Aesseal proud of skills investment pay-off

INVESTING in skills and training will pay dividend was the message at a National Skills Academy for Manufacturing (NSAM) event.

Delegates at the event, which was held at Rotherham-based Aesseal, heard how the company’s competiveness was linked to skill investment and improvement.

A tour was given of Aesseal’s recently completed 30,000sq ft manufacturing extension, which features the first two of its planned 10 Morris Seiki 9 Axis machining centres.

As well as speeches by Rosie Winterton, Minister for Yorkshire, delegates also heard from apprentices Chris Richardson and Chris Parkin, who spoke about their work, career progression and ambitions for the future.

Mr Richardson said: “It’s absolutely brilliant here and you learn from the best. My goal is to be better than my mentor in a shorter timescale and in the long run take over from our production director.”

With growth in excess of 25% per year and a string of awards and accolades, including being named Company of the Year at the CBI’s annual Growing Business Awards, Aesseal is seen as one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of mechanical seals and support systems.

Recently, it accepted an invitation to sit on the NSAM regional advisory group for Yorkshire and Humber.

Gordon Bridge, a director at Aesseal, said: “At Aesseal, we are very clear on the direct link between the competitiveness of our business and the skills of our people.

“Whatever our successes so far, we continuously strive to be better at how we operate and the results we achieve. Developing the skills and potential of people is at the heart of this and is vital to the competitiveness of UK manufacturing as a whole.”

Ms Winterton said that Aesseal’s success should inspire local SMEs looking not just to survive the recession but thrive.

“I would encourage manufacturers in Yorkshire & Humber to see skills training as an essential tool for their businesses and get in contact with the Skills Academy to find out more,” she added.