Our Graduating Early Career Talent

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This week we celebrated Jack Owen, James Pugh, Charles Horsburgh and Dylan Enfield, who have recently graduated from their Foundation Level Degrees, achieving incredible results!

Over the past 2 years, our early career talent have worked hard to achieve this academic accolade in Manufacturing and Engineering, gaining valuable knowledge and skills to help them advance in their desired career paths.

Since joining the business, all four individuals have shown a huge commitment to their self-development and pushed themselves to achieve great results in all aspects of their learning, completing Apprenticeships, NVQ’s, BTEC’s and Degrees in close succession whilst developing in their full-time roles within the business.

“Extremely PROUD to see the progression and achievements for these members of our Early Career Talent and hopefully demonstrates the potential pathways and opportunities for our current and future Early Career Talent” – Richard Sadler, Director of Engineering

Early Career Talent is a huge part of our DNA here at Sertec and we are encouraged to see the impact all our Early Career Talent are having towards the success of our business.

Carl Milbourne, General Manager and Early Career Alumni Mentor stated “we have been excited to see their progress and are committed to supporting all our early career talent in reaching their full potential.”

Join us in congratulating them all on their fantastic achievement!

Welcome to Our Class of 2023!

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This month our new early career talent spent some time with our learning and development department as part of their induction to learn more about what to expect during their time with the business.

Our previous apprentices took part in a Q&A session to answer questions about apprenticeships at Sertec and their current roles within the organisation. Our new apprentices found this extremely helpful and informative, giving them a better understanding of what to expect over their apprenticeships and beyond.

Our early career talent are now ready to embark on an exciting career journey with Sertec across various UK sites and disciplines within the business. We wish them the best of luck in their adventure and are excited to have them as part of the team!

Employee in the Spotlight – World Social Media Day

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To celebrate World Social Media Day – 30th June – we caught up with our Communications Coordinator to talk about her job role and all things social media. Keep reading to check out the employee in the spotlight!

Interview with Bria Murphy – Communications Coordinator

Q. What does your role involve?

A. I have a wide variety of responsibilities in my role from internal communications (e.g. daily emails and company newsletter) to external communications including updating our website with vacancies and news stories, creating content for all of our social media channels and occasionally assisting in organising, running and attending events.

Q. Why is social media so valuable today?

A. Social media is a vital part of marketing and can help build a community of like-minded individuals, helping businesses promote their products and services for a really low cost.

Q. What is your favourite social media platform?

A. My favourite social media platform changes so often depending on the type of content I feel like creating and have ideas for. At the moment though, my favourite platform is tik tok, which I post on 2-3 times a day. I love the community aspect of the channel and I find creating video content really fun.

Q. What is your least favourite aspect of social media?

A. There are negative connotations linked to social media, where there can be judgement and fake/overly-curated content. The judgement on social media is my least favourite aspect as people should feel comfortable posting what they like and are passionate about.

Q. How does our social media presence impact us at Sertec?

A. Social media has elevated our business and provided us with opportunities to network and grow our customer base. It has provided us with a platform to share content about what’s going on in our business and celebrate our achievements. I believe it has been a step forward for the business.

Q. If you could change one thing about our social media activity, what would it be?

A. I think we should post more over on tik tok as it is a channel that is growing massively at the moment. There are so many opportunities to get involved in trends and build a community on the platform. Social media channels are also prioritising video content at the moment so it would benefit us as a business.

To read more Sertec news, visit https://www.sertec.co.uk/newsroom/ or stay up to date over on our socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sertec-group-holdings-ltd/

Long Service Awards

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Each year we host our annual long service awards ceremony for our long-standing employees.

The ceremony is a chance for us to celebrate our employees that have achieved 25 years of service and gives employees the opportunity to network with each other and our board of directors, while reminiscing about their time at Sertec.

In May, we held the annual ceremony to acknowledge the loyalty and dedication displayed by our employees who have shaped the business and been paramount to its success.

Congratulations to all of our employees who received an award this year. It is a fantastic achievement and something to be extremely proud of!

Our 2023 long-service employees receiving their awards

To read more Sertec news, visit https://www.sertec.co.uk/newsroom/ or stay up to date over on our socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sertec-group-holdings-ltd/

Employee in the Spotlight – International Women in Engineering Day

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To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day – 23rd June – we caught up with some of our women at Sertec to talk about their careers in engineering and their current roles within the business. Keep reading to check out the employee in the spotlights!

Interview with Sam Thornley – Special Projects Engineer

Q. What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?

A. I currently work as a Special Projects Engineer and am responsible for investigating new technologies as well as developing processes for new model launches.

Q. How long have you had a career in engineering?

A. I have worked in engineering for almost 33 years and have spent nearly 5 & ½ with Sertec.

Q. What encouraged you to pursue a career in engineering?

A. I have always been interested in how things work, as well as the use of data for decision-making. I have even trained as a Metallurgist, understanding how metals behave.

Q. What do you like about engineering and what is the most enjoyable part of your job?

A. I like that no 2 days are the same and there is always something to learn and ways we can improve – every day is a school day. I loved working on the EV project as I have learnt so much and enhanced my skill set. Sertec has some amazing people who are great to work with and make my time here enjoyable.

Interview with Rasham Kaur – Team Leader

Q. What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?

A.  I currently work as a Team Leader/Supervisor and my responsibilities include looking after my team and ensuring the schedule is followed.

Q. How long have you had a career in engineering?

A. I have worked in engineering for 20 years and have spent 9 of those at Sertec.

Q. What encouraged you to pursue a career in engineering?

A. Previously I was a sewing machinist for 21 years before getting made redundant and then felt like doing something different, which lead me to engineering.

Q. What do you like about engineering and what is the most enjoyable part of your job?

A. I believe my skills are suited to this job and engaging with people. I feel that the most enjoyable part of my job is being able to meet targets and challenge myself, along with teamwork.

To read more Sertec news, visit https://www.sertec.co.uk/newsroom/ or stay up to date over on our socials: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sertec-group-holdings-ltd/

Sertec Corporation LTD have been shortlisted for The Manufacturer MX Awards 2022

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Sertec Corporation Ltd shortlisted for The Manufacturer MX Awards 2022.

Sertec Corporation will now go head-to-head with manufacturers across the country for first place in the People & Skills category.

Britain’s top manufacturing companies have made it through to the finals of the UK’s largest and most rigorous industry awards programme: The Manufacturer MX Awards (TMMX Awards). Delivered by The Manufacturer in partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), TMMX Awards have a combined heritage of over 50 years and are widely regarded as the gold standard in industry awards.

2022 has been an unprecedented year for entries with a significant number of new companies entering including Druck, Reckitt, and blood glucose monitoring manufacturer Lifescan Scotland, alongside regular participants including Gripple, The Park and Yunex Traffic – all vying to win 11 category awards, and ultimately the coveted title of Manufacturer of the Year. Also returning this year for the first time since COVID-19 restrictions have eased, is the Manufacturing in Action category where The Manufacturer team have been able to visit some of the UK’s most innovative and agile manufacturers.

The shortlist represents the true diversity of UK manufacturing, ranging from smaller companies like filter and capacitator-maker MPE, and foam converter manufacturer Foam Engineers, to the sole British producer of sugar from sugar beet, as well as medicinal cannabis, British Sugar, beverage manufacturer, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and manufacturer and retailer of kitchens, Wren Kitchens.

Natalie Carter, Vice President of Human Resources said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award. This is a testament to the creativity, hard work and ‘people first’ philosophy driven by the HR team and adopted by the business. We continue to build on the Sertec DNA, based on our employees’ feedback, to truly make Sertec a place that people WANT to work.“

Commenting on this year’s programme, Managing Director of The Manufacturer, Grace Gilling said: “With UK manufacturers facing unprecedented pressures from rising energy costs, a looming talent and recruitment crisis, and continued supply chain issues, it is testament to their resilience that so many companies have committed to participating in The Manufacturer MX Awards rigorous benchmarking and continuous improvement programme. This shows a deep commitment to recognise the successes of their teams, and to showcase their achievements. Now is the time to SHOUT about the amazing variety of UK manufacturing businesses – thank you, well done for making the shortlist, and good luck for the next round!”

The finalists go through to the second round of the competition, where companies in eight of the 10 categories will receive a factory visit with judges gathering first-hand evidence of the entry in action, travelling the length and the breadth of the UK. Finalists in the International Trade and Young Manufacturer categories will deliver a presentation at a judging day.

Judges include previous TMMX Awards winners, Fellows from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), representatives from each of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centres (HVMC), leading academics, and industry experts.

The winners will be announced at The Manufacturer MX Awards gala dinner and ceremony on 17 November at the Exhibition Centre in Liverpool. As the culminating event of Digital Manufacturing Week 2022, the evening is always a true celebration of the best of British manufacturing and this year’s event will smash all previous records, with 900 guests set to be in attendance to fill the capacity of the venue. Rory Bremner, known impressionist and comedian, noted for his work in political satire and impressions of British public figures, is confirmed as guest speaker.

SERTEC Starts Production of the New Range Rover and Range Rover Sport with £5.9 Million Investment

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Sertec Corporation Ltd, the global automotive components manufacturer, has invested £5.9 Million developing its capabilities to support JLR’s production of the newest Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.

This significant investment has enhanced Sertec’s use of robotic and automated cells as well as significantly increasing their MIG, TIG and SPOT automated welding capabilities. At full production, Sertec will manufacture a total of 211 different parts to produce around 3500 car sets a week.

The Range Rover and Range Rover Sport was facilitated by Sertec’s Programme Team, who have successfully established multiple new lines, ultimately securing jobs at its Tyseley Plant. In addition to retaining the skilled labour, Sertec also continues to develop its robust relationship with JLR.

The Midlands based company supports its valued customers from concept design phase through to production. Sertec have bespoke engineering teams for all aspects of product development that include product R&D, design feasibility and tooling capability (sourced competitively in either Europe or Asia). Furthermore, their people, manufacturing processes and technical expertise provide innovative solutions that deliver value and reliability for their expanding customer base.

Grant Adams, CEO said that “We are delighted to announce Sertec’s role in supporting the production of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. As one of Jaguar Land Rover’s long-standing suppliers of over 50 years, we are proud to continue the supply of our high-quality products.”

“Our Team worked diligently and effectively to deliver the new lines at our Tyseley plant and the new capabilities we have invested in has enabled Sertec to continue being at the forefront of producing lightweight body structures. “

Sertec has also recently invested £1.7 million into its Research and Development programmes, including the installation of a low volume production centre, to enable one of the UK’s first mass production assembly line for modular busbars – supporting the industries road to zero emissions.

With 60 years’ experience, the global automotive manufacturer operates across six sites, with four manufacturing sites in the UK, one manufacturing site in Aszar, Hungary and one in Hückeswagen, Germany, plus a tooling technical centre based in Dongguan, China.

Sertec supercharges its EV capabilities with Envision AESC deal

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Sertec Group Ltd, the global automotive components manufacturer, is to create numerous jobs and accelerate its involvement in the electric vehicle market (EV) after securing a deal to localize the manufacture of battery housings.

The newly commissioned work has come from Envision AESC UK Ltd existing production site in Sunderland, who manufactures Lithium Ion batteries for Nissan Leaf vehicle, and will see Sertec carry out the manufacturing and assembly of the battery housings in the UK.  This state of the art manufacturing cell has created multiple roles within Sertec and allowed fantastic opportunities for further training and development within the group.

As part of Sertec’s project management, the Coleshill based company has delivered a fully automated no touch process line, which will put the battery housing parts into production packaging ready to feed into Envision AESC facility.

In a further example of the global collaboration involved in the project, the press tooling has been manufactured in Sertec’s Chinese facility to help speed up manufacturing process and allow for developmental work to be completed within its specified timeline.

The introduction of this work has seen a further investment of £1m from Sertec, helping to cement its electrification capabilities and confirm Sertec credentials as an Envision AESC approved supplier.

Grant Adams, Group CEO at Sertec, said: “We welcome the opportunity to work with Envision AESC on developing an engineering solution for them that will further add to their impressive capability in the electric vehicle market.

“By investing in and developing this commercially viable solution for Envision AESC, we have been able to prove our capability as a supplier, create new jobs and position ourselves to develop further opportunities with them in the future.

“The EV market is a growing one in the UK and our vision is to be key operator within it. By winning and delivering projects such as this for Envision AESC, we are putting ourselves in the driving seat to achieve that ambition.”

Sertec Group Ltd operates a number of sites in the UK, Hungary, Germany and China.

Sertec’s £1.7m investment drives UK’s first EV battery Busbar assembly line

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Sertec Group Ltd, the global automotive components manufacturer, has invested £1.7million into its research and development (R&D) programmes, to enable the UK’s first mass production assembly line for electric vehicle batteries.

The new assembly line will be fully operational in September 2021 and when in place will have the capability to produce in excess of 40 million electric vehicle battery Busbar assemblies per year. As the first mass production Busbar assembly line, it marks a vital step forward in electric vehicle technology for both the Midlands region and the UK.

Alongside the Busbar assemble line and at the heart of Sertec’s R&D investment is the fully equipped pre-production facility and testing lab. The Lab, built at a cost of £500,000 alone, has been invaluable in developing the Group’s abilities to design and test Busbars in modular battery production. The £1m pre-production facility has enabled Sertec to build protoypes and complete low volume orders for its customers. The production cell is currently being used to prove design concepts for assemblies requiring welding of dissimilar Busbar materials.

As well as developing new technologies essential for electric vehicle production, Sertec Group has also invested in similar technological innovation to support its customers in the consumer goods (FMCG) and distribution sectors.  

Sertec’s investment extends to the recruitment of various highly skilled, specialist roles to support the technological innovation required within the EV sector.

Grant Adams, Group CEO at Sertec, said: “The investment we have made in new technology facilities are vital to the automotive industry’s ever evolving requirements for lightweight material production, which is set to become critical in future vehicle structures.

“As a UK first, the Busbar assembly line is integral to taking electric vehicle production forward both in the region and across the UK.

“It will help establish Sertec as one of the sector leading companies for this type of battery technology and put us at the heart of a regional manufacturing hub renowned for meeting the new technologic challenges of the future.”

With expansion into the electric vehicle sector key to Sertec’s future business vision, the Group is also preparing to build a larger footprint in mainland Europe, including bringing new leadership into the organisation. As a result, various senior staff have been recruited including a new European Sales Director, Chief Finance Officer, Vice President of Quality and Environmental Affairs, Vice president of Human Resource and a new Managing Director to run Sertec’s Hungarian facility.

Sertec are also looking to set up a technical centre in Germany, similar to the one they have in China.

The plan going forward is to repurpose the German plant as an electric vehicle component site using the know-how that’s been developed in the UK.