In a prestigious ceremony last month, the Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM) named Sertec Group as its Company of the Year. Sertec, a major supplier of millions of automotive components daily, emerged victorious in a competitive field, impressing judges with its remarkable journey to excellence. The company’s notable achievements include significant productivity gains, enhanced on-time delivery performance, and a robust employee engagement strategy.
The award ceremony, held at The Grand Hotel in Birmingham, saw over 200 attendees. Sertec Group, headquartered in Coleshill and employing more than 2,200 people across ten global locations, was celebrated alongside other distinguished winners. Kayleigh Simm of KMF Precision Sheet Metal received the Apprentice of the Year award, and G-TEM secured two accolades for Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Initiative and Energy Efficiency.
G-TEM, a global leader in vehicle body structure manufacturing, was particularly commended for its dedication to ISO 45001, aimed at fostering a safer work environment. The company’s aggressive pursuit of Net Zero by 2035 includes quarterly energy audits and a significant boost in solar power capacity by 200%. These initiatives have led to a 28% reduction in emissions and a remarkable 56% increase in sales, driven by significant new business awards.
Steve Morley, President of the CBM, acknowledged the challenging environment faced by the metalforming sector, citing global conflicts, supply chain disruptions, and high inflation. Despite these hurdles, CBM members have demonstrated resilience and innovation, achieving growth in sales, exports, and investments in safety, people, and new technology.
“The winners at our Annual Dinner exemplify the determination to excel in their fields,” Morley stated. “Their commitment to raising the profile of our sector and showcasing the capabilities of UK manufacturing is truly inspiring.”
Nineteen-year-old Kayleigh Simm is a rising star in the industry, recognized as the CBM’s Apprentice of the Year. Since joining KMF Precision Sheet Metal in Newcastle-under-Lyme in 2022, Simm has made significant strides in her engineering career and actively promotes vocational learning. She has led KMF’s representation at numerous school and college career fairs and played a key role during the company’s Apprenticeship Open Day, which attracted over 140 visitors. Simm now aims to pursue a degree in Manufacturing Engineering.
Geraldine Bolton, CEO of the CBM, praised Simm’s achievements, stating, “Having a female engineer win the Apprentice of the Year title is fantastic and will undoubtedly inspire more girls to enter our sector.”
Bolton also highlighted the broader significance of the Annual Dinner, emphasizing its role in celebrating the best of the UK’s metalforming sector. In addition to the awards, attendees enjoyed an inspirational speech by Dave Heeley OBE, known as ‘Blind Dave’ for his incredible fundraising efforts through marathons and endurance challenges.
The Confederation of British Metalforming represents over 200 UK manufacturers of fasteners, forgings, pressings, cold rolled, and sheet-metal products. This year’s awards were sponsored by Crowe UK, Greenfields Energy Group, Steel & Alloy Gonvarri Industries, and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).