What date you joined Meggitt?
September 1996
What area of the business did you start in?
Supplies Module/Goods Inwards Inspection
What role are you doing now?
Braking Systems VP Operations, Akron, US.
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
Failed football player at 16 – I wanted to started a working career but continue education, the apprenticeship seems a good option.
What are the reasons you are still here?
I enjoy what I do. Each role I’ve had at Dunlop or Meggitt, now Parker Meggitt has always been challenging but in my experience hard work and performing well provides new opportunities.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
It’s a great way to continue your education and learning, while also starting a career at a company gaining valuable working experience.
What date you joined Meggitt?
28th August 2000
What area of the business did you start in?
I joined as a Business Apprentice, moving around several functions such as Customer Services, Technical Publications & Programme Management
What role are you doing now?
I am the Procurement Director at Parker Meggitt in Simi Valley, CA
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
I wanted to gain work experience in addition to further education as my learning style wasn’t suited to just classroom / textbook
What are the reasons you are still here?
The company have always given me the opportunity to develop and grow, so I’ve never been tempted to look elsewhere. Even in the last 6 months, Parker Meggitt have supported my desire to relocate from the UK to the US to experience a new culture in a critical role for a major site.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
It’s a great way to find the career path you want, even if you’re not 100% certain at a young age. I didn’t start to work in Procurement until 8 years after I joined Dunlop / Meggitt, and my experiences throughout the apprenticeship and working for a variety of functions helped me to understand how the business works and how each function relies on others. The apprenticeship also enabled me to grow my reputation and relationships with key people that helped me to be successful later in my career.
What date you joined Meggitt?
26th August 1997, it was Dunlop Aerospace back then.
What area of the business did you start in?
Started in the training school as we all had to do a year or so in there, but the first place I was put in was Hydraulic Assembly in Braking Systems.
What role are you doing now?
Senior Team Member and Electronics Production Engineer
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
It felt a better option at the time, I could earn, gain experience and knowledge on the job but still had the opportunity to go to college and then university as part of my apprenticeship and after.
What are the reasons you are still here?
It’s a great company to work for and the people are amazing and helpful, it feels like home here as I have never been anywhere else, I hear friends and family moaning about their jobs and workplaces and feel lucky that I work here.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
If you want to learn on the job, and earn at the same time then this is for you, rather than go to college and university and then try to find a job but having no experience, this company has a vast amount of experience and good people here that want to help young people and apprentices, and hopefully with Parker taking over we are due to grow and have more opportunities.
What date you joined Meggitt?
31st August 1999
What area of the business did you start in?
Dunlop Aerospace Braking Systems
What role are you doing now?
Global Operations Director, Brake Control Systems
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
I knew I wanted to work in Engineering from an early age so it seemed a natural move to leave school at 16 and focus on a career in something I knew I would enjoy and benefit from in the future
What are the reasons you are still here?
Thoroughly enjoy the work and proud to be part of a major global aerospace company. Parker offer plenty of opportunities for growth and development including funded my education over the years up to MSc level and career opportunities as you gain experience and knowledge.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
Focused learning on subjects you find interesting and are relevant for your chosen career. The opportunity to gain experience in a number of areas to truly understand how a business runs. Contribute, collaborate and be mentored by world experts in aerospace gaining invaluable training and personal development as you progress through your career.
What date you joined Meggitt?
September 1986
What area of the business did you start in?
Engineering Technician Apprentice at Dunlop Aviation Coventry.
Year 1: Machine shop & Drawing Office training – Dunlop Aviation Training Centre
Year 2: 6 Week Shop Floor & Office Placements
Year 3: 3 Month Office Placements
Year 4: 3 Month Office Placements & 6 Month Final Placement in Dunlop Aviation Stress Office
What role are you doing now?
Principal Engineering Analyst (Structural Analysis) – Thermal Management Engineering
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
The main attraction to start my career via the apprenticeship route was to “earn while you learn”, with the opportunity to back-up classroom learning with practical, hands-on experience. The apprenticeship allowed me to be independent – to continue in higher education without relying on funding from my parents or taking on student debt.
What are the reasons you are still here?
I enjoy my job! It is interesting, challenging, and I have not stopped learning. As we are a global company with global customers, I have had opportunities for international travel. I have represented the company on analysis projects in the USA, Canada, Germany, France & Holland. At Parker Meggitt, the global analysis team – and the customer analysts I work with are world class in their field. Working with this wealth of experience allows me to continuously improve my own skills.
Parker Meggitt is a great company to work for. The company support their employees with training and development throughout their careers. Following my apprenticeship qualification, the company sponsored me to complete a Mechanical Engineering degree, and later on supported me through the process to gain Chartered Engineer status. Along the way, I have completed many formal training courses to supplement my work experience.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
The apprenticeship is a great way to start your career. You will work towards an industry recognised qualification whilst backing up your studies with on-the-job training. During the apprenticeship you will build relationships with colleagues across the business and gain product knowledge that will be invaluable in your future roles within the company.
An apprenticeship at Parker Meggitt will lead you into a role with many opportunities to further your career. As an ex-apprentice you will be well placed to progress and gain promotion within the company. You will have opportunities at Parker Meggitt for international work placements or re-location. You can choose to work towards management, specialise within a certain role, or diversify into different roles. The company will support you with training and development whichever is your preferred direction.
What date you joined Meggitt?
I joined Meggitt (or Dunlop as it was then) on 31st August 1982.
What area of the business did you start in?
I was a technical apprentice for 4 years
1st Year in Dunlop Training School – 9 months in Machine Shop and 3 months in Drawing Office
2nd Year factory placements – Electrical Maintenance, Aero Assembly and Wheel Division maintenance
3rd & 4th year office placements – Stress Analysis, Standards, various Drawing Offices
When I finished my apprenticeship I worked in the Ice Protection Drawing Office (now moved to AS-Loughborough)
What role are you doing now?
I’m now Change Manager for our SAP systems worldwide.
I control all changes to our SAP ERP system, from their initial request, approvals through to moving the tested changes into production.
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
I enjoyed Technical Drawing at school (on drawing boards, no CAD then) and the step into the working world was through apprenticeships to get into engineering design.
What are the reasons you are still here?
I’m still at Parker Meggitt because I’ve always found roles that I’ve enjoyed, progressing from engineering design into CAD support, General IT support, IT Infrastructure and now into Change Management.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
Apprenticeships give you a great overall understanding of the industry, as well as the technical training and college work, I worked in shop floor areas, maintenance departments, offices, and design department’s throughout my apprenticeship, which helped me appreciate what happens all around factories. It gives you a really good insight into how everything comes together to produce our products and how you can best work with other people in all areas of the business.
What date you joined Meggitt?
7th September 2007.
What area of the business did you start in?
Braking Systems Manufacturing – Wheels & Brakes.
What role are you doing now?
Head of Quality for Ansty Park.
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
I wanted to do something hands on and not just classroom based.
What are the reasons you are still here?
The people, the opportunities, variety and the ability to continue to develop.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
I loved the fact that I was able to gain experience as well as continue my education. Gaining insight from all the different people you work with and how much it helps you grow, the relationships you build and lifelong friendships you make.
How long have you been at Meggitt?
I joined Meggitt in October 2019 within the HR function as the HR Technology Programmes Manager. It was an exciting time as our brand new headquarters at Ansty Park was being built, I supported digitalising our HR processes/ systems to our new way of working for our new headquarters.
What made you join?
I have been a HR generalist for the last 20 years and more recently moved into HR Change Transformation.
Meggitt are on a change journey, I didn’t want to join an organisation that had all the bells and whistles already in place, I wanted a new challenge where I was involved in making key decision in developing new HR systems across the global supporting our HR strategy. I was keen to join an established company where I could grow, develop and enhance my skills, when Meggitt approached me I was excited to join especially in the Aerospace sector.
What do you love the most about working here?
I thrive in working in a fast pace environment, working on multiple projects developing new technology to drive faster, more accurate and more efficient processes, and reducing HR costs. I work with a diverse range of people, across functions, the globe and at all levels.
I work with an amazing team, we work and play hard. Meggitt has strong values which is also important to me – Teamwork, Integrity and Excellence.
I have a young family and it’s important that I have work life balance which Meggitt fully supports.
Looking for a new role in HR ? Check out our job opportunities today!
How long have you been at Meggitt?
I started working as an apprentice at the Birmingham site and have been with the business for over 23 years. After my apprenticeship I was a CNC Operator/Programmer producing heat exchangers for aeroplane engines, a job I enjoyed for the best part of two decades. I now work in the High Performance System team at the fantastic new Ansty Park facility in Coventry.
What made you join?
The secondary school that I attended had an engineering department which exposed me to machining and from that time I knew I wanted a career in Engineering and I saw Aerospace as one of the top fields. Post GCSE I was fortunate to be accepted into Meggitt (or Serck Aviation as it was at the time) for an apprenticeship because in 1998 Birmingham were only looking for one single apprentice!
What area of the business did you start in?
I started in Thermal (formerly Serck Aviation, Tyseley) as an apprentice, a role that saw me rotate through different areas of the Thermal business.
What role are you doing now?
I am now working in Human Resources as a Technical Training Lead, a role that I love because it enables me to interact with many people from across the workforce.
What are the reasons you are still here?
Though the business has gone through a few name changes through the year (Serck Aviation/Dunlop Aerospace Fluid Dynamics/Meggitt/Parker Meggitt), it has always felt like home to me. I really feel that I can be myself or even a better version of myself here at Parker Meggitt and the people are wonderful.
What do you love the most about working here?
I enjoy the cultural journey the most. Meggitt’s Diversity and Inclusion programme is helping to underpin a huge positive culture largely through the Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). ERGs are a fantastic way for employees to shape Meggitt’s culture around subjects that they care about.
I am honoured to be the Chair of our SHINE ERG that is focussed on Mental Health & Disability awareness. We have a huge number of employees that are passionate about the subjects that we promote, all of which have individual experiences that add massive value to our appreciation of Mental Health & Disability.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
Apprenticeships are an incredible way to get trained while getting paid. You will have a huge variety of experiences, meet loads of new people, learn a wide variety of skills and start your career.
Find our more about our apprenticeships and what it’s like being part of the Meggitt team – here.
How long have you been at Meggitt? 16 years
What made you join? Meggitt was part of a college age internship program that was interesting.
What makes you stay? At Meggitt I have never been pigeon holed into a single job. I have been able to gain experience in areas outside my job role and be able to move around to different jobs as opportunities came up.
What do you love the most about working here? The ability to work in as many capacities or roles that may seem interesting. There is a focus on continuous improvement and development within my department.
What will someone get out of joining your team? Someone joining my team will never be bored. There is always more do to and ways to improvement.
How long have you been at Meggitt?
I have been with Meggitt for almost 18 months now, I joined the graduate programme in September 2020.
What made you join?
What appealed to me about Meggitt was the diverse product range and expertise in each one of them. I saw it as a world of opportunity to learn about different products whilst figuring out what kind of work I wanted to focus on.
What do you love the most about working here?
I really love the working environment. Everybody is happy and supportive. They’e willing to give you time and help, even if you’ve never met them before, across all levels of the company. Just good vibes all round.
If you’d like to follow in Edidiong footsteps and find your focus at Meggitt check out our job opportunities today!
How long have you been at Meggitt?
I had the pleasure of joining Meggitt in 2019 in North Hollywood’s Engine Systems Site as a Mechanical Engineer in a local rotational program. The opportunity to explore four different engineering disciplines: Design, Test, Manufacturing, and Sustaining Engineering created a strong technical foundation and deeper appreciation for cross-functional communication and collaboration. Once I completed the program, I was fortunate to continue accelerating my professional development in the Global Rotational Program as an engineer in the 2021 Graduate Scheme. The three-year program has enabled me to venture to areas outside of the engineering department including operations, supply chain, and transfer projects. From the west coast of the United States to the south of England, my exciting journey and career with Meggitt continues to test today’s limits with tomorrow’s visions!
What made you join?
As a young ambitions graduate, I was on the relentless pursuit to find a company that I would grow in, learn from, and have the ability to be a true contributor. I aimed to find a home where I can start and advance my career as I optimize my strengths while simultaneously developing the additional skills needed to become a successful leader and create long lasting impact. My initial impression of Meggitt being an open-minded, innovative, and people-focused company was accurate. Meggitt was the perfect fit and went beyond what I expected a good company to entail. Meggitt welcomed and valued not only was my skillset, but also was my passions and interests. As a young, female engineer in aerospace, I was whole-heartily accepted and appreciated as an asset to the company. Meggitt’s focus to empower employees through diversity and inclusivity has always aligned with my values and has given me the freedom to be my full self at work. I look forward to continuing to learn, grow, and create impactful work at Meggitt.
What do you love the most about working here?
Throughout my experiences from different sites and roles, one critical statement will always be true: nothing gets done alone. In order to produce meaningful work and be successful, it takes a team. In every area of this business, I have found warm and kind hearted people who give it their all while maintaining positive attitudes. The people I have been fortunate to work with have shared a common goal to improving the company, themselves, and everyone around them.
A company-wide focus for Meggitt has been devoted to improving their employees experiences through a High Performance Culture (HPC). The Employee Resource Groups (ERG) is one of my personal favourite platforms Meggitt has invested in as it is another avenue for employees to engage and connect with communities of people who provide various resources to improve any area of their lives. It has given me the space to connect with ambitious and talented professionals from Asia, Europe, and even colleagues across the street. I have a high appreciation for this company as it is not only focused on how you can contribute to the business, but what the business can do for you. I truly believe the core blue chips has attracted honest, hardworking, and talented people which has allowed me to cultivate friendships and mentorships that I cherish greatly.
Interested in joining as a Graduate just as Mona did? Why not check out our job opportunities today!
My apprenticeship
At the start of my apprenticeship I spent 3 enjoyable months in quality function within the compliance department. This was a great place to start my apprenticeship, as quality is incorporated throughout the company, it provided me with good oversight of the entire business, this meant that I was able to gain a vast amount of experience very quickly which has served me well as I have moved through my different placements.
My first task in compliance was to oversee the developing of systems and strategies and to ensure all products adhere to the company’s safety and quality standards. After this I slowly started to move more towards supplier quality which I found more enjoyable, the manager recognised this and started to award me more jobs which fulfilled this role, I got to work on a U.S fighter jet project, which as you can imagine for any young apprentice was very captivating and interesting. Gaining this experience, I aim to go into a supplier quality as a career path.
Find our more about our apprenticeships and what it’s like being part of the Meggitt team here.
My apprenticeship
As an Electronics Apprentice I worked with the team to assemble circuit boards to control different systems on an aircraft. This involves soldering and wiring all the components onto the board and learning about the different soldering standards to ensure all of Meggitt’s products are reliable and to a high standard. Once the boards have been assembled they then need to inspected and tested to ensure they are suitable for use and operate as intended. This includes hot/cold testing, vibration testing, and on-power testing. Boards also come in from other sections if they are in need of repair which is also done in electronics.
My responsibilities
In my Smart Scoping placement I worked alongside my team to implement Kaizen and other Business Improvement Techniques (BIT) to different MRO sections around the business. I worked on a variety of different projects around the company (which all follow the same process) to help improve the efficiency of different cells. Talking to the technicians within the cell and carrying out my own research is what helped give me the grounds for a good project. I then created a presentation detailing the basics of the project and the financial implications for the business. Assisted by members of the Smart Scoping team from countries around the world they would help decide whether to go ahead with the project or whether it needed reworking – due to financial or other constraints. The project would then go on to the next stage where I acquired funds by creating a Cost-Expenditure Report (CER) and Purchase Order and sending it to finance who would approve or decline it. Once it was approved the materials/equipment would be purchased and then just need to be implemented and monitored to track how the project has affected the cell.
My team
Everyone is really helpful; they’re always really friendly and more than happy to help you learn new skills. It is an enjoyable place to work.
Find our more about our apprenticeships and what it’s like being part of the Meggitt team here.
My apprenticeship
I work within the Bid Management team at Meggitt studying a B2B Sales degree programme which I started in September 2021. Being a degree apprentice means I work at Meggitt to learn valuable skills in order to help me reach the required level of learning to complete my degree at Leeds Trinty University which is fully subsidised by Meggitt.
My team
I am based at Ansty Park and I work in Services and Support division, which is dedicated to servicing our commercial and military aircraft products through our MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) and Spares operation. My job consists of the management of most EMEA and Americas Aftermarket sales opportunities.
My responsibilities
My job mostly consists of reading and analysing customer documents in order to develop the opportunity into a formalised proposal using influences from the pricing, marketing, sales and commercial team, creating financial models and presentations which outline the details of the opportunity in order to develop the bid for internal approval, whether this be regionally or divisionally. I also help to manage our Electronic Approvals process which we use in order to speed up the review process for each opportunity by using the CRM (Customer Relations Management) platform.
My study
I’m lucky enough that I get a whole day a week to focus on my uni work, where I spend time completing modules for my assignments, this makes it really easy to be able to separate my uni and work life, which was one of my initial concerns when starting my apprenticeship.
Thinking about starting a degree apprenticeship? Find our more about our apprenticeships and what it’s like being part of the Meggitt team here.
How long have you been at Meggitt?
I have been part of the Meggitt team for two and half years, and in this time, I have been involved in big changes Meggitt has been making across the business. Being part of this transformation, and working with exceptional people all over the world, has benefited me personally in learning how others tackled problems which has enabled me to learn, improve and grow. And even though I sit in Rockmart, Georgia; everyday I work with great people across the business, having the pleasure to learn from them all. At Meggitt my experience has grown exponentially in the Engineering Systems field that I’m so passionate about.
What made you join?
I wanted to join a company where I could grow and develop, and somewhere where I could stay until I retire. These things were so important to me, that I put other job opportunities on the back burner in the hope that Meggitt was the place I could achieve this. From the reaction I had personally from the interview with people that actually understood what I had done before, and what I COULD do in the future; I never looked back.
What do you love the most about working here?
The best part of Meggitt is the people. It is great seeing so many people from so many different places have the professionalism and ability to come together and work toward a common goal. I love that there is room for growth at Meggitt and working together we all achieve our goals. There is always someone willing to help you achieve yours, whether it’s their responsibility or not because we have a strong culture of always going above and beyond.
If you’d like to find follow your passion like Matt has and be part of the Information Technology transformation journey – why not check out our job opportunities today!
I joined Meggitt in April 2021, when our brand new Headquarters at Ansty Park facility was reopening after the pandemic. I am lucky enough to work within Information Technology Group (ITG) which is the core enabling function to deliver change at Meggitt.
I have over 15 years of Project/Programme and Transformation Management experience and I joined Meggitt because of the vast opportunities that they had to offer. My initial research pointed heavily towards Meggitt and their enormous presence within the aerospace marketplace, but with customers all over the world that rely on our technology, product and services for flight, power and defence, I could not wait to join Meggitt.
The thing I enjoy most about Meggitt is the diversity of my role. Every day is different and not many people can boast about the opportunities that each day presents at work. At Meggitt I can be part of the change journey and influence the opportunities that are created by ITG.
Our ITG family is growing and I’m proud to be part of a professional group of individuals that tenures span from less than 1 month to 40 years plus. Every one of us is unique and brings their own style and strengths which contributes to our continuous improvement journey that our function is on. My colleagues will always ask why I am so positive and passionate about driving the change within ITG, but my answer is simple, Meggitt has proven that regardless of the recent pandemic, we have remained a strong organisation and we can adapt, we can be resilient and we stand with our customers to overcome the recent hard times.
Every day at Meggitt and in particular working within ITG, enables me to challenge the unchallengeable, to think differently, avoid the ‘easy answers’, and create a new landscape of possibilities for all my colleagues and customers. Historically people and technology form strange partnerships, but with our ITG family continually building on their knowledge and learn from their past mistakes, they are more effective, efficient, and empowered to innovative. The team truly value my well-being and development, and effortlessly reinforce a people centric culture that will allow me to flourish in a post-lock down economy. I am confident that during my career at Meggitt I will be enabled to deliver consistent and outstanding results, and be part of a culture that is continuously learning and improving.
If you’d like to follow in Georgina’s footsteps and be part of the transformation journey at Meggitt – check out our job opportunities today!
Taming the Barracuda
How do you stop a 20-tonne fighter aircraft coming down the runway at 200mph? Talk to Marc Greenshield, Engineering Services Leader, at our Coventry facility.
Whether it’s a 20-tonne fighter aircraft coming down the runway at 200mph or a large civil aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers, thousands of lives depend on our brakes every day. But I doubt many people know what’s really involved. Did you know that aircraft brakes can hit temperatures well over 1000°C, for example?
I get the opportunity to work on these issues every day. Our biggest challenge is to combine high performance and reliability with the lowest possible weight so the aircraft uses less fuel.
In 2004, Cassidian – the makers of the Tornado and the Typhoon – came to us with a new, top-secret brief. They were making a prototype of an unmanned aircraft designed to test reconnaissance, targeting and battle damage assessment technology.
We were only given what we needed to know. No more. We didn’t even know what it was going to look like. Our first challenge was to define exactly what Cassidian wanted. Barracuda, as it came to be known, was a test bed for new technologies. One focus was to replace hydraulic technology wherever possible with electric alternatives.
It was the first unmanned aircraft and the first electric brake we worked on, so inevitably a number of unexpected problems arose. Yet we were still up against a very demanding schedule. I’ll never forget the moment when we saw the aircraft for the first time. It was assembled in a remote location in Germany and its a formidable looking machine to say the least. I visited the site a lot when we were working on integration and the German engineers were extremely professional – as demanding and exacting as you might expect.
We were confident our product would deliver, however, as we’d been investing in electric braking research for nearly ten years. We built on our expertise in performance, weight and reliability as well as working to simplify overall systems architecture on the aircraft.
There were many tests in Germany and Spain as the maiden test flight approached. We didn’t know exactly when it would be – that was secret too – but when we finally heard the news, we were delighted.
Barracuda had successfully completed a 30-minute flight and, as we discovered later, our equipment had performed perfectly.
The attitude here has always been the same: if you’ve got good ideas and you want to get ahead, you step forward
As I have moved up the company, I’ve gone from working on specific projects like Barracuda to play a more strategic role. We’ve spread our design and manufacturing globally to reduce costs and extend our working day. We now have 50 Meggitt design engineers in our facility in Bangalore, for example.
That frees up our most innovative engineers in Europe and the US to develop the technologies and products of tomorrow. And our increased network also helps us find the best experts wherever they are around the world.
We’ve got huge opportunities for new graduates, particularly as we expand into nose wheel steering, landing gear control and tyre pressure monitoring systems. There are big challenges for engineers as the complexity of our systems and their integration increases.
I’ve spent my whole career here and even as we’ve grown to be a world leader in more and more areas, the attitude has always been the same: if you’ve got good ideas and you want to get ahead, you step forward. The support and the opportunity are always there.
Challenge and innovation at every turn
For more than 30 years, Margie Mattingly has been at the forefront of high-temperature accelerometer design. Focusing on Sensing Systems and working with her strongest team ever, she has developed a new product line which delivers world-beating performance at a much lower cost.
I remember the first time I saw an accelerometer in a 600°C oven. The door opened and there was this device, about the size of a walnut. It was vibrating on a shaker and producing a flawless output signal. This thing’s incredible, I thought. Even though it’s glowing red hot, it can reliably measure virtually imperceptible changes in vibration. These devices have found their way onto satellites, the space shuttle, and almost every jet aircraft engine in the world.
I was hooked on the world of high temperatures and I was in exactly the right place to learn more. A number of the world’s leading experts in this area worked in the building and I was fortunate enough to be mentored by them. Within a couple of years, I was overseeing projects. Later, I designed a number of sensors myself such as the first piezoelectric accelerometers.
These mission critical components can operate continuously from – 269 to 760°C and they have a lifespan of about 500,000 hours. Understanding the science to find the right materials, as well as developing the processes and assembly techniques that would allow these sensors to operate in such extreme environments has been a fascinating series of challenges.
Meggitt has developed many industry firsts in sensor design dating back to 1947 when the business was founded under the Endevco name.
One of the reasons for our success is that the company invests heavily in promoting an atmosphere of creative thinking focused on unique but practical product development. That’s also why we can attract such impressive talent: one of my colleagues, Bruce Wilner, recently received a lifetime innovation award from the Shock and Vibration Exchange. He has been with the company for 52 years and holds 30 patents – when you think what an achievement it is to file even one patent, this is a remarkable accomplishment. Our younger engineers aren’t doing too badly either: Tom Kwa holds six patents in areas such as micro pressure and acceleration sensors, some of which are under 0.1mm in size.
Today, being the market leader is still our goal. We’re focusing particularly on expanding in the test and measurement market, partly because in a recession customers monitor their equipment more closely to avoid costly maintenance and increase lifespan. To keep ahead, we’re always looking for ways to reduce overall costs and to add more functionality at low cost.
A number of the world’s leading experts in my area worked in the building. I was fortunate enough to be mentored by them
I wondered, for example, if we could adapt a design from one of our sister companies as a template for a range of low cost, high volume sensors with very high performance. Further inspiration came as I was replacing a threaded fitting in the sprinkler system in my yard which had been run over for the nth time.
I came up with the idea of a sensor pod which threads into a variety of mounting bases. By mixing a few sensors with different bases you can create 15 different types of sensor with varying specialisms. We filed a patent in February 2014 and we launched in September. We’ve now expanded the design’s modularity, allowing us to make many different products at a substantially lower price.
I think these developments are only really possible because of the extraordinary legacy we have. Right now, for example, we have the father of low-noise cabling coming back in to help us upgrade designs for our Swiss facility.
Overall, the strength of our current position is the result of careful but bold acquisition over the years and, today, our expertise is focused on centres of excellence around the world: aircraft sensor and electronics in Switzerland, crystals in Denmark, test and measurement sensors, cable and connectors here in California.
Expertise and innovation isn’t just about our products, though. There are interesting developments on the operational and manufacturing side too. Now we have these high-volume products, we’ve had to look at how we raise output because we’re expecting some big sales this year. There’s room to streamline and we’re having some great discussions about that now.
In all the work I do here, I can see a whole new generation of talent emerging and I am delighted we are laying down the foundations for tomorrow’s breakthroughs. I’m mentoring a very bright engineer and to help her and others that follow, I’ve formalised all I’ve learnt over the years in a training manual. I’ve also developed spreadsheets that can run the complex calculation models we need. That means new joiners will be able to take advantage of the foundation I helped create and then speed past my accomplishments to create their own.
The training I’ve had here has always been strong, from core skills like technical writing to obtaining an MBA. Within a year of getting that degree, I was promoted to an engineering manager and Meggitt has always allowed me to explore different paths- I’ve been programme manager, chief engineer and operations manager, where I was actively involved in compliance issues and classifications.
We have come a long way in high-temperature sensors since that oven door opened to give me my first view. We led the way back then and we’re entering a new phase of firsts today. We’re growing fast and we’re at a point in the evolution of the group as a whole where there are opportunities for energetic and determined engineers to explore more avenues than ever, in sensing systems and beyond.
There’s no doubt in my mind that if I was going to do it all again, I’d come to exactly the same place.
Listening to the women in white coats
Jo Richoux and Liz Murphy build and test three-inch cockpit displays and sub-assemblies. The Meggitt Production System has put problem solving in their hands but for them it’s only the beginning.
‘We are impatient for change,’ they say. Once you see what’s possible you get hungry for more.
Eleven years ago when I joined Meggitt Avionics (MAV), shopfloor problem solving wasn’t easy. If your supervisor couldn’t sort something out for you, it could drag on for ages. Work-arounds and make-dos were common.
Looking back, I realise that we just accepted it. You didn’t think that people would listen to your ideas so you just kept quiet and got on with it.
It’s much, much better now. We have a new system of morning meetings which pipe information up and down the business, making it much easier to solve problems. It’s called daily layered accountability. If something can’t be worked out in our 20-minute meeting, it’s noted down on a big board which sits on the shopfloor all day for everyone to see. The problem can’t be ignored or forgotten. It gets escalated and it stays on the board and on the daily meeting agenda until it’s solved.
That’s made a big difference. I remember it being very hard when I couldn’t seem to get my point across. Now, once it’s written on the DLA board, I know that someone has to try and understand what it is I’m getting at.
In a way, that’s the essence of the Meggitt Production System (MPS). Working through a problem in a group, talking it out, guiding each other to a good answer. That philosophy is one of the key reasons MPS has been so well received right across the organisation. Even the sceptics have been won over quickly by the reality.
I’ve found that as soon as people put the principles of MPS into action, they see the rewards pretty quickly: your day gets easier and you get more out of your life at work
But we can still do more.
Absolutely. DLA can be hard at first. It requires a certain mind-set. You have to enjoy being more involved and you have to accept that it means more effort. Once you buy into it, you can’t be lazy. You’ve got to get yourself moving. That’s why it’s so important that top people in every factory get involved in workshops on the ground level. It gives us all a chance to learn from and inspire each other. When our Managing Director came to our meetings, I really respected her for it.
I agree. All the strands of the business are interlinked so for MPS to deliver its full potential, we all have to keep pushing. The more we contribute individually, the more we can improve. Of course it helps that it’s not change for change’s sake. It’s responsive change we make the things we sell here on the shopfloor so we’ve got to have what we need to do it right. That’s what sells it to me.
I’ve found that as soon as people put the principles of MPS into action, they see the rewards pretty quickly: your day gets easier and you get more out of your life at work. I’s common sense, isn’t it? We;re at work for most of the day so we really should try to get as much satisfaction out of it as we can. If you can solve things yourself, there’s a lot more motivation to get on and do it.
It;s a tragedy if your ideas get stuck at the bottom simply because of where you work. That;s still what happens in so many places but we do this job hour after hour, week in, week out. We can see what;ll help to us do it better. We get some good ideas.
It;s been very refreshing seeing them implemented. Now the only frustration comes from wanting more change. Once you see what;s possible you get hungry for more.
Making the best better, one step at a time
‘The Meggitt Production System takes Lean to a whole new level’ says Helge Huerkamp.
‘With what I know now, I could go back to consultancy and make a heap of money. But if you have the opportunity to make the best even better, why go anywhere else?’
In my time at CAE Inc, I must have done about 12 week-long Kaizen workshops. Pretty much every operational problem you can imagine came up and some great solutions too. But so often, we’d get distracted by other issues before we had time to implement. Later, at McKinsey & Company, we had our standard Lean tools and frameworks that we deployed in 3 months intense project waves.
You don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve got it, of course, but what I realise now is that we didn’t have the full 360° view. At the heart of the Meggitt Production System (MPS) is a set of daily interlocking meetings which cascade information up and down the business, escalating problems and good ideas so they get the attention they need.
Daily layered accountability (DLA), as we call this process, is the glue that holds the many, many components of continuous improvement in the spotlight. At the Meggitt site in Fribourg, Switzerland, the first meetings kick off in each production cell every morning. We run through the same rigorous agenda of safety, quality, delivery, inventory, productivity each day. Any issues are noted down, Living Pareto Boards are updated and anything that needs escalating is taken by the cell leaders to the next meeting. That starts immediately afterwards and also includes representatives from each function.
Using the same agenda, they review and pass on what they find and so on, up to senior management who get a higher altitude view of the whole plant’s performance. We start at 8.30 am and we’re done by 9.30am.
It sounds simple but these meetings have actually turned our approach to OPEX on its head: everyone from sales to compliance and delivery – including top management’s focus on the people who make the product. Poor process, bottlenecks and any other problems are outed immediately because these meetings make responsibility totally transparent. Each of us knows exactly what we have to do and how our work affects others. Making improvements and beating your own record becomes a question of personal pride.
Today, there’s not a single person who wants to miss a DLA meeting. And yet a couple of years ago, we didn’t even know what they were. Fully embedding the process has been hard work and took about a year but there was full support from the start, both here at Fribourg and at group level.
That meant the necessary resources were available and I could go out and find the people I needed. There are lots of highly experienced Lean practitioners out there but most are from organisations where implementation is at a very advanced stage. I needed people who could work in an environment where less was defined. There were only a handful I met who had the spark and energy necessary: one from a hi-tech Swiss medical business, for example, one from a smaller French aerospace businesses and one from Airbus.
A key focus from the start was performance management. I’d seen attempts at getting this right at McKinsey & Company but the tools we have developed here are really delivering.
The first is a monthly review of the one-year plan for the whole site, called SD-Matrix. Thanks to the quality of the data we get from the DLA meetings, we can measure where we are very precisely and fine-tune accordingly.
Five pillars sit right at the heart of MPS, namely, strategy deployment, organisational development, leadership culture, performance management and tools and methods. Progress is measured against set criteria defined across six levels. Before you can move up, you’ve got to hit all the targets across a whole site. It’s seriously demanding. There’s no automatic approval. You’ve got to prove you’re ready.
You have to prove your worth but if you’ve got what it takes, you can move on really fast.
We moved from the foundational initial phase ‘Red’ to the next ‘Yellow’ phase in March 2014 and all 600 of us here in Fribourg joined in the celebrations. We have since move on from ‘Yellow’ into ‘Green’ and recently ‘Bronze’ phase, a continuous journey of improvement across the whole business.
Considering we were the first site to formally launch MPS in the group and the first half of 2013 was taken up with hiring, developing the right culture and reviewing our value streams, I’m proud of how we’re doing. During that review, we realised that although we had five shops on site, we only have three types of customer – sensors and cables, energy electronics, and aerospace systems. Reorganising on that basis meant physically moving 60% of our operations around the site and about 90 people. That was in September 2013 but already we’re seeing big improvements; on time delivery (OTD), for example, is up to 96%.
I believe it’s the unique combination of DLA and our performance management tools in MPS that sets what we’re doing here apart.
But there are other areas we’re focusing on too. Take sales and inventory operations planning. We have transformed our process over the last 4 years and now review our three-yearly sales forecasts monthly. We are reformulating how we translate forecasts into demand for the site and our supply chain.
The goal is to slash inventory by 50% but still keep improving OTD. We’re about half way there on OTD and inventory is down by 10% so, again, progress is good.
In terms of my own learning, I found the 12-month Oxford Leadership Programme hugely rewarding. It consists of three intensives – two at the Said Business School in Oxford and one in Silicon Valley – as well as project work focused on live strategic issues at Meggitt. We present recommendations and an implementation plan to our Board.
Both the content of the course and the networking have pushed me on far quicker than I thought possible and it’s a great example of the kind of opportunities there are here. You have to prove your worth but if you’ve got what it takes, you can move on really fast. It’s partly the culture but also because we’re growing fast.
Looking ahead, our journey to excellence with MPS will again be accelerated by the ‘High Performance Culture’ (HPC) program, which really goes to the heart of our individual behaviors and values. As MPS focuses a lot on the business, HPC is the glue that holds us together, makes us accountable towards each other and really creates an exciting place to work.