JLR supplier Sertec appoints first ever female plant manager

A LEADING supplier to Jaguar Land Rover has appointed its first ever female plant manager.

Coleshill-based Sertec Group employs 2,000 people in the UK – 15% of which are women. However, until now none have been elevated to a senior production position.

This has changed with the appointment of Tina Vaissiere to the position of plant manager of Sertec’s Light Stampings operation in Aston.

Dave Steggles, Sertec Group managing director, said: “Whilst we have senior managers in both Learning & Development and Accounts departments, this is our first senior female appointment in an engineering operations capacity.

“Not only is this very important to us here at Sertec, but we believe it sends out a strong message to our industry as a whole about women in engineering. Tina commands the respect of her colleagues through her knowledge, experience and sheer hard work and fully deserves this new role.”

Ms Vaissiere has earned her spurs with 20 years manufacturing experience, starting her career as a press operator at wire forming company Tulgrove, gaining further experience in assembly, purchasing and sales.

With the acquisition of Tulgrove in 2010, she became an integral part of Sertec’s Presslite business, (now renamed Sertec Light Pressings) developing into coordinator roles in both logistics and manufacturing at the company’s longest standing factory site, on Holborn Hill, Aston.

Ms Vaissiere takes over the reins from another success story of a career developed through acquisition.

Scott Taylor joined Sertec as a customer analyst when it bought SEP Presstech in 2000. He later became logistics manager at Presslite and struck up a strong working relationship with Ms Vaissiere.

Experience gained in Operations and then MP&L Management roles eventually led him to become plant manager for the Aston and Saltley sites last year.

Mr Taylor is now moving up to the role of group logistics manager, based at Sertec’s Logistics Centre, at Hams Hall, near Coleshill.

Grant Adams, Sertec Group CEO, said: “As both Tina and Scott take on key positions within the company, it is important to note that both of them have worked with us through acquisition of their previous employers and have seized the opportunities presented to them. We are always keen to promote people from within and both are evidence of the career paths afforded by Sertec.”

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