Edijs Lukumietis, Production Manager at REID Lifting

From delivering the highest standard of REID’s products to ensuring his team are social distancing in the factory, Edijs Lukumietis, Production Manager at REID Lifting shares an insight in to his daily working life.

Working Day

I manage a highly skilled, highly motivated team of 25 working in manufacturing, welding, assembly, test and despatch. Since the Coronavirus crisis began, we’ve faced some extraordinary challenges together and I think we’ve come out stronger than ever.

From the beginning, we worked as a team to put in place all the social distancing protocols we needed to ensure that we could still work at the 2m distance required, and it’s amazing how quickly everyone has been able to adapt to the ‘new normal’.  We were already used to working at separate stations for much of the time anyway, so we’ve built on what we already knew, and I would confidently say that this would now rank amongst the safest factories in Wales.

On a day to day basis, it’s down to me and my team to get the orders manufactured on time, to REID’s precision quality standards, and out to customers. I’m really proud to say that not only have we achieved that throughout the crisis, but we’ve also been able to start planning our next big projects.

Having seen how well we can all adapt to change and how quickly we can reorganise some operations, I’m now looking at bringing in more lean manufacturing principles over the coming months, which will make us more efficient than ever. It’s obvious that none of us would have wanted this crisis, but we’ve definitely made the best of it in production and we’re looking forward with more confidence than ever.

When did you join REID Lifting?

September 2016

What was your first job?

I’m originally from Latvia and started out as an electrical engineer in the family business. Manufacturing and engineering are definitely in my blood.

What businessperson do you admire/inspires you?

Peter Jones. He’s self-driven, having started a business at 16, lost it all in his 20s, and then gone on to make millions with his straightforward, no-nonsense approach..

What is your best business achievement?

It’s definitely been the four years I’ve spent at REID. I’m proud to have been part of the team which has helped to transform what was once a relatively small, family business into a dynamic, process driven organisation with a turnover which is twice what it was when I joined.

What would you do if you weren’t in the industry?

When I retire one day, I’d love to set up a pancake shop for families to come and enjoy together.

Most useful/favourite gadget?

My phone – I’m on the move so much, it has basically replaced my laptop

Website/App you couldn’t live without?

YouTube. I like to watch documentaries on there, and it’s packed with content you can’t find anywhere else.

Favourite DESTINATION/pLACE IN THE WORLD? 

One day I’ll make it to Bora Bora!

Favourite hobby/pastime? 

Before the lockdown, I spent lots of time at the gym and learning to kickbox with my 10-year old son. I’m really looking forward to doing those things again.