TEES TECH AWARDS 2022
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
SPONSORED BY AZETS – @ AZETSUK
FINALIST
CORNERSTONE VISUAL MEDIA SOLUTIONS
Digitised – Mersen ’ s Daniel Pybus , pictured with Andrew Rowe of category sponsor Azets .
WINNER
Mersen
In just a few years , graphite manufacturer Mersen has transformed from a traditional machine shop to a fully digitised operation .
And one of the people who helped oversee the dramatic transition says there ’ s more to come .
In 2019 , Eaglescliffe-based Mersen – part of the Mersen Group , which has more than 50 industrial sites and 16 R & D centres in 35 countries – embarked on a game-changing Knowledge Transfer Partnership ( KTP ) with Teesside University .
Helped by KTP associate Daniel Pybus , the firm implemented digital shopfloor data collection , upskilled the team , introduced 3D stock-cutting algorithms and embraced robotic process automation .
And the results have been dramatic , with significant time and material cost savings .
Daniel said : “ A few years ago , Mersen was very much stuck in using paper , essentially , for absolutely everything .
“ They had no automation , they had no digitisation – they knew they needed to upskill themselves and start automating their processes , otherwise they would fall behind the competition .
“ Part of the projects we did involved the use of evolutionary algorithms in stock cutting . We introduced robotic process automation and a host of digitisation across all kinds of manufacturing processes .”
He added : “ The role I was originally on was for just 18 months , but it ’ s changed . I ’ m a permanent member of staff now and it ’ s going to be hectic in the next few years .
“ A lot of companies want to embrace digitisation and they get to the final stages but they never quite take that step , but Mersen absolutely did .”
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
Andrew Rowe , office managing partner at Azets in Wynyard , said : “ Sponsorship of the Digital Transformation category reflects our continuing commitment to shining a light on the Tees region ’ s thriving digital and tech sector . The Tees Tech Awards are the perfect way to support the local digital community and they are a crucial platform to encourage the growth of the tech sector as a whole . In a closely contested category , we ’ d like to congratulate the worthy winners , Mersen . As tech-powered professionals , we are always looking to help entrepreneurs lead the way forward . Please get in touch to find out how we can support you with your growth ambitions .”
A 90 sq m screen at the Teesworks entrance is one of CVMS ’ s most high-profile projects to date .
And it shows the progress made by the firm in less than two years since , in October 2020 , it provided a video screen for Teesside Airport so that flight information and other messages could be displayed .
Cornerstone Business Solutions , led by Chris Petty and Chris Bibby , realised that video and OOH ( Out of Home ) screens were a mainstream route to get the message across in terms of advertising – and the area didn ’ t have a Teesside-based company .
Now , in CVMS , it does – and by tuning into the changing technology and demand for video advertising , it ’ s set to erect more screens across the region , with new contracts in the pipeline .
FINALIST
LEMON CONTACT CENTRE
“ We use our technology to assist us , but we don ’ t hide behind it !”
That ’ s the ethos of Lemon Contact Centre – a 24 / 7 call centre that aims to provide outstanding customer service solutions to engineering and technical companies worldwide .
Established in 2003 and based on Stockton ’ s Preston Farm Business Park , Lemon previously used a legacy Mitel telephone system that only offered voice calls , and a rudimentary email service .
In 2021 , however , it installed the industryleading Genesys Cloud system , allowing it to offer cutting edge services such as live chat and WhatsApp , as well as bots with artificial intelligence and automation .
The results have been startling , with its digital transformation leading to a critical expansion of its service offering and securing the long-term future of the business .
48 | Tees Business