100-year-old family-run manufacturing business has implemented expert advice to increase productivity by 20% | Manufacturing Growth Programme

Thrapston based manufacturer of luxury, hardwood timber garden rooms, summerhouses, garages, pavilions, and stables, Scotts of Thrapston Limited reached out to the Manufacturing Growth Programme to access free support and grant funding to improve productivity, efficiency, and capacity.

Based in the South East Midlands their £14 million per annum company remains family-run and was established in 1920. David Pooley, the Financial Director of the business, was in need of support to free more efficiency and productivity out of the business while at the same time maintaining their quality within production.

David made contact with local Manufacturing Growth Manager of the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP) Adrian Waters, who conducted a strategic business review using business diagnostic tool, GROWTHmapper. This exercise helped to underpin the need to investigate the production processes and efficiencies in the joinery and wood-shop areas, with an aim to affect greater throughput and integration with the ordering processes through to final assembly.

From the business review, Adrian put together an action plan to seek a suitable expert that could assess the joinery activities within the business and seek efficiencies and economies in this element of the production process.

Adrian stated, “Scotts of Thrapston is a high-profile, significant employer in the town of Thrapston. We have engaged with the business and supported it with guidance and support around identifying key areas to prioritise improvement projects. The company has in return supported MGP with hosting a productivity workshop and conducted production tours to evidence the improvement projects that have been carried out.”

After finding an expert business coach, a production efficiency project was conducted with great success. The business has since created two new jobs and has increased GVA of £75,000.00 while the project improved the production process in the joinery and wood-shop areas by 20%.

David Pooley stated, “We manufacture bespoke commissions – very luxurious summerhouses being a speciality. While the impact of the COVID-19 crisis has affected our production and capacity the demand remains strong. The Manufacturing Growth Programme is a support tool that makes a great difference to SMEs who really need third-party support, I would advise other businesses wanting to improve to make contact.”

Going forward, Scotts of Thrapston’s future plans for the business are to be focussed upon continuous improvement and capacity of the manufacturing areas and production.

To find out more about Scotts of Thrapston Limited visit www.scottsofthrapston.co.uk