BKR Haines Watts and The Northern Echo have joined forces to provide top-quality manufacturing advice.

Paul Bell, the Darlington manufacturing and business improvement manager for BKR Haines Watts, has teamed up with the newspaper to provide a series of articles describing the key techniques for manufacturing improvement, and give advice on how they should be used.

Mr Bell specialises in improving manufacturing business efficiencies, typically by between ten and 70 per cent, improving customer hit rates, and releasing working capital tied up in stock.

He has substantial manufacturing experience, including managing a factory which had won a DTI Best Factory Award. He is also a Cranfield University Fellow in Manufacturing Management.

This combination of skills and experience mean that he has the ability to enter a business, identify the key areas for improvement, manage the improvements, confirm the new standards, and then leave, all within a matter of days.

The increased manufacturing and business efficiencies gained from using these methods can be used to turn around failing firms, to increase profits in successful operations, and to allow UK enterprises to compete for overseas work despite adverse exchange rates.

l Mr Bell can be contacted on (01325) 254700 or email pbell

TOBACCO