Key appointment of Mark Thorman as operations manager as Hindley’s talent base grows at rapid pace

In a further demonstration of its dynamic investment programme, Cramlington-based electronic assembly services specialist, Hindley Circuits, has announced the appointment of Mark Thorman as operations manager.

Mark is one of a number of key appointments being made across the business by Hindley, which has also committed to ongoing investment in technology and equipment. In the last 12 months this stands at £550,000. Backed by private investors led by Andrew Lapping of Hamilton Portfolio, Hindley has already doubled in turnover in a year.

Mark will play a lead role in the planning and implementation of process improvements. With a strategic role and operating outside of the day-to-day production environment, he will make recommendations as to techniques and processes that will ensure even greater efficiency within the business as it drives forward.

Mark said: “During what is now our second trading year, we intend to make a step change in our key business processes and capability to ensure we can consistently respond to growth.”

Among his roles, Mark will work alongside quality manager, Dr David Ellis, to ensure a smooth transition from international quality standard ISO9001/2008 system to ISO9001/2015. This will be completed by July.

Mark said: “Hindley is a growing business with a clear vision and direction, I am excited at the prospect of positively influencing that. Taking a strong business model and growing it in manner that develops much greater levels of efficiency in a cost effective way, so as to give customers exactly what they need, is what I do.

“I am very process driven. If something needs to be done, it must be standardised, so allowing us to deliver the same level of quality on a consistent basis.”

Mark, 42, was previously a business systems analyst at National Oilwell Varco, based in the Team Valley, Gateshead. There, he maintained an Enterprise Requirements Planning (ERP) system and also managed process improvement. In addition, he supported other business units across the UK with their transition to new ERP systems. Earlier in his career Mark was an electronic design engineer for a multi-national business.

Richard Whitehead, chief executive officer, Hindley Circuits, said: “Initially, Mark will be non- operational. Mark has agreed to review existing practices, offer alternative methods and then implement step change in a number of areas of the business to improve our overall operational effectiveness. This will ensure that Hindley is well placed to manage our future growth. Mark has broad sector experience, is highly adaptable and we believe he will be a powerful and structured contributor to our team. His employment experience is well matched to where we are in our overall development.”