and Around Derby

BOMBARDIER has paid tribute to its staff after being named one of the top manufacturers in the UK.

The troubled train-maker has been rewarded for its efforts to lift staff morale by winning the People Effectiveness category at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Manufacturing Excellence Awards ceremony held in London.

The Litchurch Lane firm was praised for the way it had kept staff motivated, despite the disappointment of missing out on the £1.4 billion Thameslink rail contract.

Since the Government announced the firm had not won the work, the factory has been facing an uncertain future.

The company is shedding 1,400 jobs at the site and is carrying out a full review of its UK operations.

Despite the axe hovering over them, Bombardier workers have continued to work hard to churn out existing orders on time.

Earlier this year, the company had to increase production from six carriages a week to 25.

Andy Derbyshire, site operations director for Bombardier Transportation, said: “I’m delighted that we were successful in winning the award. It is a tribute to our people rising to the challenge of continuing to produce high-quality, on-time products during what has been a difficult period in the UK.

“My thanks go to all of our people at our Derby site. Without their dedication and hard work, this would not have been possible.”

The awards ceremony was hosted by former spin doctor Alastair Campbell and attended by Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk and Derby South MP Margaret Beckett, who has been campaigning for the Government to reverse its decision to award the Thameslink contract to Bombardier’s German rival Siemens.

Stephen Tetlow, chief executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “Bombardier’s win is encouraging for manufacturing in Derby and the UK.”

The institution said that, despite a difficult year, Bombardier had worked hard to maintain staff morale by focusing on training and developing skills.

A spokesman for the awards’ judges said: “The ability to increase production by such a huge margin was testament to the commitment of staff. To date, the plant has had a total of 201 days without record of any lost time accident, which is particularly impressive given that it’s a heavy machinery site.

“Bombardier has excellent communication with its staff through all employee events, team briefs and newsletters and there is a strong focus on personal development with opportunities to take part in training schemes and worldwide opportunities.

“The company is also keen to encourage staff to help with the development of products through its continuous improvement ideas.”