West Suffolk Gala Evening

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On October 13th, Richard Bridgman, our Founder Owner had the honour of being invited by Cliff Waterman, the new leader of West Suffolk Council, to join his table as a guest at the prestigious West Suffolk Gala Evening held at the Apex. The invitation was extended in recognition of Richard’s role as the Chair of the West Suffolk Manufacturing Club. This event is a highlight in the calendar, shining a spotlight on individuals and companies that have demonstrated exceptional achievements throughout the past year.

The evening was nothing short of fantastic, featuring exquisite food and entertainment that set the stage for the much-anticipated awards ceremony. Richard’s table engaged in valuable networking opportunities around his table and beyond. The awards were hosted and presented by Becky Jago, one of the main presenters of ITV Anglia News, as shown in the photo.

Adding to the excitement, a noteworthy achievement unfolded as our valued customer Portable Space, which is run by Mark Dolman, clinched the prestigious Business of the Year Award. Interestingly, Richard had the privilege of visiting their premises earlier that day for a meeting with Mark, making the victory all the more meaningful.

A Decade of Dedication: Neil Coker’s 10-Year Milestone!

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This month (November), we proudly marked a significant milestone as Neil Coker completed a decade of unwavering commitment to our business. Neil embarked on his journey with us as a data analyst in the finance department, showcasing his talents right from the start. Recognising his capabilities, Neil quickly transitioned into various roles within the company, including Quality, Health and Safety, and Quality Management Systems.

Over the years, Neil has guided us through numerous audits, and our expectation on auditing is now higher than it ever was. Starting our BSI journey with a single accreditation, we now proudly hold four:

ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems
ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management
ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems
BS EN 1090-1:2009 + A1:2011 Execution of Steel and Aluminium Structures

Neil’s meticulous attention to detail and impeccable written communication have consistently set a high standard. He embodies the spirit of an employee who not only strives for excellence but also remains a steadfast and loyal member of our team. Interestingly, Neil is known for always apologising, even when he hasn’t put a foot wrong!

Despite the occasional ribbing Neil receives for the nature of his role, it’s crucial to acknowledge that he plays a pivotal part in maintaining a safe and compliant workplace, ensuring our continued success.

As we reflect on the past decade, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Neil for his tireless efforts, dedication, and instrumental role in navigating us through numerous customer audits, BSI audits, and HSE visits. Here’s to you, Neil – thank you for an outstanding 10 years!

New Career Opportunity – CNC Turner

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Background – Warren Services Ltd is an established and highly successful Engineering Manufacturing business based in Thetford, Norfolk.  We have a permanent opportunity for a high caliber candidate to join the machine shop.  This is an excellent opportunity to join a rapidly growing and progressive organisation at an exciting time.

Reporting to: Machining Manager

Main Duties/Responsibilities

  • CNC experience is essential
  • Setting and Programming skills
  • Must be experienced to a good level but not necessarily apprentice trained
  • Fanuc based programming would be an advantage
  • Knowledge of Fusion 360 would be an advantage
  • You will be working independently a lot of the time.

Additional Duties

  • Undertake any other reasonable management request
  • To attend staff meetings when requested
  • Work flexibly where possible to support the business when needed
  • Attend training requested by the company which is linked to the development of your job role
  • Ensure waste is kept to a minimum to benefit both the company and the environment
  • Ensure your working area is kept tidy at all times and general housekeeping maintained to assist with H&S procedures.

Legal Duties

  • Attend any Health and Safety training when required
  • Ensure full compliance with all areas of Health and Safety as per company Health and Safety policy
  • Ensure full compliance with health and safety personal protective equipment including work boots, safety glasses, ear plugs, overalls as required by legislation and set out in company health and safety procedures.

Salary-depends on experience and qualifications.

Hours of work: 6.00am-2.00pm Monday to Friday with a 10 minute paid tea break and a 20 minute paid rest break. Any additional hours over 40 will be paid at overtime rate

Benefits:

  • 40 hours per week Mon-Fri
  • 31 days holiday (incl. Bank Holidays of which 3 must be taken at the Christmas shutdown)
  • Company Pension Scheme (eligible after a qualifying period)
  • Sick pay (eligible after a qualifying period)
  • Accident/Life Insurance (eligible after a qualifying period)
  • Wellbeing Service (eligible after a qualifying period).

This job description is designed to help you in the understanding of your role and is not intended to be a definitive list of your duties as flexibility in meeting company needs is required by all employees

Please send your CV, covering letter and salary expectation to: recruitment@warrenservices.co.uk

New Career Opportunity – CNC Miller

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Background – Warren Services Ltd is an established and highly successful Engineering Manufacturing business based in Thetford, Norfolk.  We have a permanent opportunity for a high caliber candidate to join the machine shop.  This is an excellent opportunity to join a rapidly growing and progressive organisation at an exciting time.

Reporting to: Milling Supervisor

Main Duties/Responsibilities

  • CNC experience is essential
  • Setting and Programming skills
  • Must be experienced to a good level but not necessarily apprentice trained
  • Fanuc based programming would be an advantage
  • Knowledge of Fusion 360 would be an advantage
  • You will be working independently a lot of the time
  • Experience in food, oil/gas aerospace would be an advantage.

Additional Duties

  • Undertake any other reasonable management request
  • To attend staff meetings when requested
  • Work flexibly where possible to support the business when needed
  • Attend training requested by the company which is linked to the development of your job role
  • Ensure waste is kept to a minimum to benefit both the company and the environment
  • Ensure your working area is kept tidy at all times and general housekeeping maintained to assist with H&S procedures.

Legal Duties

  • Attend any Health and Safety training when required
  • Ensure full compliance with all areas of Health and Safety as per company Health and Safety policy
  • Ensure full compliance with health and safety personal protective equipment including work boots, safety glasses, ear plugs, overalls as required by legislation and set out in company health and safety procedures.

Salary-depends on experience and qualifications.

Hours of work: 6.00am-2.00pm Monday to Friday with a 10 minute paid tea break and a 20 minute paid rest break. Any additional hours over 40 will be paid at overtime rate.

Benefits

  • 31 days holiday (incl. Bank Holidays, of which 3 must be taken at the Christmas shutdown)
  • Company Pension Scheme (eligible after a qualifying period)
  • Sick pay (eligible after a qualifying period)
  • Accident/Life Insurance (eligible after a qualifying period)

This job description is designed to help you in the understanding of your role and is not intended to be a definitive list of your duties as flexibility in meeting company needs is required by all employees

Please apply in writing to Estee Ross with a covering letter and CV: recruitment@warrenservices.co.uk

Tom’s Final Farewell

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Tom recently completed his work placement here at Warren, and this is what he said as a final farewell:

“Having recently completed my work placement with Warren, I would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone for all the help, support and encouragement I have received, you have all been incredible and I will miss you all very much.
“There are some truly awesome people at Warren, who have been kind enough to share their years of expertise and wisdom with me. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in milling, and have gained so much knowledge to take back to my university studies.
“Once again thank you all very much for everything, I am very grateful to have had this opportunity.”

Tom’s parting words are a tribute to the individuals at Warren who shared their wealth of experience with him. We hope that the knowledge he has acquired helps with his future endeavours in university studies.

Aluminium for Thetford Academy

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Thetford Academy asked us to supply essential material for a special school project. With Year 8 students set to embark on an exciting endeavour, the Academy urgently required small aluminium pieces to create innovative bottle openers and stylish key fobs. The Academy recently showcased the finished articles at their recent Open Evening and they kindly provided some photos of the finished articles.

 

 

 

Chairman of Norfolk County Council Tours Warren

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On Tuesday 3rd October, Warren had the privilege of hosting a visit from Counsellor Barry Stone, the Chairman of Norfolk County Council.

Barry’s purpose for the visit was to engage in a discussion about apprenticeships and to have a tour of our facilities at Fison and Brickfields Way.

Counsellor Barry is committed to ensuring that young people receive the necessary encouragement to make informed career choices beyond the age of 16. During his visit, he expressed a keen interest in this aspect of education and career development.

Barry was very impressed by the scale and cleanliness of our factories, as well as the wide diversity of work taking place within our organisation, leaving him with a positive impression of Warren’s operations.

Inspiring the Next Generation: Our National Manufacturing Day Adventure with Local Schools

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On Thursday 28th of September, Will had the pleasure of hosting 200 primary school pupils from the following local schools:

  • Drake Primary School
  • Norwich Road Primary School
  • Admirals Primary School
  • Raleigh Primary School

This incredible event was made possible through collaboration with Breckland Council and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), as part of our support for National Manufacturing Day. We were thrilled to open our doors to these young minds, offering them an insight into the world of manufacturing.

Connecting with the community
At our company, we believe in fostering strong ties with our local community. National Manufacturing Day presented the perfect opportunity to connect with the next generation and showcase the exciting possibilities within our industry.

The Day’s Highlights
The heart of our event revolved around guided tours of both of our factories. In small, intimate groups, Will led the eager students through our manufacturing facilities, providing them with an up-close and personal look at our processes and products. It was a day filled with wonder and amazement as the students witnessed the inner workings of our operations.

Inspiring tomorrow’s innovators
Throughout the tours, Will enthusiastically shared stories of innovation and creativity, highlighting the vital role manufacturing plays in our daily lives.

The day was a resounding success, leaving us with hearts full of hope for the future. We are immensely proud to have welcomed 200 bright and curious primary school pupils from local schools.

Click the photos to view them in full size.

Special Visit from Liz Truss and Dominic Johnson: Exploring Warren’s Diverse Work

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On Friday 22nd September, we received a visit from Liz Truss, our local MP in Thetford, and Dominic Johnson, the Minister of State for Trade of the United Kingdom, at our Brickfields Site. They dedicated a considerable amount of time to explore our facilities and engage in conversations with many of our employees.

Both visitors expressed their astonishment at the wide range of work we undertake for our numerous customers. They showed particular interest in our Apprenticeship programme and eagerly questioned several of our apprentices about their reasons for coming to work at Warren.

Following the comprehensive factory tour, our gathering shifted to the meeting room, where Will and Jo Pearson joined us. Both were keen to gain insights into the challenges confronting the Government, particularly in relation to businesses across the nation. Dominic and Liz offered to help us in any way they can, for which we extend our heartfelt gratitude.

It’s not every day that a Member of the House of Lords shares their personal mobile number with you.

Unveiling the Truth About Apprenticeships – a Presentation at the Employer Networking Meeting

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In a picturesque setting at the Refectory at Norwich Cathedral, an enlightening evening unfolded this week, at the Employer Networking Meeting, hosted by Apprenticeships Norfolk. The gathering brought together local businesses keen on exploring the world of apprenticeships.

Estee Ross, our HR Director, was invited to share her experiences along with Sophie Gray from Aviva in the realm of apprenticeships. The night was fantastic, as we delved into the many facets of apprenticeships, dispelling myths and celebrating the true value they bring to both employers and apprentices alike.

As we are an SME based in Norfolk that has hired apprentices for many years, the event was a great platform for us to shed light on apprenticeship recruitment, support, and retention – areas where we consistently strive for excellence. One of the most impactful segments of her presentation was when she debunked several persistent myths surrounding apprenticeships.

Myth: “Apprenticeships are for people who don’t do well at school.”
Estee highlighted that apprenticeships are not a refuge for academic underachievers but rather a dynamic pathway to acquire practical skills, knowledge, and qualifications.

Myth: “Apprentices are only used for cheap labour.”
This misconception was swiftly dispelled as Estee emphasised the symbiotic relationship between employers and apprentices. Apprenticeships are a strategic investment, benefiting both parties as apprentices contribute meaningfully to the workforce while honing their skills.

Myth: “Apprenticeships don’t lead to good qualifications.”
Contrary to this belief, Estee showcased how apprenticeships offer a structured framework for learning and development, culminating in valuable qualifications that enhance career prospects.

The Employer Networking Meeting was a testament to the collaborative spirit that thrives in the Norfolk business community. Through insightful discussions and shared experiences, attendees gained a deeper understanding of the pivotal role apprenticeships play in shaping a skilled and motivated workforce.

We extend our gratitude to Apprenticeships Norfolk for hosting this event and for providing a platform for open dialogue.

Attendees left the Employer Networking Meeting with a renewed commitment to fostering apprenticeships, knowing that they are a driving force behind innovation, growth, and success in the modern workforce.