Insights4Mfg

Featured guest, Stuart Brookes - Founder & Managing Director of Blackbird Communications, speaks with Jeff about the importance of a good PR & Comms strategy as well as some interesting trends in the sector. What challenges do manufacturing businesses commonly face with their communications and PR? Manufacturing is a complex and technical field. How do you approach simplifying and communic...

Featured guest, George Thompson - Chairman at BARA, speaks with Jeff about how Automation and Robotics can enable UK Manufacturing businesses to innovate and grow, the support provided by BARA and its members and the recent formation of AutomateUK, the re-branded PPMA Group of Companies. Why do UK Manufacturing businesses need to Automate? What manufacturing sectors have the biggest opportunities...

Featured guest, Adrian Haller, Chairman of the Metalforming Machinery Manufacturer's Association & MD of Bruderer UK, talks to Jeff about the trends and opportunities within UK Manufacturing and Metalforming, as well as the Skills Gap. What trends are shaping the manufacturing industry, particularly in metal forming machinery? Where do you see opportunities for growth and innovation within the...

Featured guest, Mark Weymouth - Managing Director of Plus Automation, talks to Jeff about all things positive about UK Manufacturing and why he started posting a Friday Good News Round-Up on LinkedIn 4 years ago. Jeff also finds out about the work Mark is involved in at Plus Automation. What inspired you to start the Friday Good News posts and what did you hope to achieve with it? How do you curat...

The tables have turned once again on Insights4Mfg as Host Jeff Beacham, the usual Hunter becomes the Hunted. Jon Cox, Executive Coach and Joint Venture Partner in the Authentica Resourcing Platinum Service, interviews Jeff and draws out some insights and facts about Jeff, the person, as well as the Executive Search Consultant. Today's episode has a wealth of valuable insights, delivered with a hea...

Featured guest, Josh Dugdale - Head of Additive Manufacturing UK (AMUK) - part of the Manufacturing Technologies Association, speaks with Jeff about the continuing rise of Additive Manufacturing in the UK. How important is Additive Manufacturing to the future of UK Manufacturing? What impacts of AM are you seeing on Reshoring? How is AM contributing to sustainability within manufacturing, especial...

Featured guest, Lucinda O'Reilly, Founder of The International Trade Consultancy speaks with Jeff about the world of international trade and how it's evolved for the UK following Brexit, since the introduction of the New Customs Rules in January 2022.How has the landscape of international trade for the UK evolved? What developments in automation and technology are impacting the future of manufactu...

Featured guest, Alan Arthur - CEO of the GTMA Manufacturing Resource Centre speaks with Jeff about a range of topics impacting and providing opportunities for UK Manufacturing, including Reshoring, Technology Advancement, Materials Development, Skills Gaps, Supply Chain Disruption, Sustainability and R&D. GTMA is 80 years old and has recently won Best Engineering Trade Association 2023 – Engla...

Featured guest, Jon Cox, Founder of Up Front Coaching and Mentoring, talks with Jeff about how Coaching & Mentoring can improve strategic decision-making, galvanize teams and help senior executives develop a resilience and adaptable mindset. How does coaching and mentoring address the strategic decision-making needed in the ever-changing Manufacturing sector? In a sector with established hiera...

Featured guest, Jack Troutt - Commercial Manager at Manufacturing Leadership Magazine, speaks to Jeff about the Leadership landscape in UK Manufacturing through the various print, online and in-person resources, support and events provided by Manufacturing Management Magazine. What’s the biggest topic right now that you’re hearing from your customers and readership in UK Manufacturing? How does Ma...

Featured guest, Jon Cox, Founder of Up Front Coaching and Mentoring talks with Jeff in Part 3 of our Coaching & Mentoring special about some of the challenges that senior Executives face and how Coaching & Mentoring can improve the outcomes of Change or Transformation programmes. In the context of the UK manufacturing sector, what specific challenges do senior executives often face that mi...

Featured guest, Jon Cox, Founder of Up Front Coaching and Mentoring, talks to Jeff in Part 2 of our Coaching & Mentoring special (2 of 4).What qualities do you value most in a coach/mentor relationship? What is the expected duration of a coaching/mentoring relationship? What level of commitment and effort is expected from a mentee/coachee? What confidentiality measures are in place to protect...

Featured guest, Daryl Cygler, Founder of Smartphone Video Marketing Group, talks to Jeff about how Manufacturing businesses can showcase their products, services, people and plant through the use of Smartphone Video. Why should Manufacturing businesses try some of their own Smartphone Video Marketing? What sort of equipment apart from a smartphone will people need to record some videos within thei...

Featured guest, Jon Cox - Founder of Up Front Coaching & Mentoring speaks with Jeff about how Executive Coaching and Mentoring can impact both businesses and individuals. What is the difference between coaching and mentoring? What are the common misconceptions between the two? What are the primary goals of a coaching/mentoring program? What qualities make a successful coach or mentor?

Featured guest, Jane Adshead-Grant, a Master Certified Coach and Listening Specialist, speaks with Jeff about the 5 Levels of Listening and how businesses can create great culture, teamwork and engagement through listening. Why is Listening such an important Leadership skill? What are the 5 Levels of Listening? What are the barriers to an individual's progress? What is The Thinking Environment?

Featured guest Hilary Leevers, CEO of EngineeringUK speaks with Jeff about the skills challenges facing UK Engineering and Manufacturing and the key topics of Vocational Pathways, Apprenticeships, Diversity, Industrial & Skills Strategies. How can business leaders get involved to support the development of more Engineers into the sector? What are the current trends for T-Levels and Degree Appr...

Featured guest, Ann Barker, Sales & Partnerships Director at Excellect, an employee benefits broker, speaks with Jeff about the ways in which selecting the right benefits to offer your employees can make a huge difference for your business. What are some of the common misconceptions about employee benefits? What are your clients saying about the challenges of attracting and retaining talent? W...

Featured guest, Charlotte Horobin, Regional Director for Midlands & East of England at Make UK, speaks with Jeff about the UK Manufacturing outlook for 2023, National Manufacturing Day, Apprenticeships and other insights affecting UK Manufacturing. What is the outlook for UK Manufacturing in 2023? What is National Manufacturing day and how can businesses get involved? What is the current state...

Featured guest, Gareth Jones, Managing Director of In-Comm Training & Business Services, talks to Jeff about the current state of UK Engineering Apprenticeships, the skills gaps in UK Manufacturing and the recent investments at In-Comm. For businesses, what are the main benefits of investing in Apprenticeships? What are the main challenges currently with getting more youngsters into technical...

Featured guest, James Selka, CEO of the Manufacturing Technologies Association, speaks with Jeff about the opportunities for UK Manufacturing that can be created by the uptake of technology. The UK has a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to re-industrialise and technology is providing an exciting assortment of options to enable reshoring, close some of the skills gaps and boost our manufacturing ou...

Featured guest, Jenny Haase - Founder of Kindness From The Heart, talk to Jeff about how Kindness can be a Leadership Superpower for organisations and how a small act of kindness in the workplace can send out ripples throughout the entire organisation, into people's homes and the community. Why is Kindness such an important part of the Leadership skills mix? What impact can a random act of Kindnes...

Featured guest, Laura Crawford, Owner & Editorial Director at Machinery & Manufacturing magazine talks to Jeff about the launch of M&M, STEM, Trade Exibitions and her passion for machine tools and everything 'Manufacturing'. What are your customers saying about the current state of UK Manufacturing? How can we change the outdated perceptions of Manufacturing? What can readers expect fr...

Featured guest, Richard Hiron - Employment Law & HR Solicitor, speaks with Jeff about how to best protect the interests of businesses and individuals through the appropriate use of employment law. What are currently the biggest risks to a business, regarding Employment Law? How can UK Manufacturers work more proactively to avoid legal non-compliance? How important is the relationship between H...

Featured guest, Chelsey Baker, CEO & Founder of National Mentoring Day speaks to Jeff about the amazing opportunities for individuals and businesses to grow and prosper through the adoption of Mentoring. What are the benefits of mentoring? What is National Mentoring Day? How does mentoring support innovation? The approach to mentoring - what are the first steps?

Featured guest, Jane Galsworthy, Managing Director of Oxford Innovation Advice, speaks with Jeff about a range of National Support Programmes for SMEs, including: Access to Finance, Innovate UK Edge, Manufacturing Growth Programme II Strategic Growth Programme, Transform Programme What are the main barriers SMEs or Entrepreneurs face when seeking support? What type of advice and support is availab...