PDS drives change at automotive industry awards

Amidst fears for the automotive supply industry, Birmingham based consultants PDS, celebrated the success of three of their clients at the prestigious Accelerate Supplier Awards

Amidst fears for the automotive supply industry, Birmingham based consultants PDS, celebrated the success of three of their clients at the prestigious Accelerate Supplier Awards at the ICC on October 22nd; demonstrating a new-found strength within the sector.

The companies collecting awards totalling GBP15k, thanks to both PDS expertise and the Accelerate Supply Chain Improvement Programme were: - Sertec (Birmingham) Ltd, CCT Hinckley Ltd and Formflo Ltd.

A further 18 PDS clients were nominated for awards.

PDS director Paul Sheedy, who founded the company, explained: "Our consultants are a team of experts from the West Midlands who are all passionate about helping this industry and the Midlands region succeed.

"Despite the current gloom surrounding the automotive supply industry, our clients' awards success shows that some companies are fighting back.

We believe that the market will never reach a point where it's impossible to devise a winning strategy".

PDS has a track record advising blue-chip companies around the world, particularly in the automotive sector, and established its West Midlands Automotive Team two years ago.

The company philosophy is far removed from the jargon-laden attitudes of many in the consultancy sector.

Paul added: "It's not about mission statements and buzz-words, but focussing on the process of change.

PDS work with senior management teams who are serious about driving the bottom line and implementing winning strategies".

Coleshill based Sertec are one of the West Midlands biggest motor industry suppliers, generating turnover in excess of GBP30 million with a 350-strong workforce.

They are strong believers in the PDS methodology.

Sertec group managing director Graham Mosedale commented: "PDS has played a critical role in transforming Sertec performance.

"We'd spent seven or eight years struggling to improve our shop-floor processes for the long term until PDS came along.

We'd sort out one crisis, enter a period of calm, but then tackle another crisis.

We needed direction at all levels".

As well as the recent Sertec Accelerate Award success, earlier this year they were the only UK firm to receive a World Excellence award from Ford Motor Co, for the quality of its component suppliers to Land-Rover and Jaguar.

Graham added: "Before PDS came along, our press shop was recording around 30,000 defective parts per million.

This June, July and August we had nil defects, and we are confident that the improvement is sustainable".

Another PDS advocate and Accelerate award winner is Matt Trobe Managing Director of FormFlo, Cheltenham: "One of our strategic objectives is customer service.

PDS brought GKN Driveline and us together to work jointly on long-standing delivery and schedule issues.

The result - improvements to systems by both companies have led to FormFlo consistently delivering at 100 percent on time".

Both Sertec and Formflo accessed PDS support through Accelerate Supply Chain Improvement Programmes, just one strand of the financial and strategic support available through the initiative.

Funded by Advantage West Midlands and ERDF, the programme is managed by Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and is delivered on the ground via a network of local Business Link Advisers and specialist consultants.

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