Spotlight On: Phil Smith, Production Manager QHS Lead

Phil Smith, Production Manager (QHS Lead) at Terberg Matec UK

1. Hi Phil, great to speak with you. Thanks for talking to us about your time in the business. Could you tell us how long you’ve been at Terberg Matec UK and what your role is? 

My pleasure. I will have been at Terberg Matec UK for fifteen years as of this December, and as of last December I was promoted to Production Manager (QHS Lead). I originally joined the business as a New Fit Controller overseeing all of our new equipment fitments, then later became a Workshop Controller, which broadened the scope of my role to include damage and refurbishment. After progressing to become a Health and Safety representative for the business and completing a Level 3 Supervisor/Management course, I’m now very excited to be taking on my new role as Production Manager.  

2. How would you describe your role in three words? 

I would say challenging, rewarding, and supportive. I work quite collaboratively across each of our factories, so I’m supporting not only our Warrington facility but the needs of our other UK workshops too.  

3. What are some of your key responsibilities? 

Day-to-day I’m in charge of overseeing strategic production, which includes leading on and developing our weekly production plan, identifying any areas for continuous improvement, and making sure we’re always hitting our operational performance targets. I’d also say a particularly big responsibility is to ensure all our Health and Safety processes and procedures are adhered to. This can take the form of monthly inspections, policing the correct use of PPE, and reporting any workshop issues. 

4. Describe a typical day in the life of a Production Manager.    

One of the key things I do every day is manage our resources to ensure we’re fulfilling customer orders as efficiently as possible. I also work to keep our standard operational procedures and working procedures consistent with our other factories to make sure the wider business is always aligned. My role varies all of the time and can see me working on a whole array of different and interesting projects, but something that remains essential is enabling our team members to do their jobs effectively.

5. What did you do before joining Terberg Matec UK? 

Before life at Terberg Matec UK, I started off in a small firm that specialised in order picking and packing, during which time I worked my way up to become a supervisor over the course of around five years. I then moved on to a new position as a Production Operative for a manufacturing company that offered cost-effective solutions for shuttering on building sites and welding for reinforced bank vaults – a very niche area! In 2009, I moved to become a Production Planner for a block paving and concrete blocks specialist which only lasted around 10 months because I came across the chance to join Terberg Matec UK. 

6. Why did you decide to join Terberg Matec UK and what makes you want to stay? 

Before I took on the Production Planner role, I’d never worked in an office environment, so this really opened some doors for me. At Terberg Matec UK, my time is now divided between the office and the workshop, and this has provided so many opportunities for career progression. I’ve always been interested in building on and switching up my responsibilities; Terberg Matec UK has really allowed me to push my potential and explore a variety of different career paths. Importantly, I really enjoy working with the people here at Warrington. We’re a small facility, so everyone knows everyone and we all work collectively as one big team. There are new challenges every day which keeps things interesting – it’s a great place to work.  

7. What is your favourite thing about working at Terberg Matec UK? 

My favourite thing is the collective effort we all put in. We all pull together when it matters to meet deadlines and get our goals achieved. The team is also increasing in size due to the business’ recent integration announcement, so we’re excited to enjoy even greater support from our peers.  

8. What is your proudest achievement so far?  

Honestly, becoming Production Manager is the achievement I’m most proud of. I really worked hard towards attaining the role, from taking on valuable feedback to completing my Level 3 course. Knowing that our senior leadership team puts its trust in me to deliver what the business needs has given me a load of confidence, and I’m looking forward to what’s next.  

9. Do you have any specific goals or ambitions for the future of your role? 

I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to create further efficiencies and implement proven processes at Warrington by seeing what is working well across the wider business and adopting it to benefit our team. There are also big plans at Warrington and one particular project that I’m especially passionate about driving forward, so watch this space.  

10.  Final question: who are you outside of work?  

I love spending time with my family outside of work, including walking our very lively Collie/Lab/German Shepherd cross. More recently, I’ve become a self-professed Minecraft expert after playing with my son and have started getting back into weight training after a short time away from it. Quite an outdoorsy person, I’m now playing golf twice a week to get a bit of fresh air and am working on building up my handicap.