Brian Garforth, Managing Director of Alphateq Ltd (www.alphateq.co.uk) based at Stretton-under-Fosse, has been recognised in ‘The Manufacturer Top 100’ for 2023. (www.themanufacturertop100.com)
The Manufacturer’s annual awards for the 100 most inspirational individuals working in UK industry were announced Wednesday 7th June at a gala reception at the NEC in Birmingham. The Manufacturer Top 100 project, run by The Manufacturer magazine, celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2023 and publicly recognises the most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing.
Brian, a seasoned patternmaker, engineer, and business owner, has been recognised for his inspirational leadership, true grit, and determination, despite the severe challenges of Covid, for pulling out all the stops to keep his championship team of highly skilled patternmakers and engineers intact, who, because of their heavy reliance on the Automotive and Aerospace industries, saw their revenues plummet and their 45 strong team reduced to 28.
The judges were particularly struck by how well Brian, and his team, showed great courage and commitment to keeping such a prestigious team of experienced patternmakers and engineers together, through what would have surely been an almost impossible task to re-assemble them, had they broken apart during the pandemic.
Awardees are drawn from every walk of UK industry, and at any stage of their career, from top floor to shop floor. From Young Pioneers who are establishing a new generation of makers in UK industry, to Inspiring Leaders and Drivers of Cultural Change to the Innovators and Unsung Heroes, these are the people who are helping to make UK manufacturing the innovation sector it is today.
They are selected from hundreds of nominations for the examples they set to draw young people into the sector; 100 unique and uplifting stories of struggle and success against all the odds, personal tales of individuals helping to drive UK manufacturing forward – and to change popular perceptions of careers in industry.
Brain, said; “As much as I am delighted to have received this award, I dedicate it to all my team at Alphateq, as their loyalty and tenacity, in keeping things together in the face of the unparalleled Covid challenges, has meant just as much to me as to everyone involved at Alphateq.”
Joe Bush, Editor of The Manufacturer and The Manufacturer Top 100 publication commented; “It’s been a pleasure talking to some of this year’s intake and our judging panel and listening to the passion for the manufacturing industry in the UK. Of course, the primary goal of the Top 100 is to raise the profile of the sector and highlight the amazing opportunities that exist. It is perhaps easy for young people to visualise working in other sectors but ask them to picture a career in manufacturing and the vision might be slightly opaque, outdated and certainly some way off the modern-day reality. In terms of its importance to the UK I’ve heard the manufacturing sector described as the backbone in the background!”
Post Covid, Alphateq have been going from strength to strength, building on their retained bedrock of engineering expertise, which has now required employing new people (still with vacancies available for CNC operators and patternmakers), taking on a Warwick University Post Graduate Intern to start the implementation of a new digital technology process improvement system, along with careful management restructuring, and a more effective sales and marketing effort, including a brand new website, to build-back-better!
