Global Lean experts SA Partners join UK’s National Skills Academy for Food and Drink

PRLog (Press Release) - Jun. 1, 2012 - SA Partners, already working within the international food and drink sector in the UK, Ireland, China, the USA, South Africa, the Middle East and Australia, are the latest training services organisation to join the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink – the single source for expert skills training for UK food and drink manufacturing businesses.

The SA Partners consultancy, Chaired by Professor Peter Hines who
co -founded the Lean Enterprise Research Centre, is regarded as a “Thought and Product” leader within the global Lean community  

“SA Partners’ presence among the 70-plus universities, colleges and leading private training providers that are now members of the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink underlines the strength of the Academy’s training offer to UK food and drink businesses,” said the Academy’s executive director Justine Fosh.

“We welcome them aboard and look forward to providing Academy clients with the proven competitive advantages of their experience and undoubted credentials.”

SA Partners, established in 1993 and based in Cardiff, with additional offices in Australia & Ireland are Europe’s longest established “Lean Thinking” consultancy and worked with Marks & Spencer to develop the M&S Lean Economic Framework used within M&S supply chains.

“We have a lot of common ground with the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink,” said Jeff Williams, Partner, who heads up SA Partners’ food sector. “We are aware that the Academy is also looking to support M&S suppliers with the Lean Economic Framework and believe it makes sense to work collaboratively toward that goal.”

SA Partners, whose other notable clients have included Arla Foods Limited and Greencore Group, are joining the Academy’s established UK network of Leadership and Management specialists.

“Process and Leadership improvement are integral to successful Lean deployment and our approach to business improvement is based on established elements such as strategy formation and deployment, end-to-end process understanding and management, leadership and engagement, improvement techniques and upstream-downstream supply chain improvement,” said Mr. Williams.

“We tend to focus on larger, transformational support for clients rather than basic vocational qualifications and technical training. We view Academy participation as an excellent opportunity to provide clients with seamless access to services, when required, through the Academy’s range of other high quality specialists in these areas.”|