Sandvik Swadlincote Plant
Coming into the Sandvik fold in May 2007, this plant is one of the Sandvik Group's most recent acquisitions. As the takeover represented the third owner in five years for the team at Swadlincote, we were expecting an air of 'here we go again' when meeting with people for the first time. In reality, we had a rather pleasant surprise..........
The Swadlincote plant is part of the Sandvik mobile screens and crushers manufacturing facilities in the UK (other plant being Ballygawley, NI) and, effectively, provides the head office function for the Sandvik Mining & Construction division in the UK.
Working with Sandvik page, plus the company's corporate website, will tell you all about the intentions and values of the company. Our purpose here is to give you an independent view as to how those values translate into the employee experience. If you're considering a career move in this direction, then we need to give you as wide a picture as possible so that you can take the right decision about finding out more about the company and it's opportunities at the Sandvik Swadlincote Plant.
As Extec Screens & Crushers, the name under which this part of the group traded since it's inception 1987, the company had grown and developed as a very successful business, becoming a key player in the world-wide market for mobile screens and crushers, used in the quarrying, mining and recycling industries.
Working with change
Over the twenty-year period, employees will have gone through a variety of change experiences; from what sounds like a somewhat 'direct' management style as a family-run business, to a shift in focus more towards output, efficiency and cost reduction to drive increased profitability, when being purchased by venture capital firm, 3I in 2004.
The takeover by Sandvik last year represented another shift in focus and, whilst virtually everyone has seen the potential of a very big-upside of being part of Sandvik, it's fair to say that when we first started our research back in October, we encountered some mixed feelings amongst the team. This is perfectly natural, of course; part of the human condition being that we don't like change!
Thrown into the mix of the acquisition by Sandvik, was the fact that Fintec, a competitor company based in Ballygawley, Northern Ireland, had been purchased at the same time. Put yourself in the shoes of the two teams; however good it sounds in theory, that natural default is to eye-up the person covering a similar role in the 'other company' and wonder if one of you is going to have to yield!
Seeing IS believing
One of the things you pick up at the Swadlincote plant is a sense of sincerity about the kind of people who work here; such that we as an independent company don't often come across. I might put it down to is the culture of accountability that has developed over the years; it would appear that, in order to survive and thrive here, you've had to a). be resourceful b). be accountable for delivering results.
This translates into an attitude towards the new Sandvik era that I would collectively describe as:
"If that's what it's really going to be like, then of course I'm up for it..... "
Sandvik is an incredibly successful company, being either number one or number two in every market within which its two hundred group member companies operate. It came in with a very clear understanding of how and why 'the Sandvik way' has delivered success to date.
The team at Swadlincote have rightly acknowledged this, whilst retaining a strong identity with the plant's past. Sandvik as a company make a point about how the company blends the best and most relevant aspects of what it does globally, then weaves that in with what made a newly acquired company so successful in its own right, that Sandvik wanted to bring it in as part of the group. It seems to be working.
So, what's different?
From the inside: OK, so it's very early days meaning what we're writing here has to be taken as 'work in progress'. For a few of the team members we've worked with to date, change can't come (and isn't coming) quickly enough! Communication channels still need developing and, during this transitional period, some departments are still more event led than they'd like to be.
Of course, that's where bringing in extra resources (like you?) comes in.
We can say for certain, though, that resources and communications are absolutely in the process of being addressed. And for most team members, especially those with the depth and breadth of experience to appreciate the pace at which these things work, they are impressed with what they are hearing and starting to see in terms of what being a part of the Sandvik Group is going to represent.
From the outside: Researching in the open labour market, we noted a number of perceptions externally about the company which, we have to assume, are something of a hang-over from management structures or operational policies of the past. Whilst change is always difficult to pace when you're in the middle of it, anyone looking from the outside in will certainly see a very different organisation to the one that employees of even a few years ago will have experienced.
Employee Welfare & Facilities
As you'll instantly appreciate upon your first visit, the site at Swadlincote is pretty impressive. Behind the scenes, though, there were some issues. For example, we understand that the production team felt there was a lack of staff facilities. Sandvik has responded immediately with the development of additional car parking and a £3million investment in employee welfare centre, including canteen, shower facilities and a training school.
Holidays, pay and benefits
It has not been within the scope of our work as yet to comment on employee benefits. At the time of writing, improved holidays have already been announced, with news pending on steps to achieve commonality (in some cases a reduction) in working hours. Other key benefits are also currently under review with further announcements anticipated soon.
Conclusions
Because of the changes this year following the Swadlincote plant being brought into the Sandvik fold, this is going to be a developing story.
So far, the reaction from the team to becoming part of the larger company has been extremely positive and, whilst there's an inevitable reluctance from some to 'not believe it until they see it', even the most self-confessed natural cynics amongst the team members we've spoken to are starting to believe!
We are not going to claim that the company has got everything right - which employer has? Having worked with over seven hundred organisations, however, it is fair to say that we know a good one when we see one.
From what we've seen so far, Sandvik comes across as a company that is going about its business in exactly the right way, in order to build good employee and customer relationships, as well as sustainable profitability for its shareholders.
If 'Go with a winner' motivates your employer choice, Sandvik could be for you. If an employer with a social conscience and a strong sense of fair play is important to you, this company sees these matters as one of the key cornerstones of it's future success.
Finally, if you want to be part of a company that is growing significantly and creating opportunity at almost every level, now is the time to get involved.