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Home » About us » National Manufacturing Competitiveness Levels (NMCL) and Industry Forum
NMCL or National Manufacturing Competitiveness Levels is a consortium programme led by the UK automotive and aerospace trade associations (SMMT and ADS) with government funding support to drive supply chain improvement.
NMCL Comprises two parts, an assessment process and an implementation programme to deliver the assessment recommendations. The same model is delivered across both sectors.
The NMCL Assessment model, owned and managed by the SMMT, assesses the capabilities and competitiveness across a beneficiary organisation using a number of tools. The outputs of the assessment process are the development of an agreed, resource aligned and evidence-based competitiveness improvement plan supported by a financial business case and implementation charters. All assessments are delivered by trained and licenced Assessors appointed in rota sequence by the SMMT Programme Office.
Each activity within an improvement plan aligns to one or more of over 100 improvement modules. These modules which have been agreed by industry representatives from across the two sectors define the core requirements that an approved provider should cover. Delivery of modules is through a combination of training, implementation coaching and mentoring support. ADS have developed and own the improvement modules and have managed the sector approval of a group of improvement providers each of whom can deliver a range of the modules.
Following sector programme board approval of the beneficiary proposals, organisations are allocated a budget from the government fund to contract support from the approved delivery provider panel. Beneficiary organisations manage their programmes and contract directly with the providers. They also capture and document their ‘in kind’ contribution – the value of the time and expenses of their own teams during the implementation. The programme follow a ‘match funded’ basis where organisations can reclaim 50% of the direct cost of provider support and 50% of the value of their in kind contribution (limited to the same value as the direct cost). For organisations that engage actively with the programme this means it can become cost neutral over the programme duration.
After the investment has been made, the NMCL Assessment is repeated to identify the impact of the improvements made on capability, competitiveness and financial impact.
Subject to certain agreed exceptions, organisations who have provided the Lead Assessor for the assessment process with an organisation are not eligible to be an implementation provider within the associated delivery improvement project.
The programme is suitable for assessing and improving the competitiveness of any manufacturing company, regardless of size, shape or sector.
The NMCL programme is referred to as NMCL Automotive for the automotive sector, and SC21 Competitiveness and Growth (SC21 C&G) in Aerospace.
Industry Forum is proud to have been approved to deliver over 90 of the improvement modules in the programme, enabling us to support a high proportion of the activities that beneficiary organisations may require.
We recognise that some modules require niche specialist provider capabilities and so we are happy to work alongside other providers.
We know from our extensive involvement in programmes of this type, that project management is vital to achieve the best possible outcome. We provide a project manager for all large projects with multiple improvements schemes to make sure you can concentrate on getting the most of the activity. You will always have a named contact at Industry Forum who is responsible for driving the project forward and responsible for reporting on the activity.
If you are an automotive or aerospace supplier in the UK and would like to discuss whether the NMCL programme would be suitable to support your needs please contact us. Alternatively you can submit an expression of interest to join the programme at www.nmcl.co.uk.
Identifies and develops the processes that enable the beneficiary to create, review, improve and communicate Vision, Mission and Strategy.
APPROVED AS DELIVERY PARTNER? YES
Understand what, how and where to measure financial and non-financial KPIs in the business that drives improvements, and tracking the goals that have been set.
APPROVED AS DELIVERY PARTNER? YES – NEW!
To give the beneficiary an approach of where they can gain pertinent benchmark information and how to use it, based on external and internal customer value.
To give non-finance managers an understanding of basic accounting concepts and how to interpret balance sheets and profit & loss statements. Managers will have a better understanding of where and how their day-to day operating decisions impact on accounting measures and financial performance, and consider the total cost of acquisition / ownership as well as purchase value.
APPROVED AS DELIVERY PARTNER?
To aid the beneficiary in developing a cohesive and sound business plan.
To extend the strategy and targets of the business to a functional level and to engage the teams in building plans to achieve them.
Building a process to plan, develop, document and continually test processes that manage and mitigate issues with major incidents in the business, such as fire, power loss and similar issues.
To support the development of management systems specific to your sector (or sector you are planning to expand into), following the High Level Structure and new requirements.
To introduce best practice in business financial management processes.
To provide practical advice on what funds are available for which activities, with which bodies and how to access them
To create a marketing plan to drive the growth of the business. Additionally, with the ability to design a digital marketing plan that would include online marketing, email marketing and social media.
To provide the tools and techniques required to develop new business. Addresses ways to maximize the business’ profitability by fostering relationships with potential customers and key decision makers in the market.
This module covers the skills and knowledge required by an individual to be able to identify the major cost components of either products or processes, the basic relationship of these to customer benefit, and use this to help minimise waste (defined as anything not delivering value as defined by the customer).
This course will give beneficiaries the confidence to produce written documents which win work or gain approval for business propositions. It will give beneficiaries a structured process to use when writing whole proposals and individual responses within a larger tender document.
To provide a working process of developing an International strategy, ensuring the plans, pitfalls and plusses are captured. Provide links to the government’s key strategies (Access to Export) and any others (e.g. foreign policy), and builds plans, resolutions and processes to ensure a smooth road is travelled.
To provide a view of what the business layout will need to be in 5 years ahead based on strategy, and allowing for the most efficient and flexible routes through both the manufacturing and back-office processes.
To build a roadmap that can be articulated to customers and other stakeholders that defines where the business will head in the future around technologies, be they extensions of existing plans or entirely new technologies. Additionally looking at what can be done with current technology to make gains today.
To provide the business with the guidance to make as full a claim as possible as defined by HMRC, working with experts who will assess previous or new claims and provide support to pursue a solid claim.
To assess the business’ ability to innovate and drive for change in product, process, people and culture.
Identifies and develops the processes that enable the beneficiary to develop a detailed understanding of all aspects of IP and its relationship with business, culture and the economy. You will also develop sound practical skills you can apply to a business environment.
To provide beneficiaries with a strategy and plan to protect their own, their employees’ and their customers’ data and information from loss and cyber-attack.
To provide the beneficiary with a good understanding of robust and sustainable Health & Safety and supporting processes
To provide an overview and process for beneficiaries to ensure they are compliant with applicable legislation, including strict and personal liability. Understand the impact the business has on the environment and minimising that impact.
The module is designed to be an introduction to the risk of counterfeit parts entering the supply chain and what standards are available to help minimise the risk.
To provide support in designing, delivering, monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of Ethics awareness programmes
To help beneficiaries understand why Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is important and enables them to examine how business behaviour is impacted by CSR. To identify good and bad business behaviour across different industrial sectors, and to develop the components of a CSR action plan for their own organisations.
To introduce a process to manage obsolescence within the business.
To enable senior managers to understand the variety of styles and methods of managing teams, learning to get the best out of them and applying techniques and tools that enable greater empowerment and relationship styles.
To develop an integrated, common approach to running a regular structured productive management review on a defined frequency that measures, evaluates and responds to challenges in the business whilst driving for the business strategic goals.
To begin to understand the challenges and current and future needs of the business as it grows/develops and prepares for the future in technology and the industry. Providing processes for flexible organisation structure that is right-sized for the business.
To develop a professional and practical approach to finding and keeping employees with the best fit, technically and personally for the business, whilst ensuring the needs of diversity and good practices are sustained.
Build a process to identify pivotal roles, and persons and their development needs as the business moves forward. Create a systematic method to identify and develop replacements for key roles in the business. Recognize high-potential candidates for advanced positions in the business. Ensure the availability of development opportunities to all employees within the business.
This module will develop processes to extract the key information that is often held in people rather than processes, build tools to maintain and share this across the business.
APPROVED AS DELIVERY PARTNER? YES – NEW
To provide first line team leaders with a programme of first level management training to prepare them properly, enabling good management and clear ownership of their areas.
To provide a practical use of presentations to keep stakeholders of the business informed, engaged and feeling that they are part of the overall delivery plan.
To deliver the tools to create and use feedback from an employee survey.
The need to attract and retain skilled workers increases the importance of a job description to a business. By providing a precise account of a job’s requirements and duties, a business gives a future employee an initial understanding of the most important functions the person will perform if hired.
Determining which type of appraisal system bests suits your organisational and business needs. To have a clear focus on how appraisal systems should function to create organisational capability. To encourage participation with co-workers in the creation of performance standards. Giving individuals a voice in the creation of their own performance standards.
To develop a functional, active skills matrix that identifies the required skills, now and in the future, and the gaps and plan to close them.
Being able to Identify and define what is “a core and noncore competence”. How to harmonize a wide variety of disparate skills and technologies. To be able to define a competency framework that can act as a road map for where the business needs to go; beginning with the end in mind
To support the business in developing processes to manage the move from development through launch and serial production and into long term management and end-of-life of a programme (Through Life Management).
To support the beneficiary in developing the capabilities required to plan and then manage the component end of life process.
To develop processes and systems within the business to achieve excellence in the design function.
To equip the beneficiary with the capability to develop robust Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) to ensure that the overall designed product meets its required geometries within acceptable limits of variation. It will also introduce the principles of datums and work holding.
To equip the beneficiary with the capability to identify new product opportunities or new product ideas based on customer needs.
To equip the beneficiary with the capability to transfer customer requirements into product specification requirements. Development of product or product platform concepts for evaluation and selection.
Design of the product and process to achieve customer requirements.
Develop or improve the beneficiary’s New Product Introduction process, including the principles of using ‘Go / No Go’ decision gates (including risk assessment), cross functional working and RACI, and documenting the NPI process.
Without understanding the impact a new product has on overall business performance, a business cannot focus improvement activities or confirm that the use of resources was effective or efficient. Introducing relevant measures to the NPI process will ensure effective corrective action and improvement activity takes place to reduce lead times and improve cost control and delivery performance.
To provide the beneficiary with an understanding of how to create and manage a project and its budget. (Note:- A project can be (but not limited to) New project, new process, change, investment)
To enable beneficiaries to identify and manage risks effectively.
Effectively manage the impact of change on current and future business.
To provide beneficiaries with the capability to consider cross functional requirements (internal/external) detailed planning, top level scheduling and to have the right information to prioritise effectively
To provide beneficiaries with a good understanding of a generic APQP process. This includes development of an APQP process to suit beneficiary needs and understanding customer specific requirements
To provide the beneficiary with the necessary skills required to prepare an FMEA, and the practical knowledge of using an FMEA in real scenarios.
To provide the beneficiary with the necessary skills required to prepare and manage a control plan.
To enable the beneficiary to understand how to determine and quantify (demonstrate) measurement system capability.
To provide a thorough understanding of the use and benefits of Statistical Process Control (SPC), the methods employed and how to monitor and control process variation.
Understand the importance of FAIRs and LAIRs Provide knowledge to conduct First Article Inspection (FAI) in line with the requirements of AS 9102 Correctly complete forms 1, 2 and 3. Become a productive member of a FAI Team
Understanding the effect on capacity in people, machines and the business from new projects, and ensuring that the business is rate ready prior to full production.
To provide a total package of improved product verification processes that can be integrated with planning and production processes to enable greater value from the measurement processes.
To develop a base understanding of the principles of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and a structured approach so that activities when implemented deliver bottom line business impact rather than just a maintenance calendar.
To develop the capability of the beneficiary to undertake pilot activities on the loss analysis and improvement pillar, learning the approach that works best for the business and developing a pillar roll out plan.
To develop the capability of the beneficiary to undertake pilot Training and Education (T&E) pillar activity and to then develop a roll out plan based on the experience gained.
To develop the capability of the beneficiary to create and implement an operator level maintenance activity.
To develop the capability of the beneficiary to undertake a pilot planned maintenance activity and to then develop a roll out plan based on the experience gained.
To develop the capability of the beneficiary to conduct data analysis and situation summary activities in order to understand the current situation, identify focus areas for improvement, set improvement targets and identify the appropriate improvement techniques to use.
To develop a base culture of improvement in all areas of the business. To establish, maintain and improve the 5S standard.
The aim of the module is to understand the use of standard work and enable its use to support continuous improvement activities
To provide an overview of lean manufacturing techniques and how to identify and manage the 7 Wastes.
The aim of the workshop is to provide beneficiaries with the necessary skills to understand Visual Management Systems (VMS) and to equip them with the skills required to develop them.
To equip the beneficiary with the capability to map the current and future state manufacturing process and information flows processes that will deliver the strategic business objectives of manufacturing lead time and attributed cost.
To provide the beneficiary with the tools in order to improve tool / line changeover and manufacturing lead time.
Everyone in the business knows what quality is and how it is driven by all areas of the business. This module provides an introduction to the cost of quality.
Enabling managers to understand the concepts of managing the cost of quality the approaches and tools to improve it and to understand the consequences of decisions made about continuing with poor quality situations
To provide a suite of scalable tools and techniques to solve problems and track non-conformance/waste/etc.
A systematic approach to use problem solving tools and techniques, protecting customers and suppliers from non-conforming product and processes.
To control input variation and maximise output performance ensuring no faults forward.
To provide the beneficiary with underpinning knowledge and application of Error Proofing, in a classroom environment and to simulate line side application on a pilot line.
To provide higher analytical tools to aid in the solution of complex problems.
To enable the beneficiary to have an effective measurement management system that ensures measuring equipment and processes are fit for their intended use.
To increase understanding of the key principles of measurement that allows the formation and use of an effective measurement strategy.
To train beneficiaries in the correct use of basic measurement equipment, to ensure confidence in measurement results and the ability to identify and respond to questionable results.
To improve manufacturing and testing processes and reduce product variation by standardised measurement processes
To ensure good measurement practices are used for process control and inspection, with increased knowledge using specific measurement technologies.
This specialist module will typically be delivered where the assessment has identified that a business with high energy costs has not previously undertaken significant energy survey / improvement activity and where it would be appropriate. Activity is likely to be in the form of a specialist survey and cost saving recommendation programme.
To allow the beneficiary to understand the importance of forecasting in an overall system including MRP and SIOP functions.
To allow beneficiaries to implement a companywide Sales Inventory Operations Planning (SIOP) process.
To make strategic business decisions linking SIOP to finance, personnel, sales and marketing to develop a practical process to manage, stocks, ordering, WIP to improve stock rotation, release cash and improve customer OTIF.
To have better knowledge of how to use MRP systems to run daily business processes.
This is a specialist module where an ERP/MRP expert will work with the beneficiary to ensure that the full breadth of the ERP system is being used and that it is being effective, rather than as often the business exporting to spreadsheets or similar.
To ensure master data accuracy in MRP systems to maximise their usefulness.
Control of costs is essential to profitability. This module aims to provide a better and more accurate emphasis on cost modelling.
MRP systems are a major investment to many businesses, both financially and in time. This module aims to provide an understanding of what an MRP system will deliver.
To develop an understanding of capacity within a business and how to manage it.
Good planning needs to be delivered to the shop floor. Production Activity Control (PAC) aims to ensure this is understood by all key stakeholders
Position the beneficiary to be best placed to meet customer demand.
When and how much stock should a business hold is a key fundamental question which affects profitability and working capital. Robust control is therefore essential.
Lean aims to remove waste. This module highlights where and how you can remove some non-value added inventory as well as how Push vs Pull systems work.
Inability to deliver effectively reflects poorly on suppliers. This module aims to ensure your delivery mechanisms are optimised.
To understand how DRP can benefit a business by treating it as another process to be managed.
To ensure that the beneficiary’s warehousing functions are optimised
Selection of most appropriate packaging method and material handling methods to minimise cost and improve safety.
To develop a team engaged with customers collaboratively adding value and using business intelligence to drive improved performance. By supporting BS11000 (Relationship Excellence in SC21) this module builds an approach to gather information, work with partners and support customers even if no regular direct contact can be made.
To understand the benefits of effective procurement to a business and how to implement an effective procurement capability
This module aims to ensure the best sourcing decisions are made for a business.
To ensure purchasing is effective and efficiently meets business needs.
To review the effectiveness of your current procurement organisation against a standard global assessment tool, and agree positive action and tools to improve it.
Segmentation and positioning of suppliers to ensure that supplier management resource is focussed in the most effective and beneficial way. To provide an overview of the different levels of supplier management approach.
Improving the approach to negotiate the terms and conditions in contracts and ensure compliance, as well as agreeing on and documenting any changes or amendments that may arise during its implementation or execution.
Develop a strategic Category Management approach which organises procurement resources to focus on specific areas of spends. Conduct market analysis to fully leverage procurement decisions on behalf of the whole organisation.
Developing tools and processes to capture and communicate supplier performance data in order to identify where improvement is required and help drive that improvement.
SRM is a mutually beneficial two-way process in that it should improve the performance of both the buying and the supplying organisations. It involves proactively developing relationships with particular suppliers. This module should explore how to deal with suppliers in all areas of spend, focusing around relationships themselves, their complexities, and how to repair or manage a dysfunctional relationship. The term supplier relationship management should be reserved for the more complex relationship development associated with period contracts, rather than the more straightforward performance management of individual orders.
To provide the beneficiary with tools and processes to enable collaborative working.
Develop a process to ensure that any risks (and opportunities) associated with the Supply Chain and with suppliers can be identified and mitigated (benefit realised).
To develop the beneficiary’s capability to work with select suppliers on a one-to-one basis to improve their performance and capabilities for the benefit of the Supplier and the buying organisation. Awareness of different levels of supplier development that can take the form of one-off projects or on-going activities that may take some years to come to fruition.
This module should provide beneficiaries with the appropriate tools to manage changes in relationships with key suppliers (including supplier exit) in a proactive and positive way, ensuring all parties are protected from the impact of these changes and fluctuations in demand.
To provide a base level free software tool process that links to suppliers’ and customers’ ERP systems that aids planning and procurement activities.
Continued improvement beyond the programme is expected. One way to achieve this is through a supplier cluster, where suppliers actively share data and processes for mutual benefit. This module helps build a regional cluster around a group of suppliers as they leave the activity.
For further details regarding the Improvement library offered by the programme, please visit the SC21 C&G website
Industry Forum helps major global manufacturers understand, optimise and improve both manufacturing capability and business performance. Over 250 organisations in 30 countries trust Industry Forum to deliver and maintain sustainable improvement.
SMMT Industry Forum Ltd 2680 Kings Court The Crescent Birmingham Business Park Birmingham UK B37 7YE
+44 (0)121 717 6600
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