New head of supply chain development to boost Shropshire manufacturing

The Six Sigma Master Black Belt will be focused on looking for supply chain opportunities that will help both SMEs and large enterprises develop their businesses. He will work across all sectors but with a particular focus on targeting advanced manufacturers with high growth potential, helping them create a sustainable supply chain.

Prior to joining MAS, Phil spent three years at Vestas Wind Systems, the world’s largest producer of wind turbines, where he built and ran its aftermarket supply chain. Before this, he spent 16 years in the aerospace sector at General Electric and Honeywell Aerospace and also boasts a degree in Mechanical & Production Engineering.
He said: “The opportunity to join MAS and work closely with Shropshire manufacturers is an exciting challenge. We have a breadth of resources and capabilities to support companies and I want to help ensure that these are utilised throughout the supply chain and in line with industry’s needs.”

Phil believes manufacturers could benefit from focusing on processes as well as products:

“A lot of companies dedicate time to refining or developing products and less time is spent on service opportunities or operational efficiency. The results from our first national Barometer reinforce this with product price (85 per cent) and product ranges (77 per cent) the most popular choices when it came to identifying what respondents plan to measure and review over the next six months.

“Manufacturers could benefit greatly from implementing process improvements that would ultimately filter through the supply chain to increase customer satisfaction, retention and growth.”

Simon Griffiths, MAS Area Director for North and West, commented: “Phil’s extensive background throughout the value chain from sales and operations to continuous improvement will help manufacturers connect with the best support available from MAS. We are very pleased to welcome him to the team.”