Dennis Kent is best known in the industry for transforming Leicester-based Carlton Laser Services from a loss making business with just fifteen workers into a profitable venture employing five times that number, with high profile contracts throughout the UK and Western Europe. He is also a former president of the East Midlands and Mid-Anglia branch of the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF).
Now, having sold Carlton to an MBO team, Mr Kent is eager for a new challenge and has taken on the top job at the West Bromwich-based Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM). He admits however, that the move wasn't part of a grand plan, even though he has been a CBM member for six years and also represented the sheetmetal sector on its executive board.
“I'm involved with several organisations in the East Midlands, developing links between schools and industry, trying to attract youngsters into engineering and looking to increase the number of apprenticeship schemes. After I'd sold Carlton, I expected to do more for those groups,” he explained.
“Then, I was invited to take part in the CBM's strategic review which began after the previous chief executive retired. I've never been one to do things half heartedly so I really got stuck into the research. It made sense to ask member companies what they thought of the CBM and what more they wanted it to do for them. Then I started to talk to its own employees – from the directors down to the kitchen staff – just as I did when I first joined Carlton. My aim was to find out what made the place tick, to see if everyone's skill set was right and to judge if they worked together as a team.”
Three months later and Mr Kent had compiled a sizeable dossier of comments, suggestions and strategic options. “It became clear that we need to get closer to our customers,” he observed. We also have to raise our profile and have more of a national presence.”
Mr Kent thought his work was done – until the board then invited him to implement the strategy he had devised. “It was a bit of a surprise but I didn't think twice about accepting,” he added. “I'm passionate about manufacturing and given the economic climate it's essential that we really fight our corner so I was delighted to come on board.
“It'll take a little while before the new strategies bed in but I think we are all now heading in the same direction and it won't be long before our customers can really see the difference.”
CBM
www.britishmetalforming.com
