28 October 2013
Dundee University Partnership with Tayside Contracts shortlisted for UK KTP Award
A collaboration between the University of Dundee and Tayside Contracts focusing on the concept of "lean thinking" has been shortlisted for the UK Best Knowledge Transfer Partnership award.
"Lean thinking" is a concept first introduced by Toyota in the 1950s that looks at ways of eliminating waste in the production process to deliver the best value for the customer.
The University has expertise in how lean thinking can be applied to the construction and engineering sectors, including to businesses such as Tayside Contracts, the roads maintenance, catering and cleaning commercial trading organisation of Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross Councils.
The purpose of the KTP was to embed a culture of lean thinking through various intervention and training techniques, such as a workshop programme and long-term strategy for early target areas.
Despite an adverse trading climate in the construction industry, the turnover of the Construction division within Tayside Contracts increased from £ 39.2million in 2009/10 - when the KTP began - to £ 45.8million in 2012/13.
"Knowledge transfer partnerships are very much about transferring university research and expertise to industry, so that businesses can make use of the very latest knowledge and put it into practice," said Professor Malcolm Horner, of the Division of Civil Engineering at the University.
"In this instance we have been able to share our knowledge of lean thinking, an area I have been working in for more than 20 years. We have also been able to bring in Steve Ward, an Honorary Lecturer in our School of Physics, Engineering and Mathematics, who is one of the UK's leading thinkers in the field."
Iain Waddell, Managing Director of Tayside Contracts, said, "The introduction of "lean" techniques has assisted in making us a more efficient organisation, enabling us to be best placed to respond to ongoing reductions in budgets whilst continuing to deliver high quality, cost efficient services to our customers".
The winning Partnership will receive a cheque for £ 10,000 to be shared between the partners. The finalists will attend a selection panel interview on Monday 2nd December 2013 at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, with the winning entry to be announced the following morning at a KTP Awards breakfast event.
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Roddy Isles
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University of Dundee
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