Member Article

Nifco boss named in influential leader list

North East manufacturing boss Mike Matthews has been named among the leading lights in industry in a nationally recognised roll of honour.

Mike Matthews MBE, managing director of the Eaglescliffe car parts business, which manufactures plastic components that are used in the engines, interiors and exteriors of cars made by BMW Mini, Ford, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall Opel was given Top 100 2016 status by The Manufacturer, a title that recognises the businessman’s vast contribution to the sector this year and is based on nominations from his peers.

Mr Matthews was named at a launch evening in Birmingham, with more than 300 guests from the manufacturing community in attendance. The report is published by The Manufacturer magazine every year. It was set up in 2014 to improve the image of manufacturing and provide a platform to publicly identify dynamic leaders and innovators in the industry.

In addition, Mike was highlighted as one of 20 exemplars in the report, for his exceptional contribution to the manufacturing sector as both an inspiring leader and a driver for cultural change.

The Darlington-born businessman, who has been managing director of Nifco for just under a decade, said it was a tremendous honour to be among those named.

He said: “Manufacturing is a vitally important sector for not only the North East but for UK Plc, and I am a real supporter of it, because I have seen the difference it has made to lives and indeed the economy in our area.

“It is a huge honour for me to be recognised as one of the people who is setting the pace in a sector that is seeing its star rise higher and higher on a national and international stage, and to therefore be flying the flag for something I am passionate about.”

Mr Matthews, who is president of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and vice president of the North East Automotive Alliance (NECC) was among 100 leading manufacturing representatives named in the prestigious round-up, chosen by manufacturing title The Manufacturer.

Names that made the list included Davinder Bains, managing director of Magal Cables; Mary Brady, vice president and general manager of Coty; Jordan Daykin, managing director of Gripit Fixings; Carl Perrin, director of AME; and Ewan Lloyd-Baker, chief executive of Hayward Tyler Group.

To find out more about Nifco UK, visit www.nifcoeu.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jess Ramsey .