Kenyan Student wins the West Midlands prize.

Shitsumi Anjimbi, a Kenyan student who recently completed his Masters degree in Supply Chain Management at the Technology Innovation Centre, University of Central England has been awarded the prize for ‘the best industrially relevant project’ for 2003-2004 by the West Midlands Region of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

The work-based project took place at Radshape Sheet Metal Ltd, a well-established Midlands company making specialised, low-volume engineering products. In recent years Radshape has been very proactive, establishing a supply chain development centre to co-ordinate procurement and the management of material flow through the company’s supply chain. Key to its success has been the collaboration between the company and its suppliers, identifying waste, improving communications and sharing knowledge and understanding to achieve process improvement.

Anjimbi’s project determined a formal strategy for supplier management at the company and how this should be implemented and managed. The study identified areas for improvement to Quality, Cost, Delivery and Pricing that could be achieved through closer supplier relationships.. It concluded that managing such change is a continuous process, involving its key suppliers in strategic supplier-supplier relationships.

Developing trust and commitment, although difficult to achieve, is crucial in developing leaner supply chains able to respond more quickly to changing market conditions.

All MSc students at the Technology Innovation Centre are required to undertake a project in the Logistics and Transport sector. They help identify, address and solve problems on behalf of host companies. This provides fresh eyes for the company as well as practical experience for the student. For further information please contact the Postgraduate Placements Officer at:

Technology Innovation Centre, Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG. Phone 0121 331 5400. e-mail enquiries to enquiries@tic.ac.uk