About the Business
Midland Lead has supplied recycled lead to customers all over the world for over 40 years. Their manufacturing plant in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, combines global scale with a family-run culture which puts their customers and team at the heart of everything they do. Midland Lead has around 50 employees, and has won several awards for people development, including regional winners of the ‘People and Work Business of the Year’ category at the British Chambers of Commerce Awards.
The company is dedicated to sustainable manufacturing, and prioritising its environmental responsibility. Team Midland Lead were honoured to be recognised with a King’s Award for Sustainability in 2024.
Challenges Faced
Francoise Derksen and Boudewijn Tuinenburg, owners of Midland Lead, were keen to connect with other manufacturers in the region to discuss common opportunities and challenges. Boudewijn comments: “We’re a progressive company with a history of continuous improvement and are proud of the impact we’ve made with staff development and sustainability. But we know there’s always more we can do and more we can learn. In addition to best practice sharing, EMMN provides an important forum for discussing challenges that many manufacturers face – things like skills shortages, production efficiencies and increasing energy costs.”
The solution and Impact
Francoise and Boudewijn joined EMMN in 2023 and have actively engaged in forums and meetings to connect with other like-minded manufacturers. At an EMMN bi-monthly breakfast meeting in 2024, Francoise presented the HR journey that led to Midland Lead being accredited as an ‘Employer of Choice’. Midland Lead has collaborated with fellow members Kompelec, who offered valuable support on electrical maintenance, and Devtank, who shared their expertise in energy monitoring.
Learning more about lean manufacturing is also an ongoing priority for Midland Lead, and EMMN enabled a useful discussion with EMMN member Aquabox on this topic. Francoise, along with colleague Charlotte (Operations Excellence Manager at Midland Lead) have also been following the Lean Manufacturing Programme from East Midlands Chamber after learning about this course via EMMN.
Midland Lead continues to make the most of the connections and inspiration created through EMMN. One particularly valuable connection has been with Rob Barlow of TDP, a fellow EMMN member and former King’s Award for Enterprise winner. Rob’s journey and achievements have been a source of inspiration for the Midland Lead team, and it was his encouragement that led the company to apply for the King’s Award for Sustainability in 2024.
Inspired by TDP’s collaboration with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, which focused on re-wilding areas of its manufacturing site, Midland Lead is now actively exploring how they can apply similar sustainable practices to their own site.
Showcasing Success
and Building Connections through East Midlands Chamber
Beyond EMMN meetings, Midland Lead has engaged with a range of Chamber-led initiatives and events to support their growth and innovation goals. These include:
Attending the Energy Reduction Workshop at Toyota and the Sustainability Conference, both of which provided practical insights into reducing environmental impact and improving operational efficiency.
Exploring the digital future through AI workshops, the AI & Digital Marketing Conference, and a Business Process Automation session, all of which have helped the business better understand emerging technologies and how they can be applied within their operations.
“Like many business owners, we’re often ‘head down’, immersed in the daily challenges of our work. But we recognise it’s important to take time out to network and be inspired by the journeys of other local manufacturers. EMMN is an important forum for making that happen. The quarterly breakfast networking meetings are focused, productive, and a great way to connect with other manufacturers in the region.”
Francoise Derksen
Managing Director