news story

9th April 2009

MP Hears How Wickwar Company is Battling the Recession

Steve Webb MP (crouching) with Alderley staff members on the programme reviewing the information flow within the company

Local MP Steve Webb has paid a visit to Wickwar-based company Alderley plc to hear how the company is fighting the Recession and seeking to sustain local jobs. The Alderley group specialises in the design and manufacture of hi-tech measurement and control systems for the oil and gas industry and also has factories in Russia and the Middle East. Although the company has announced that it will have to make some staff redundant, it is working hard to become more efficient to help it survive the present downturn.

On his visit, MP Steve Webb was hosted by Group training manager John Patterson, and had discussions with senior managers about government support for training and about the present financial situation. The MP was then able to see at first hand the "continuous improvement programme" run by the company, where staff from all departments took time out of their regular roles to work together on looking at how the business could be better run.

Speaking after his visit, Steve Webb said:

"It was a privilege to visit a local company that is winning orders in world markets for its hi-tech equipment. These are clearly difficult times and it is very regrettable that staff numbers are having to be reduced, but I hope that the company will be able to continue its work to survive the downturn and build on its past success. I was particularly encouraged to meet a wide range of staff who were working together to acquire new skills and to think how the business could be improved".

Group training manager John Patterson said:

"We are proud of the work that we do at Alderley in training, whether it is the continuous improvement programme in which all staff take part or in the specialist training we give to young engineers. It is a sad feature of the Recession that some of these budgets have to be cut back, but we are determined to do all that we can to steer the company through these difficult times into a brighter future".