Andy Smith
Bidford-on-Avon,Warwickshire
Summary
Manufacturing and production professional skilled in leading high-producing teams and using Six Sigma and lean manufacturing to reduce costs and increase process efficiency. Capable of matching workers to optimal positions, improving performance and maintaining compliance with company standards in high-volume production settings. Well-versed in training, equipping and motivating team members to optimise productivity and achieve organisational objectives. Proven project manager delivering large scale projects to cost, quality and timeframe targets.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
3
3
Certification
Work history
Production Area Leader
3M
Atherstone, Warwickshire
03.2020 - Current
- Strategic ownership of multiple production cells across various business groups.
- Developing firm action plans to hit company and business strategic plans.
- Budget responsibility of over £5MM split across direct and indirect expenditure.
- Evaluated current production processes and made forward-thinking adjustments to improve output.
- Coordinated and controlled all production processes, ensuring products were delivered on time and within budget.
- Supervised production schedules and production quality for timely delivery including a project to increase forecast financial accuracy.
- Directed and motivated 57 production staff in 9 production cells.
- Reviewed production issues and supported my teams to implement corrective action plans, enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring KPI's are achieved in a safe and timely manner.
- Performed risk assessments and security checks to comply with health and safety legislation, including the safety improvement of my areas.
- Led regular meetings, events and continuous improvement projects with measurable goals.
- Implemented changes in working conditions and tools to improve workflow, efficiency and team member safety.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
3M
UK, Regional
03.2017 - 03.2020
- Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
- Two key certifiable projects were Indirect cost control (replicate across EMEA) saving £1.1MM/year and a Consumable usage reduction project saving £714K/year
- Managed site LSS processes - 101 active projects, valuing in excess of £4MM.
- Led the site hoppering process, generating over 250 project ideas with an estimated value of £3MM, including 22 potential Black Belt projects.
- Spearheaded strategic development plans to instigate departmental change, adding value and innovation to business decision-making.
- Analysed metrics and performed managerial reviews, recommending action plans to close operational gaps across the UK region.
- Led and motivated talented project teams, achieving targets within stipulated deadlines.
- Defined project scope, milestones and task allocation to establish and maintain clear progress plans.
- Managed desires and expectations for key stakeholders across numerous high-value projects.
- Collaborated with cross-functional regional teams to draft strategic, realistic project schedules and plans.
- Tracked and communicated project status, timelines and action items from project inception to delivery.
- Trained, mentored and coached junior team members, leveraging previous experiences in boosting project progress, including formal green belt coaching.
- Developed analytics tools to track project progress and impact.
Process Engineering Lead
3M
Atherstone, Warwickshire
01.2015 - 03.2017
- Led process engineering team responsible for the new technology investments and continuous improvement projects and activity on site.
- Awarded a second Golden Step award - for introducing a new tier of abrasives to the market place (technology and process lead for this project).
- Coached engineers in the use of Lean Six Sigma.
- Developed and delivered technology roadmaps ensuring the site had leading edge capability in its operations and could deliver the business priorities.
- Created value through data generation, technical insights and modelling.
- Coordinated project planning, resourcing and reporting for engineering projects.
- Analysed and modified equipment to incorporate lean concepts and increase productivity.
- Delivered ongoing productivity improvement projects to increase production and reduce costs.
- Investigated and troubleshot engineering-related process problems to reduce downtime.
Senior Process Engineer
3M
Atherstone, Warwickshire
11.2012 - 03.2015
- Managed large capital investments, up to a $5MM investment to design, purchase and scale up a new manufacturing cell.
- Supported selection and management of vendors and contractors during conceptual stage.
- Monitored design progress to ensure manufacturing feasibility.
- Developed and launched a new product line and processess, resulting in £40M increased revenue.
- Awarded a Golden Step Award - this is awarded for delivering over $20MM in profitable global sales in the calander year within 3 years of launch. This was awarded for developing a process to allow us to launch a new abrasive product into the market place.
- Awarded a Circle of Technical Excellence and Innovation award for new process development.
- Optimised processes to reduce cost and increase efficiency.
- Increased product yield by implementing improved processes.
- Investigated and troubleshot engineering-related process problems to reduce downtime including control plans to prevent reoccurrence.
- Planned, carried out and reported results from process development trials to design of experiments.
- Introduced new technologies and equipment to maintain leading-edge capability across plant operations.
- Determined maintenance regimes for process equipment (including MCE in machine design).
- Identified and introduced new and innovative processes to increase productivity.
Value Stream Engineer
3M
Atherstone, Warwickshire
02.2010 - 11.2012
- Responsible for the 3 major value streams on site.
- Developed products and prototypes for various types of product designs.
- Generated detailed reports covering analysis of production issues and outlining potential solutions.
- Identified root causes and implemented permanent solutions in support of program performance metrics.
- Designed equipment improvements to optimise worker productivity.
- Mentored junior team members, providing encouragement and engineering training to support development.
- Monitored project progress and service delivery to verify budget and timeline adherence.
Production Coordinator
3M
Atherstone, Warwickshire
09.2008 - 02.2010
- Maintained secure, hazard-free working environment to promote team health and safety.
- Reported department costs to help track expenses and support budget management.
- Understood big picture while remaining focused on smaller details to elevate production quality through meticulous attention to detail.
- Aligned daily activities with overall production goals as outlined in meetings and project briefs.
- Scheduled formal and informal production meetings to facilitate clear communication.
- Maintained productivity by adapting to changes in schedule and availability of personnel and resources.
- Approached unfamiliar challenges with can-do attitude to formulate robust action plans.
- Communicated potential impacts to production schedule to aid time-management.
Shift Manager
3M
Atherstone, Warwickshire
09.2004 - 09.2008
- Led a cross functional team of production operators, manufacturing technology and plant engineering to deliver the site KPI's on a shift by shift basis.
- Kept employees operating productively to meet business and customer needs.
- Updated training and procedures to address skills gaps and challenges.
- Completed comprehensive shift reports to support seamless handovers.
- Promoted safety culture through clear communications and inspections.
- Increased team efficiency by analysing equipment performance.
- Managed staff schedules, ensuring required coverage to meet shift needs within budget.
- Employed forward-thinking mindset to anticipate and quickly eliminate issues on shift.
- Handled disciplinary investigations and hearings with strong employee relations knowledge.
- Led team of 22 to achieve KPI targets in fast-paced environments.
- Led by example and demonstrated company best practices.
- Addressed staff absences and holiday requests to achieve consistent rota coverage.
- Developed continuous improvement initiatives to drive team efficiencies.
- Conducted audits and reviews to enhance team performance.
Advanced Process Engineer
3M
Atherstone, Warwickshire
01.2001 - 09.2004
- Green belt trained
- Completed a greater complexity of technical projects focusing on safety, service, quality and cost.
- Calculated overall production costs by evaluating material, labour and other expenditures.
- Strategically selected methodology to hit project requirements.
- Applied troubleshooting skills to develop effective solutions for the cells processes and products.
Process Engineer
3M
Atherstone, Warwickshire
01.2000 - 01.2001
- Provided day to day process support of manufacturing lines within the site.
- Team member on Six Sigma projects.
- Identified loss issues and implemented solutions to increase yield and productivity.
- Trained manufacturing operatives on machinery and equipment best practices to increase team efficiency.
Education
Bachelor of Engineering - Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Coventry University
Coventry 09.1996 - 05.1999
Skills
- Leadership skills - ILM Level 5 Certificate
- Lean Six Sigma - Certified Black Belt
- Process improvements
- Continuous improvement processes
- Lean manufacturing and design - Lean Leader trained
- Project Management
- Analytical problem solving
- Advanced problem solving
- Manufacturing improvement strategies
- Project planning and development
- Safety management - IOSH Managing Safely Certificate
- Operations management
- Shop floor management
- Employee management
- Staff Management
- Manufacturing leadership
- Budget administration
- Budgeting
Accomplishments
- Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
- Lean leader trained
- 2 x Golden Step award winner
- 1 x Circle of Technical Excellence and Innovation winner
Certification
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
- ILM - Institute of Leadership Level 5
- IOSH - Managing Safely
Interests
Outside of work I volunteer for two organizations:
- Warwickshire and Solihull blood bike - providing an out of hours service supporting the NHS by transporting essential Plasma, Tissue Samples, X-Rays, Licensed drugs and other products across the county.
- RE:ACT disaster management - providing direct humanitarian action in the fastest time, for those hardest to reach and most vulnerable.
Work availability
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Quote
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
Walt Disney
Timeline
Production Area Leader
3M
03.2020 - Current
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
3M
03.2017 - 03.2020
Process Engineering Lead
3M
01.2015 - 03.2017
Senior Process Engineer
3M
11.2012 - 03.2015
Value Stream Engineer
3M
02.2010 - 11.2012
Production Coordinator
3M
09.2008 - 02.2010
Shift Manager
3M
09.2004 - 09.2008
Advanced Process Engineer
3M
01.2001 - 09.2004
Process Engineer
3M
01.2000 - 01.2001
Bachelor of Engineering - Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Coventry University
09.1996 - 05.1999
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