1. NEIL THOMSON
Personal Profile
A positive, enthusiastic, resourceful, clear thinking, highly motivated manager with good communication &
presentation skills. An ability to motivate and build teams. Possesses a natural business sense and an ability to
balance business needs with individual and team needs. Results are achieved by encouraging teams and
individuals to look beyond the day to day aspects of their jobs.
Personal Details
ADDRESS : 381 Brant Road
Waddington
Lincoln
Lincolnshire
LN5 9AH
TEL : 01522 720776
MOBILE : 07886 886467
E MAIL : thomson150@btinternet.com
DATE OF BIRTH : 28th May 1964
MARITAL STATUS : Married
DEPENDANTS : 0
HEALTH : Excellent
Key Transferable Skills And Knowledge
Manufacturing/factory management (production planning, materials planning, resource planning, project planning, stock
control, HR experience etc).
Man-management and motivational skills.
KPI management.
Knowledge and experience in the introduction of LEAN (TPM, 5S, Kaizen, Changeover reduction, Waste Reduction, J.I.T,
short interval control/management).
Budgetary Control.
Training and Development.
Excellent negotiation skills.
Knowledge and experience in hygiene procedures and microbiological awareness, HACCP, validation procedures, change
control procedures, introduction of safety management systems.
Vast experience in FMCG and contract manufacturing environment where change management skills are key.
Experience in customer liaison.
Knowledge and experience of stock control systems.
Fully computer literate in all up-to-date Microsoft software.
Professional History
2006 to Present: Front Line (Shift) Manager For Walkers Snack Foods (Manufacturers and packers of Quavers
and other snacks)
Key Achievements:
Introduction of Lean and SIC (short interval control) culture to the new factory environment in 2013 to present.
Project manager for the successful implementation of lean manufacturing to multipack department in 2014/2015.
Team leader for successful project to modify steamer system to reduce clumps complaints by 50%.
Safe management of shift to achieve a record of only 4 minor accidents on shift in 2014.
Safe management on shift of full site refurbishment/machine replacement in 2013 to create a “packaging hall of the future”
Successful Management of redundancy process for my shift in relation to above project (down-sizing of 1/3 of workforce).
Development of Manufacturing technician role to become Zone owners” who lead and control each zone in productivity,
quality, safety, food safety and cost in 2014.
Successful management of team in contractual change to 24/7 operation in 2011.
20% reduction in extrusion waste in 2009 and further 10% improvement in extrusion waste in 2010.
Achievement of a Risk Management System score of 96% and 98% for 2 RMS areas under my responsibility.

2. Successful project to install new heating and cooling system in the factory.
Shutdown maintenance and cleaning procedures improved to reduce downtimefrom typically 16 hours to typically 12 hours.
99.6% Production Service Level to DC’s for supply to customers such as Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsburys.
Key Responsibilities:
Leadership of a successful packaging/process team of 34 general operatives and 7 technical/engineering staff.
Monitoring and achieving site KPI’s in relation to quality, cost, delivery, safety and waste/environment on a site which
produces 500 million packets of snacks per annum.
On time in full’ delivery (to 98.5% minimum), machine efficiencies (90% minimum)
Resource and labour planning,
Reactive and preventative maintenance for all site machinery and equipment.
Handling, warehousing and stock control, of all raw materials and finished goods on site.
Quality assurance with a right first time target of 98%.
Monitoring and achieving environmental improvement targets for water, electricity and gas usage.
Safety of operations on site.
Food safety of operations on site.
Appraisal, development, motivation & training of all staff.
Management of longer term safety on site through a safety action team.
2003 to 2006 : Operations Manager For Carefields Ltd (Contract Manufacturers and packers of Cleaning and
Sanitising products).
Key Achievements:
Carefields was turned from a loss making company into a profitable company within the first 4 months of my employment.
Huge improvement in “On time, in full” (averaging 96% as opposed to 40% prior to my employment).
Introduction and implementation of a Lean Manufacturing program (5S/Changeover reduction/Waste reduction/TPM).
100% participation from all personnel. 2004-2005 saw an annual saving in excess of £40,000 as a direct result.
Productivity improvements ranging from 18% to 300% achieved on all production lines.
Overall free-capacity within the factory has been increased by 75% allowing for the possibility of new business.
“Right first time” manufacture has increased from 55% to 95%.
Successful negotiation of new contracts and terms and conditions for factory workers.
Successful reduction in storage requirements from two sites to one through “just in time” with annual saving of £23,000.
Cost savings in chemicals and componentry supplyamounting to £39,000 without detriment to quality.
Key Responsibilities:
Management of all site operations within a contract blending and packaging facility including overall responsibility for
company profitability, cash flow and budgets, setting/monitoring site KPI’s, productivity, production planning, delivery,
safety, quality, cost.
Raw material and component supply
Achievement of best price/service from chemical and component suppliers.
Resource planning and factory stock control, warehousing and movements.
Customer liaison with respect to review of supply performance and product prices.
New Product introduction and product costing.
Appraisal, development, motivation & training of 5 managers (production, engineering, stock control, quality and H&S).
Strategic planning of the production facility.
2000 to 2003 : Process Manager (Chemical Blending Manager) For CCL Custom Manufacturing (Personal care
product blending and packaging)
Key Achievements:
50% reduction in Anti-perspirant blending time.
Down time on colour mousses reduced from average of 16 hrs per batch to 2½ hrs per batch.
15% reduction in average product changeover times.
Ongoing £60K reduction in solvent use for washouts per annum.
Automated thermal CIP system installed in 2002 in liquids blending department.
Successful Implementation of a safety management system (SMS).
Restructure of dept to ‘shift cells’ showed marked improvements in leadership, operator ownership, and clarity of tasks and
responsibilities. A marked culture change was observed.
Key Responsibilities:
Manager of chemical blend dept. in personal care blending and packing industry, responsible for provision of concentrate to
fill approx. 150 million units per annum of aerosol & liquid products including dept. budget control. (approx £350K in 2002),
Resource control/planning, appraisal, development, motivation & training of 5 supervisors and 15 operators,
waste/environmental management.
Planning/implementation of improvement projects and Lean Manufacturing techniques within the dept and factory as a
whole.
Maintenance & Improvement of GMP & hygiene standards within dept.

3. Liaison with various departments to provide seamless internal supply chain.
1997-2000 : Assistant Shift Manager/Section Manager For Hydro Agri UK (Manufacturers, blenders and
packagers of chemical fertilizers).
Key Responsibilities:
Management of blending/packaging team (9 staff + up to 6 contractors) in terms of resources, stock (£50 million),
maintenance, quality, plant optimisation, continuous improvement, safety.
Emergency advisor & site controller for off-site & onsite emergencies for a site storing 17,000 tes of Ammonia& 10,000 tes
of Nitric acid.
1995-1997 : Process Chemist for Horsell Anitec (manufacturer of lithographic printing plates)
Key Responsibilities:
Troubleshooting process engineering/chemical problems within factory
Instigation of process & production improvements and modifications
Project management & co-ordination.
Commissioning of new processes.
Project budgetary control
1987 – 1994: Development Chemist for Croda Chemicals (manufacturers of chemicals for personal care industry)
1987 : Financial Consultant For Management and Commercial Services
1986 : General Labourer For Butler Buildings
Qualifications
Diploma In Chemistry
Open University Course B784 “ The Effective Manager”
Additional Information
I enjoy cycling, walking, and weight training, and am a member and regular attendee of the local gym.
My hobbies include fishing, golf and motor-biking .
I am computer literate and skilled in the use of all recent microsoft programs.
I hold a clean, full UK driving license.