Rolls-Royce of Derby won the Aerospace Supply Chain category and was shortlisted for the overall title of Manufacturer of the Year 2004. It has developed a comprehensive set of education programmes to connect with the local community. It supports primary, secondary and universitylevel education, learning in the community and apprentice training.

Its Centre for Vocational Excellence in lean manufacturing aims to increase productivity not just within Rolls-Royce, but at other SMEs.

Birmingham-based Sertec, which scooped the Automotive Supply Chain award, established its own supply chain improvement programme to deliver improved quality, increased production and lower costs. By making employees responsible for their own performance, reliability of delivery and return on capital both rose by 7%.

Coors Brewery in Burton on Trent, which won the Logistics and Supply Chain category, has launched an imaginative joint venture with Excel to handle its distribution. Stock and demand balances are updated daily and stock-holding levels have been reduced significantly over five years.

Boots the Chemist of Nottingham won the Manufacturing Operations Award for its strategic change programme, which drove down unit costs at its D10 factory by 30% over three years.

Chairman of the judging panel Ken Hurst, group editorial director of Conquest Business Media, said: "The sheer scale of the commitment to improvement in all areas shown by the finalists is a shining example to all manufacturers. The only way companies can survive and thrive is by examining every facet of their business and identifying areas for development."

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