Pike Textiles owner celebrates birthday by presenting NVQs to staff

WISBECH business owner Sylvia Pike celebrated her birthday by awarding 23 staff with NVQ certificates in Business Improvement Techniques. To gain the qualification, staff at Pike Textiles learned a range of problem-solving and lean manufacturing technique

WISBECH business owner Sylvia Pike celebrated her birthday by awarding 23 staff with NVQ certificates in Business Improvement Techniques.

To gain the qualification, staff at Pike Textiles learned a range of problem-solving and lean manufacturing techniques and then applied them to live projects in their own areas.

Working in teams, they completed 30 projects in nine months which have saved the company more than �50,000 in the first year.

Process flows were analysed and new layouts saved time and money, as operators found new ways to save time and reduce waste.

Training was provided by Root2Lean and funded through the Government's Train to Gain scheme.

Managing Director Jon Allen congratulated staff on their accomplishment and said: "These new skills are the best antidote to the recession. By applying these skills every day to cut waste and save time we can steer a course through this recession."

Pike Textiles employs 75 people in manufacturing fabric and wallpaper pattern books, window blind sampling and ring binders.