Haywood Manufacturing Consultancy

Having worked for nearly 50 years in the manufacturing industry, mostly with computer systems that have helped companies manage their businesses, the time has come to work as a freelance consultant.

History

The early 1970's was the start when joining the UK Division of a U.S. Manufacturing company - Clark Equipment Ltd - manufacturers of earth-moving machinery. Whilst being a lowly computer operator spent many an hour, at the end of a short 'night shift' in the computer room, on the shop-floor helping out with building whatever was on the line from the range of these machines. A self-taught programmer (COBOL) I moved into the programming department before being invited to join a software house that had written an MRP system that it wanted to promote into the world of mini-computer usage as it was, at the time, only available on an IBM360 mainframe.

After 18 years with Hallmark, initially running the Bureau operation, then helping to build relationships with three different hardware suppliers and their sales teams, I was invited to join one of those three suppliers as Product Manager to introduce another MRP system into the UK.

Out of the blue another opportunity was presented to me to 'packagise' a system that had been written specifically for the needs of Nicholas Laboratories by the newly formed company that was the IT Department of Nicholas Labs. This niche pharmaceutical system needed to incorporate some 'common' ERP functionality that I was employed to help design into a product that could be taken to market.

The next move in career was following an invitation from one of the salesmen that I had supported at one of the other companies that Hallmark worked with, to join them as a Pre-Sales consultant. This provided me with four years' experience with the BPICS product from the SSA (now Infor) stable. Upon being made redundant was quickly invited to join a BPICS partner to SSA, and spent another two years with this product.

The next chapter was a slight deviation from manufacturing systems as another SSA Partner, Tradepaq Corporation - a New York headquartered company - that specialised in the production of export documents out of ERP systems and web-enabling 'green-screen' systems, wanted me to join them as pre-sales consultant for their European operation.

After nearly six years with Tradepaq, working with BPICS, Baan, JD-Edwards and Lawson ERP systems was contacted by a recruitment consultant with regard to a consultancy position at Exact Software and having worked with Exact for the last twelve years, and nearly three years beyond default retirement decided to take a break from full-time employment and am now available for freelance work.

Mike Hill, Haywood Manufacturing Consultancy
+44 (0)7809 678209 / contact@haywoodmc.com