HARTLEPOOL
We ’ re proud of our business and people , and aren ’ t afraid to tell people about that ."
Proud – UK operations manager Tom Russell
People – TMD Friction puts its success down to the way its staff are willing to go above and beyond for the company . the Insider Media ’ s Automotive , Rail and Aerospace category at the Made in the North East awards . For me , this is testament to our people and how much they ’ re prepared to go above and beyond for the company .”
Investment in its people sits at the very heart of TMD Friction .
Alongside the 85 agency workers awarded permanent contracts , there have been a number of new faces added to the business this year .
They include new UK finance director Samantha Kirtley and UK HR manager Helen Robinson , whose appointments have strengthened the senior management team , while several apprentices are in the early stages of carving out successful careers within the business .
Of course , Tom is keen to point out that talent retention is just as important as talent attraction .
He said : “ When you look at the profile of our workforce , I am proud to say that many of our employees have been with us for over 20 years , in some cases 30 . That ’ s massive - you cannot put a price on that experience , which is invaluable to the young talent recruited into the business , particularly at apprenticeship level .”
The new UK Engineering Excellence department is also operating at full strength for the first time since it was created , which is a major boost as demand for brake pads continues to increase .
Like many companies in the manufacturing sector , TMD Friction ’ s site in Hartlepool has had to deal with issues that have affected its supply chain and recruitment drive .
Tom added : “ As has been the case for the manufacturing industry globally , we have dealt with supply chain issues , with some orders taking longer than expected and costing a bit more .
“ In addition , we have had to look at challenges with labour shortages , Covid-19 and inflationary pressures . We also had to address some issues due to Brexit , given that half of our product goes to the EU .
“ When it came to dealing with Brexit issues , we have overcome these challenges by working as a team , dealing with paperwork and seeking out external knowledge to help address the problems that have come as a result .
“ With regards to the supply chain challenges , we have a good team in place that is very accurate on when it can deliver . Again , that comes back to my point about our people – we have the right people in place , people who are hugely experienced within their fields , and that means we ’ re on the ball when it comes to any issues which may impact our business .”
With regard to the future , what are Tom ’ s plans ?
“ From a business perspective , to keep on doing what we ’ re doing and ensure we ’ re meeting client demand for brake pads . That ’ s always a challenge but one that , collectively , I think we can achieve .
“ But on a wider scale , I want to create a real community feel within the business and a more modern working environment that gives our people ownership and power , regardless of whether they ’ re shop floor or management . Part of that is changing perceptions of the business – demonstrating that we ’ re not just a factory , we ’ re a successful global business , an employer of choice .”
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