Operational Case Study
TEST Manufacturing
Year
2019
Ref
TM/2019/01
Situation
TEST had grown from a 12-person workshop into a £22m turnover precision engineering business over 30 years, almost entirely through the force of its founder. By 2022 the business was under pressure from three directions at once: post-COVID supply chain disruption had exposed fragility in procurement, a key contracts manager had left taking critical client knowledge with him, and the founder — approaching 65 — had announced he would step back within 18 months. The incoming MD was a strong internal candidate who had grown up in the business, but had never held a leadership role at this scale. The board were nervous. The founder, despite his best intentions, was struggling to let go.
Mission
Conduct a rapid operational audit and deliver a clear-eyed picture of where the business was exposed. Then build a structured transition plan that would give the incoming MD a solid platform to lead from — and give the board the confidence to back him.
Over 14 weeks we worked across the shop floor, the contracts team, and the senior leadership to map what was real versus what was assumed. The output was a prioritised risk register, a set of documented processes where none had existed, and a 90-day onboarding plan for the new MD built around early wins.
Outcome
8 of 8
Critical process risks resolved
12
Processes documented
+11%
Headcount growth (12 months post)
The transition completed without disruption. The incoming MD was in the chair within 16 months of our engagement starting, and the founder moved to a non-executive role on a clear timeline both parties had agreed to. The board described it as "the smoothest thing we've done in years." Twelve months on, the business had grown headcount by 11% and secured two new long-term contracts — with the MD having led both pitches himself.