EDITOR ’ S CHOICE LATEST NEWS FROM BRANDAUER
BRANDAUER
Former Birmingham apprentice is named as one of the top 20 manufacturing professionals in the UK
A Birmingham-based apprentice turned Manufacturing Director has been named as one of industry ’ s Top 100 professionals .
Stuart Berry , who joined metal stamping and tooling specialist Brandauer 15 years ago , was recognised by The Manufacturer as an Exemplar in the Innovation , Inspiring Leader and Young Pioneer categories .
The passionate advocate of engineering impressed judges with how he has used vocational learning to progress to the very top of his profession , securing a ‘ First Class ’ BEng Honours degree in Management of Manufacturing Systems in the process .
Judges at the high-profile event in Liverpool also praised his role in helping the company diversify into new markets , combining a strong production methodology with a commitment to the latest technology , delivering a host of product introductions for a male grooming product , nose clips for face masks and wafer-thin laminations for electric vehicles .
Stuart commented : “ There are some things in life that take you completely by surprise and this is one of them . To be named in The Top 100 manufacturing professionals in the UK is a massive honour , to be named an Exemplar in that prestigious field is mindblowing .
“ From the minute I stepped on the shopfloor at Brandauer , I knew I wanted to learn as much as I could and progress in industry . Sometimes it ’ s about finding the right company that gets you and you get them , that ’ s what happened here and we ’ ve both benefitted .”
More than 250 people gathered at The Exhibition Centre in Liverpool last night to recognise the best talent in UK manufacturing .
Stuart , who was joined on stage by Make UK ’ s Stephen Phipson and Donna Bruce of Northern Lights , has recently played a key role in the development of the UK ’ s first
From the minute I stepped on the shopfloor at Brandauer , I knew I wanted to learn as much as I could and progress in industry .
£ 1m Precision Tooling Academy in the West Midlands .
A joint project between Brandauer and In-Comm , the purpose-built commercial toolroom will produce complex tooling , as well as acting as a professional training ground for the toolmakers and designers of the future .
This is a vital move for domestic industry , with the sector being held back by a severe lack of toolmakers and the very real possibility of losing these essential skills forever as older workers choose to retire .
The Precision Tooling Academy aims to reverse this trend by offering companies access to professional toolmaking courses , upskilling opportunities for qualified engineers looking to diversify their skills and a Level 6 Tool Process Design Apprenticeship to develop the next generation of talent .
Training will be unlike anything currently on the market , with up to 35 individuals in the first twelve months able to learn on live tooling projects that will be producing hundreds of thousands of parts every week and , under Stuart ’ s guidance , will give Brandauer and other tooling experts the opportunity to reshore more manufacturing projects from Asia , the EU and the US .
Stuart concluded : “ Embarking on an apprenticeship has been so good for me and that ’ s something I want to get across to the next generation … this Top 100 title will definitely help me to do that .”
The Manufacturer Top 100 are the most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing , as nominated by a 265k-strong audience , the wider industrial community , and judged by an esteemed panel featuring leaders of industry , academic institutions and manufacturing associations .
For further information , please visit www . brandauer . co . uk or follow @ cbrandauer on twitter .
42 PECM Issue 60