Business name: The Autins Group
Based: Rugby
Website: autins.co.uk
Nominated: Jim Griffin, CEO
Jim Griffin’s leadership has created unprecedented growth in the company’s 48 years. Recent initiatives include:
• Building a new £6m site, tripling production space
• £2m investment in equipment, bringing new processes in-house
• Creation of The Autins Group
Jim believes in the importance of people. The company aims to be an employer of choice, and a talent manager has been appointed to oversee staff and their personal development.
The company achieved EAL approval (the employer body for the engineering, manufacturing and building services) and their Investors in People (IIP) award for the first time. It has also been nominated for an international IIP award
Training programmes introduced include management development, level 2 NVQs in business improvement techniques, project management, education and training and health and safety.
Jim is chair of the Midlands advisory committee for GrowthAccelerator and Chair of Rugby Chamber of Commerce. Under his leadership, 2014 award wins included:
• Manufacturing Company of the Year (Made in the Midlands)
• Winners of the Game Changer category (GrowthAccelerator)
• Overall winner (GrowthAccelerator)
• One of 25 Hyper Growth companies (GrowthAccelerator study).
Jim believes the company has a responsibility to its community. It sponsors Riding for the Disabled, has three STEM ambassadors who visit local schools, and is closely involved in the Warwick Manufacturing Group Academy for Young Engineers.
