10 C
Manchester
Thursday, May 15, 2025
ManufacturingHow innovative leadership is helping a Greater Manchester SME manufacturer take on...

How innovative leadership is helping a Greater Manchester SME manufacturer take on its toughest test

AN SME manufacturer in Greater Manchester, supported by Made Smarter, has embraced a new approach to leadership during the coronavirus crisis.

Forced to close or reduce operations in factories and offices, owners and senior managers involved in the North West digital technology adoption pilot faced their toughest test as they figured out how to restart, reassure their uncertain workforce and customers, and recover.

Heatsense Cables, based in Rochdale, has revealed that changing its approach to the new needs of their workforce and business is helping them navigate the impact of the pandemic.

Agile leadership, flexibility, transparency, open communications and being receptive to learning from others have proved vital new tools for the future.

There is also a rallying call not to return to the old ways, as manufacturers look to recover and cultivate new paths to growth.

Donna Edwards said: “From the start of the pandemic Made Smarter has been in regular contact with leaders across the region offering support and advice. Our conversations revealed some striking changes in the traditional norms, attitudes and behaviours that guide leaders.

“They have demonstrated agility and adapted to an unprecedented and emerging situation to ensure people and companies have remained functional. New flexible approaches have helped individuals and teams cope with the intense challenges to their daily and working lives. In many cases they have used this experience to change longstanding practices and find better ways of doing things. At the heart of this need for change is technology, which has proved invaluable in allowing manufacturers to work remotely to maintain operations and communications and prompted SMEs to accelerate and broaden their adoption of digital tools.”

During the COVID-19 lockdown Lancaster University Management School has continued to work with business leaders, through the Made Smarter Leadership Programme, giving them the time and space to discuss new challenges faced at these times and highlight new opportunities to innovate and develop.

Jeremy Kemsley-Pein, owner of Heatsense Cables, a specialist high-performance cable manufacturer based in Rochdale, was part of the first cohort on the Made Smarter Leadership Programme, which gave leaders a strategic view to support the adoption of hi-tech and digitally-based manufacturing techniques into their own production processes.

He said the pandemic gave him more time with his management team to focus on his future plans.
“Being away from the factory has given me clear thinking. It enabled me to look at the business with razor sharp eyes and pulled my strategy and digital plan extremely tight,” he said.
“While lockdown has been negative for business it has also provided me an opportunity to get things moving and accelerate our digital transformation.
“While things will take time to recover, I am committed to our digital transformation. People and technology are central to that drive.”

It isn’t just SME leaders who have experienced lightbulb moments during the pandemic.

Glyn Jones, chair of Made Smarter’s North West adoption steering group and BAE Systems’ delivery director for the Tempest programme, said COVID-19 challenged long-standing paradigms in his business.
He said: “COVID brought a huge amount of focus, energy and some amazing innovation to get the business back on its feet.

“Things we previously thought impossible were achieved in the space of weeks and whilst it was challenging both personally and professionally for a lot of people, we saw some amazing things happen.
“In the past 25 years I have led many different teams and I have never experienced anything like this, but it is often at times of great adversity that people’s leadership skills come to the fore. I am sure many of us have seen that in the past few months.

“There is no leadership book on how we deal with a situation like this, so being open to learning from each other adjusting our approach is vital.

“We will continue to face challenges for a long while yet, but we must find a way to harness some of positive changes, embrace this new attitude and new ways of working rather than simply going back to the way things used to be.”

Registration for the next Leadership Programme, delivered by Lancaster University Management School, starting in October is now open.

Latest

Pop Specs Celebrates Four-Year Anniversary with National Recognition and Global Ambitions

Pop Specs, the trailblazing eyewear brand best known for its dynamic pitch on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, is proudly celebrating four years in business this...

Car Owl drops game-changing tools with car history check upgrade

Car Owl, the trusted name in comprehensive vehicle insights, today announced the launch of three innovative new tools designed to revolutionise the car-buying experience. The...

Meet the Former Dropout Leading the UK’s Leadership Revolution: Nicky Wallis of TEAL Learning Solutions

She may have left school without a diploma, but today Nicky Wallis is one of the UK’s most influential voices in leadership development. As...

Heroin and cocaine dealers sentenced in Oldham

Five men have been jailed for their role in a drug line operating in Chadderton which was worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Manchester Crown...
Subscribe to our newsletter
Business Manchester will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.
Don't miss

Car Owl drops game-changing tools with car history check upgrade

Car Owl, the trusted name in comprehensive vehicle insights, today announced the launch of three innovative new tools designed to revolutionise the car-buying experience. The...

Meet the Former Dropout Leading the UK’s Leadership Revolution: Nicky Wallis of TEAL Learning Solutions

She may have left school without a diploma, but today Nicky Wallis is one of the UK’s most influential voices in leadership development. As...

Pop Specs Celebrates Four-Year Anniversary with National Recognition and Global Ambitions

Pop Specs, the trailblazing eyewear brand best known for its dynamic pitch on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, is proudly celebrating four years in business this...

More News

Cellcycle and Kerry Logistics Partner to Strengthen Sustainable Battery Supply Chain in the UK

UK-based battery recycling expert Cellcycle, part of the SER Group, has signed a Mutual Cooperation Agreement with Kerry Logistics (UK), a member of the...

SYSPRO Research Reveals Strategic ERP Benefits for Mid-Sized Manufacturers and Distributors

SYSPRO has unveiled new insights designed to help executives at mid-sized businesses better understand the advantages of integrating an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. For...

Notts Sport Introduces CocoTurf: The Future of Non-Plastic Artificial Grass

Notts Sport, a UK leader in play and sports surfacing, has announced the launch of CocoTurf, the world’s first completely plastic-free artificial grass. Made...