Tewkesbury MP stops traffic with Gloucestershire manufacturers
Laurence Robertson, the Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland and MP for Tewkesbury, has joined manufacturers from across Gloucestershire at a showcase to discover how one manufacturer in the county is keeping ahead of its competition.
Mr Robertson, a former company director, factory owner and engineer, was shown around AGD Systems of Staverton, Cheltenham, a market leader in the design and manufacture of traffic and pedestrian detection products. With senior managers from eleven different manufacturing enterprises, he observed first-hand how the company has risen to the challenge of ever increasing competition through innovative, new product design and strong customer relationships.
The event was organised in conjunction with the South West Manufacturing Advisory Service as part of its ongoing support for the 12,000 manufacturing businesses in the region.
Arthur Richardson, director of South West MAS, comments: "We are grateful for AGD Systems' willingness to open its doors and discuss its strategy for growth. Rather than competing on cost, AGD Systems demonstrates that the way forward for smaller manufacturers is to innovate and add value as this provides them with a competitive edge against larger UK players that do not have the flexibility and ability to respond to customers' unique requirements."
Laurence Robertson, MP for Tewkesbury, adds: "Coming from the manufacturing sector myself, I am keen to encourage any initiatives that nurture the growth of the sector. Manufacturing contributes significantly to the health of the British economy and the South West MAS has a strong track record of boosting the productivity of regional manufacturers. Events such as the manufacturing showcase at AGD Systems provide an excellent forum for industry leaders to come together and share ideas."
Charlie Peppiatt, who attended the event on behalf of his company Homesafe-Lindman, says: "The manufacturing showcase provided the opportunity to see practical applications of improvement techniques and also to share experiences from across the industry."
Peter Hutchinson, managing director of AGD Systems, adds: "For a company of our size, the amount of time and money we have invested in research and development has been phenomenal and we are definitely reaping the benefits. We are using the knowledge we have gained of our market and customers to design products for very specific requirements. We hope that our strategy will inspire other manufacturers in the region to do likewise!"
AGD Systems, which was awarded Beacon status by the South West of England Regional Development Agency's initiative Beacon South West in September 2005, works closely with the Highways Agency and Department for Transport to develop new product solutions. It has 38 employees, a turnover of more than £5m and was awarded the Queen's Award for Innovation in 2005. AGD Systems' component suppliers are largely based in Gloucestershire as it likes to source locally wherever possible.
