Ten MSc Supply Chain Management & Logistics students from Leeds Beckett University made the short trip to visit cooling specialist Airedale International Air Conditioning on Wednesday 24 May for a best practice manufacturing seminar

The Masters students attended the site in Rawdon with Course Director Dr Alfred Chinta. As part of their course they are required to visit a working manufacturing site to see some of the practical sides of supply chain management.

Airedale’s new 23,000m2 facility was the perfect environment for the seminar delivered by Airedale’s Manufacturing Manager, Simon Scott and Purchasing Manager, Chris Coates.

They explained what is important for Airedale in terms of production operations including process improvement techniques, the impact of Brexit, dealing with potential issues in raw material procurement and logistics priorities.

Dr Chinta and the students were then led on a factory tour of the production area where inputs from procurement, logistics and operations can be witnessed first-hand.

Dr Chinta commented, “It’s important for us to come out of the University premises to see supply chain management in practice and prepare the students for an environment where they will be working in the future.”

Chris Coates, Purchasing Manager at Airedale added, “It was a pleasure to host the visit and highlight how Airedale manages its complex supply chain and procurement processes, we hope this insight will give the students a practical understanding of day-to-day operations of a modern-day manufacturing business.”

Airedale has many links with local schools, colleges and universities in the Leeds City Region. These include Engineering Apprenticeships with the Leeds College of Building & Leeds City College. Airedale also works with both major Universities in Leeds.

You can take your own 360° Virtual Tour of Airedale’s manufacturing facilities using the link below.

Link to 360° Virtual Tour >>