EMIG]; because I have paid for this type of programme before and now to get it for free it’s just fantastic.”
Notes for Editors
For further information contact:
Rob Halden Pratt
Communications Officer
Institute for Manufacturing
01223 748266
Email:
About the EssexManufacturing Innovation and Growth (EMIG) programme
EMIG is a support programme for established small and medium-sized manufacturing companies, fully funded by Essex County Council. It is designed to help companies improve their competitiveness by ensuring that their business priorities are aligned with their actual practices. It has three steps: Firstly the company MD is asked to complete a short (30 minute) online questionnaire about how he/ she views the priorities of the business. Secondly, the MD and his/ her team undertake a more in-depth evaluation of these priorities and the practices that support them with an experienced manufacturing mentor. This would typically take ½ a day. The mentor would take the information gathered and put together a short and do-able action plan to respond to specific issues or develop capabilities in highlighted areas (eg. new product development). He /she would then visit the company again to deliver the feedback and discuss the plan. Note that the aims of the plan are a few, targetted and achievable suggestions that can really make a difference – and that do not cost lots of money to do!
If the company chooses, it can undertake the third stage of the programme which is the implementation of the action plan. This may take many months to do properly, so typically we envisage mentoring of ½ day per month, for, say 6-8 months depending on the needs of the company.
All mentors are experienced individuals who have worked in manufacturing at a senior level and/or run companies in the sector.
For more details and to enrol, please contact Ms Alyson Lee on 01223 332782 or email
About the Institute for Manufacturing
The University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), is a division of the Department of Engineering. The IfM brings together expertise in management, economics and technology to address the full spectrum of industrial issues. Its activities integrate research and education with practical application in companies, providing a unique environment for the creation of new ideas and approaches to modern industrial practice. The IfM works closely with industry, at a regional, national and international level, providing strategic, technical and operational expertise to help companies to grow and to become more competitive.
About Anglia Ruskin University’s Graduate Internship Scheme
AngliaRuskinUniversity is working with regional partners and new graduates to offer a Graduate Internship Scheme to companies in the East of England. Graduates will work in the business on a graduate-level project for up to 12 weeks, ideal to:
- Introduce innovative new idea into your business
- Benefit from highly motivated individuals who are eager to improve their skills and gain valuable experience
- Expand your workforce for special projects or short-term assignments, without the long-term commitment
- Gain experience of a graduate's work as a prelude to possible long-term employment, with the minimum of risk
The company is charged £295 + VAT per week. The graduate is paid £250 per week and the rest covers their employment costs e.g. NI, accrued holiday, etc. The administration of the scheme has been funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Graduates are employed by ARU for the duration of the internship making the scheme simple and straightforward for both the company and graduate.
Formanufacturing companies the Graduate Internship Scheme can be accessed via the Essex Manufacturing Innovation and Growth Programme (EMIG) and companies not operating in the manufacturing sector can apply directly to ARU. Please call 0845 196 3177 or email for more information.
About Radio Tech Ltd
Established in 1993 Radio-Tech Ltd is now one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of wireless technology to the emerging remote metering and monitoring markets. Since August 2005 it became a Halma plc Company and as such joined the FTSE 250.