Based in Denbighshire, Ruth Lee provides life-size training manikins to fire and rescue, paramedics, ministry of defence, airports and coastguards around the world.
With over 60 years’ experience, the market leader is committed to discovering new ways to improve the manufacturing process. After enrolling in the Welsh Government’s SMART productivity programme, Ruth Lee received a thorough report outlining potential improvements to efficiencies. Recommendations included investing in an automated goods machine allowing them to complete cutting work by machine and digitise patterns, saving time and allowing the manufacturer to work out the best lay of the fabric.
This investment has resulted in an improved efficiency as well as a significant reduction in waste materials from the production process.
Provided by Welsh Government’s Innovation team, the support funds a three-day consultancy from an external innovation expert. At the end of this period, businesses receive a report identifying potential improvements to productivity such as new machinery, technology or software.
New support, launched this year, provides an additional five days of consultancy, assisting businesses with implementing the recommendations in the report.
Stuart Cheetham, UK Sales Manager at Ruth Lee, said:
"An arms-length view of the business and its processes is always really important to us, and this is what our SMART Productivity consultant excelled at. His knowledge and insight into the manufacturing industry enabled him to ask 'have you considered this?' with real value, rather than recommendations that might never work for us.
"The recommendations made in our SMART Productivity report have made a real and tangible difference to our business, which might have taken a lot longer if we had done it ourselves as we’re all so ingrained in our day-to-day roles."