University combines lean with green

J&B Recycling are at the forefront of processes to divert waste from landfill - but to streamline their internal processes they turned to Teesside University.

Based in Hartlepool, J&B Recycling called on the business services of Teesside University for expert assistance.

Having experienced steady growth over the last five years, J&B had recognised a need to enhance their business processes to manage more effectively their increasing workload.

Using an existing contact at the University, they were put in touch with Teesside Manufacturing Centre (TMC), an industry support unit based within the University’s School of Science & Engineering.

Commercial Manager, Mark Penny explains: 'A project has been developed which involves three key elements – a management review to address our internal processes and IT systems, a phase of consultancy work to introduce lean principles, and the recruitment of a graduate via the University’s KEI programme.'

The TMC team, led by project manager Suhail Aslam, offer four sessions of half-day management workshops. This will be funded by the ERDF as part of the university’s Environmental Process Management Services contract.

Suhail explains: 'Through this initial scoping exercise with J&B, we will apply our specialist in-house management model to map out current processes and propose tools for improvement. We will then provide bespoke consultancy services to help to take the company forward.'

A major element of the project will be the adoption of the University’s pioneering Knowledge Exchange Internship programme, or KEI, which offers North East enterprises the chance to recruit a highly qualified graduate. Again funded by the ERDF, participating companies receive assistance with salary costs and support from a specialist University academic.

Assisting J&B Recycling on the improvement project is Claire Hubbert, a self-employed management accountant. She comments: 'The KEI is a perfect solution for the company, and ties in nicely with the rest of the project as it means there will be somebody in post to implement the new recommendations.

'We are therefore advertising for an IT Business Systems Co-ordinator via the University’s careers service and hope to have the graduate in post by September. It will be a 12-month contract in the first instance but with the potential to become permanent.'

With the entire project due to be completed within approximately 18 months, the company has so far been more than impressed with the University’s service.

Mark concludes: 'We feel completely at ease working with the University and they have proved to be extremely flexible to work around our heavy workload and changing schedules.

'The difference with Teesside is that they have a unique combination of academic expertise and ‘real world’ experience – they understand how businesses operate and therefore can offer practical and realistic solutions to maximise business performance.'

For more information on Teesside University's business services call 01642 384580 or visit www.tees.ac.uk/spark

---

---