ENGINEERING
Values – more than 15 per cent of a 165-strong workforce at Katmex are enrolled on some form of training or qualification route at the steel processing and fabrication company .
PICTURES : TOM BANKS
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
Katmex developing its workforce with training programme
WORDS : PAUL FRASER
Six core values are at the heart of the strategic development and planning of Katmex .
The simple messages , created from each letter of the company name ( as seen below ), are the backbone of its success in Stockton – and are getting more attention to detail than ever before at its 25,000sqm base .
108 | Tees Business
EEP YOURSELF AND OTHERS SAFE LWAYS RIGHT FIRST TIME EAMWORK FOR SUCCESS AINTAIN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION LIMINATE WASTE CEED EXPECTATIONS
WWW . KATMEX . CO . UK
Katmex , supplying precision fabricated components for medium and heavy industry , have employed people on Teesside for the last 22 years , and have made the decision to significantly invest in the development of its workforce .
The Teesside base , which can process up to 2,000 tonnes of steel a month , has seen its senior management team put a large-scale training programme in place that looks to build those core values into the everyday activities of the business . The programme is being overseen by a specifically appointed training and development engineer , Darren Grainger .
Paul Huxley , the production and quality manager , said : “ The change and decision to invest stemmed from a management structure change in 2020 – within six months we agreed to implement a strategy which was to focus on training and development of staff .”
For the last 18 months the progress has been telling . Katmex has always trained its staff in core areas of safety , quality and production based around the six Katmex Values and nowadays employees can grow and develop through areas of advanced and specific training .
More than 15 per cent of a 165-strong workforce at Stockton , who produce high quality components for clients such as JCB and Komatsu in the UK and Europe , are enrolled on some form of training or qualification route at the steel processing and fabrication company . That figure is only likely to increase as the courses in place progress .
Shorna Huxley , the health , safety and environment manager , said : “ We identified the need to invest in our employees . After the pandemic everyone you speak to has had issues with recruitment and retention , we wanted to do something about that and we have .
“ While additional training and development is not for everyone , we wanted to offer something to those employees that were interested in the prospects of further training and gaining qualifications , that was beneficial for them and for the company . We now have training plans which are designed to give staff a transparent progression route .”