What challenge was the business or partner experiencing?
Heron Bros Ltd, a leading manufacturer of bespoke timber doors and windows since 1956, was facing the challenge of scaling its operations to meet ambitious growth objectives while maintaining quality and operational efficiency. With increasing demand across residential and commercial sectors in Great Britain, the company sought to improve production performance, enhance management capabilities, and instill a culture of continuous improvement—all without significantly increasing headcount.
What solution did Ulster University propose?
Ulster University partnered with Heron Bros Ltd through a Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (MKTP), with Professor Trevor Cadden serving as the lead academic. The MKTP brought together a cross-faculty academic team, including Professor Ronan McIvor and Professor Wesley McKnight, to embed modern management practices, operational excellence, and Industry 4.0 techniques into Heron Bro’s operations.
Michael Bell, the KTP Associate, played a pivotal role in implementing strategies that focused on lean manufacturing, business intelligence, and performance optimisation. This structured, government-backed collaboration leveraged academic knowledge to tackle real-world industry challenges—demonstrating the essence of powering innovation through collaboration.
What was the impact of the solution?
The results were transformational. Heron Bros Ltd experienced a significant increase in sales, market share, and profitability—all while maintaining the same staffing levels.
Beyond financial growth, the partnership catalyzed a cultural shift within the organization. Operational metrics improved, lean principles became embedded in the company’s processes, and a philosophy of continuous improvement now underpins Heron Bro’s long-term strategic vision.
The MKTP also delivered mutual benefits: the associate developed professionally and personally, and the academic team gained valuable insights for future research and teaching. As Professor Cadden noted, the project will make a strong contribution to a research impact case study—showcasing how collaboration can drive tangible change.