The Leicestershire-based family company needed Sharing in Growth’s business transformation expertise to help with internal processes and growth to enable them to win bigger and more sustainable contracts.
Founded by Walter Churchill on Christmas Day 1937, JJ Churchill (JJC) has exemplified British engineering excellence throughout its 80+ year history.
JJ Churchill employs over 160 people at its 32,000m2 Market Bosworth site, manufacturing high precision-machined parts for the aerospace, defence, diesel engine, power generation, and nuclear markets.
The challenge
The company needed to overcome its historic culture and become a long-term strategic supplier.
Despite developing a growth strategy and investing in new technology, turbulence in the diesel and power markets sent JJC into crisis-mode which put its continuous improvement plans on hold. However, with Sharing in Growth’s support, JJC increased its focus on civil aerospace and increased contracts won or retained from £19.14m to £32.98m in one year and achieved its £1m cost savings target by the end of the following year. Through partnering with Sharing in Growth returned to its growth trajectory.
THE SOLUTION
A comprehensive diagnostic identified three key strategic themes for continuous improvement: people, customers, and business development. These led to detailed plans for a total business transformation, supported by £1.1m from the Regional Growth Fund, which JJC has more than matched through the value of man-hours specifically dedicated to the growth plan.
Growth also called for capital investment. Working with Sharing in Growth, JJC has invested more than £10m to rapidly modernise: combining its experience with cutting-edge equipment and technologies. JJC also invested in its workforce.
SiG conducted a workshop in lean management skills to develop JJC’s leadership and supported employee engagement through improved visibility of mission, vision and values and training in Business Improvement Techniques NVQs. For the future, the company subscribed to the 5% club, a pledge to achieve 5% of their workforce in earn-and-learn positions which includes apprentices, sponsored students, and graduates on formalised training schemes.
The company has also undergone an operational transformation. JJC introduced seven Makino grinders and implemented a centre of excellence on their operation. This included introducing visual management or safety, people, quality, delivery and cost (SPQDC) boards to monitor key performance indicators; empowering employees by allowing them to personally track and update their unit’s progress.
THE RESULTS
The Sharing in Growth programme has allowed JJC to win bigger contracts, supplying parts to internationally-recognised aerospace companies such as Rolls- Royce, Safran, Cummins, and Siemens.
By introducing a lighthouse cell to its turbine production process, JJC has seen major improvements across the board, eliminating accidents, increasing productivity by 30% and saving over £2.7m with all customer arrears eliminated.
JJC have also achieved a near-perfect 99.7% right first time on its machined parts, with all parts being delivered on-time and in-full 100% of the time.
JJC have also increased their headcount by 19% with plans for further increases, following a £70m contract to supply turbine blades to Rolls-Royce on a 10-year programme.
“Sharing in Growth provided access to experts across a range of functions: including lean, supply chain, and strategic planning. This level of expertise would normally not be available to a company of our size and their coaching has contributed real value to our working processes and systems.”
ANDREW CHURCHILL
Executive Chairman
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