Case studies: Manufacturing control manager: Chris Bowers

Chris enjoys the constant challenge of the role. Each day is different, and because newspapers are very time critical, there is always a constant pressure when controlling all areas of the production chain.

Chris is a manufacturing control manager (MCM) at Newsprinters in Broxbourne, one of the largest manufacturing plants in the world.
 
A friend of mine was already working at News International and told me of the good conditions and prospects he was experiencing. When we relocated to Broxbourne and became Newsprinters, I had to apply for my current role. This involved a number of tests (maths, English, mechanical and psychometric), then several interviews including a competency based application form where I had to prove I had the necessary skills to take on the new role.
 
One of the major requirements for the role is experience, not just in newspaper production, but in many other areas of production, i.e. production planning, plate making, quality, etc. It is possible to start lower down in the company, and this would give someone ample opportunity to gain the required experience, but obviously this would take longer.
 
The management diploma was very relevant in securing my position because it improved many of my skills that are essential in carrying out my role. It also introduced new skills that I could use to improve my ability to carry out my role.
 
It covered all aspects of management including dealing with staff, communication skills, taking effective meeting, budgeting and running an effective department. It has given me more confidence in the daily tasks that I carry out and has helped me to set goals and targets for myself. 
 
Newsprinters is one of the largest manufacturing plants in the world and we were involved in the project when it was just on paper. We came to Broxbourne with a raw plan of how the MCM role would be carried out and this has been adjusted as time has gone by. At first we spent most of our time fire-fighting with all the new equipment and systems, and this lasted for about the first year. Once we started concentrating on our role, we created systems and procedures for each task. These procedures were then used to train two new MCMs who were taken on because the job size was increasing. Now that the role is more settled we can now concentrate on performance of the plant.
 
The MCM (Manufacturing Control Manager) oversees the whole manufacturing process at Broxbourne from start to finish. This includes: planning and scheduling all print runs and maintenance, planning paper, creating jobs in our systems for each print run, overseeing each live news run while in progress, monitoring production output and adjusting where necessary, monitoring the distribution process, holding daily production meetings with all areas, creating reports and key performance indicators (KPIs) for all aspects of the production process and liaising with customers. 
 
The MCM role does cover a variety of day and night shifts, and newspapers print 364 days of the year, so the role can be slightly unsociable. There are also some days where you work long hours, under intense pressure, but at the end of the shift this gives you a feeling of achievement.
 
The next step up the ladder is the AMM (Assistant Manufacturing Manager), although I would like to spend some more time in my current role while there is still ample opportunity to challenge myself daily.