Venture Engineering specialist Productiv and microturbine genset manufacturer Bladon recently hosted delegates from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers as part of the organisation’s three-day Essential Management Skills course.
The event was held at The Proving Factory, Productiv’s product development and manufacturing facility in Coventry, and included a tour of Bladon Micro Turbine’s development and production operations. Bladon is the world’s first manufacturer of microturbine gensets for the telecoms market and is based at The Proving Factory.
Following the tour, Bladon director Philip Lelliott and Productiv engineer Giles Hooker gave presentations on the key management practices that were used to build and develop Bladon’s microturbine genset technology, as well as other high-technology businesses supported by Productiv.
“Since we developed our first prototype of the Bladon microturbine genset in 2014, the company has gone from strength to strength,” said Philip Lelliott of Bladon. “It was great to share our story, which I believe provides a perfect example of how engineering and business acumen can combine to create a successful, profitable company.”
The Proving Factory tour was one of several industry site visits as part of the Essential Management Skills course, a three-day programme that aims to equip young engineers with the skills needed for line and project management roles.
“Today’s engineers need more than technical know-how: they need a solid understanding of business, management and leadership,” said Giles. “Using our concept of Venture Engineering, we’ve helped numerous technology developers, including Bladon, to bring their products to market. It was a pleasure to share our knowledge and experience in this area with delegates from the IMechE.”
Productiv graduate engineer & IMechE member Lawrence Ayers was also part of the event. He said: “It was great to both support and take part in the IMechE tour, and demonstrate how Productiv applies innovative and adaptive thinking to overcome the daunting challenges associated with new product production.”
To arrange a tour of The Proving Factory, or to find out more about Productiv’s Venture Engineering or other support services, please visit https://www.productiv.co.uk/.
