British Sugar plc is throwing open its doors to fellow regional
businesses as part of a series of factory visits organised by the
Food and Drink iNet.
Representatives from food and drink companies across the East
Midlands are attending the Newark factory visit on January 28th
2010.
It is one of three being organised across the region by the Food
and Drink iNet to highlight best practice ways of working. The aim
of the visits is to encourage more efficient and effective
production across the East Midlands food and drink sector.
Aimed at food and drink manufacturers and academics linked to
the food industry, the visits have been designed to illustrate how
firms can keep ahead of their competition.
The series began with a visit to Molson Coors Brewery,
Burton-upon-Trent, in October and continues with a visit to
Rolls-Royce in Derby on February 4th.
"Companies can learn a lot from each other, and we are delighted
that British Sugar plc is hosting this visit and sharing some of
its best practice ideas," said Peter Maycock, Food and Drink iNet
director. "Interest from fellow East Midlands companies wanting to
attend these visits organised by the Food and Drink iNet has been
high, and I'm sure those who go on the British Sugar plc visit to
Newark will benefit from seeing at first hand the tools and
techniques used by the business."
The British Sugar plc visit will give companies the opportunity
to see how the firm stays at the top through resource efficiency,
lean manufacturing, problem solving, coaching and cultural changes
in production practices, added Peter.
Bob Howe, Newark British Sugar plc factory manager, said: "The
Newark factory aims to be the best performing factory in the
British Sugar group, and has a long history stretching back to
1921. We are delighted to be hosting this visit organised by the
Food and Drink iNet, so that we can show fellow businesses in the
region how the factory has developed and progressed, and how we are
continuing the success story."
British Sugar plc is the leading supplier of sugar to the UK
market, supplying more than half of the country's sugar
requirement. The Newark factory is one of four processing units
that extract sugar from homegrown sugar beet. It supplies 200,000
tonnes of sugar to food and drink manufacturers in the UK and
Europe.
David Wallace, Innovation Director of East Midlands Development
Agency (emda) which funds the Food and Drink iNet, said: "These
factory visits aim to promote best practice to managers of other
regional food and drink businesses who want to develop their own
companies. We recognise the importance of people coming together to
share expertise and knowledge, it is one of the reasons why the
iNets were established, and I am sure that the people who go on
these visits will all learn something new that they can apply in
their own businesses."
The Food and Drink iNet aims to foster innovation in the
region's food and drink sector by encouraging businesses to turn
new ideas into new business through the development of new
technologies and products. It also hopes to stimulate new
processes, services and ways of working in the industry to help
boost the sector.
Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda), the Food and
Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by The Food and Drink
Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent
University, The University of Lincoln, and The University of
Nottingham.
The visit has proved popular and places are currently fully
booked, but to go on the reserve list, contact 01664
420066