Meet Scott Mawby, Managing Director, Birmingham Specialities
28 Jan 2020
Introduction
Scott Mawby is the Managing Director at Birmingham Specialities (BSL), a national manufacturer of precision presswork and assemblies. BSL also produce pressings, stampings, brackets, fixings, metal assemblies, clips and clamps and dipsticks with in-house tooling design and maintenance.
We quizzed Scott on what a typical day looks like for him as well as his favourite tools to get his job done and his vision for the business.
Please introduce yourself. What do you do?
Hi, my name is Scott Mawby and I am the Managing Director of Birmingham Specialities (BSL), which is part of the Indutrade group. Indutrade is an international industrial cluster who acquire and develop companies that focus on high-tech know-how with an ability to build close, long-term relationships with customers and suppliers.
My role as MD involves managing all aspects of the 80+ person business, planning business strategies for growth, profitability and long term sustainability for all employees and shareholders.
How did you get into the manufacturing industry and what is your employment background?
I started out as a 16-year-old school leaver who joined Rolls-Royce Aero engines as an apprentice.
I’ve then spent the last 30 years gaining more experience across different manufacturing sectors in roles such as: a machinist on the shop floor, tool designer, manufacturing engineering, purchasing, sales, training and as a self-employed consultant.
I’ve also lived in China for two years and Mexico for three months, which has given me a very broad level of experience which I’ve been very fortunate to have.
What kind of skills do you need to be effective in your role?
There are many skills required to be effective in this role, many of which come from the experience that I have built and developed over time.
For me, I believe you need to have a vision for the business and then motivate the people to turn the vision into reality through teamwork.
Tell us about a typical working day.
In the current climate, my day is very different from how it was because of the restrictions, but I would usually always start the day but walking around the business talking to people and listening to what they have to say.
The rest of the day varies depending on the day, but I have regular weekly sessions with all departments to discuss progress on actions that are driving the business forward, growing sales, improving quality and delivery, saving cost and working more efficiently.
What do you love about your job?
The part I love the most about my job is seeing people develop and grow when given more responsibility. I also thrive on seeing the benefits of improvement plans coming to fruition and celebrating its success.
What kind of goals do you have?
What are the most useful KPIs do you find important for measuring success?
The goals I have for the business are to grow from a £6-7m turnover business to a £10m one, which will justify moving the two existing facilities all under one roof.
The most useful KPIs for me are always the same: cost, quality and delivery. If you get all of those working together, the rest will fall into place.
What are your favourite tools to help you to get the job done?
I am a man who loves data, so having automated reporting and analysis helps me gauge where the business is, where it’s come from and how best to plan for the future.
Where do you see Birmingham Specialities in 5 years’ time?
Birmingham Specialities is a very strong and stable company that has grown steadily over the years to make it what it is today. I’d like to think that within five years, we will have grown either organically or through acquisition and be planning to move into one building.
Do you have any advice for people seeking a career in the manufacturing industry?
I’ve been very fortunate to have such a great career in manufacturing by starting as an apprentice and I would highly recommend the same to anyone.
Having a hands-on background and the opportunity to work in all departments of a business has given me the experience needed to progress my career and made me who I am today.
How Can Birmingham Specialities Help You?
We hope you enjoyed reading about and getting to know our new Managing Director, Scott Mawby.
If you have any further questions or would like to find out more about our products, capabilities and qualities, please don’t hesitate to contact us today by emailing sales@bhamspec.co.uk or calling +44 (0)121 356 5026.
