COBA Plastics Ltd has been awarded JLRQ status in recognition of its consistent Quality and Delivery performance as a manufacturer and supplier of automotive components to Jaguar Land Rover.

JLRQ is a ‘quality trust mark’ unique to Jaguar Land Rover initiated in 2010 to achieve consistent levels of exceptional quality from its suppliers and furthermore, to develop a culture of ‘continual improvement’ in pursuit of excellence.  JLRQ framework is built upon a set of clear fundamental quality, production and supply disciplines at manufacturing site level which have been identified by Jaguar Land Rover to accurately reflect its suppliers’ performance.

A variety of core metrics are scored, for which suppliers are expected to attain a certain mark to achieve JLRQ status.  They are subsequently assessed and reviewed on an on-going basis to drive consistent high quality and continuous improvement following the ethos, “those companies that don’t improve get left behind”.

Mr John Setchell, Senior Manager Supplier Technical Assistance at Jaguar Land Rover, recently visited COBA Plastics’ Head Office and UK manufacturing facility in Fleckney, Leicestershire to present the prestigious JLRQ certificate.

On presenting the certificate, Mr Setchell commented, “I am very pleased to present this award to COBA Plastics.  JLRQ is not given out lightly to any supplier and it should be treated as an accolade for COBA’s manufacturing site based upon capable systems.  The key challenge is for all employees to maintain and continually improve all aspects of the business in adherence with JLRQ process and procedures.”

COBA’s Operations Director, Jonathan Atkinson and Quality Manager, Gary Wyatt, accepted the award on the company’s behalf.

Speaking on behalf of COBA Plastics, Gary Wyatt says, “We are delighted to receive this accolade which underlines our total commitment to sustained excellence as a trusted supplier to Jaguar Land Rover.  The award is recognition of the continually correct deployment in all of COBA’s work sequence processes. To obtain and furthermore retain JLRQ takes a real team effort and the achievement is a superb acknowledgment to COBA’s skilled and dedicated workforce.”

COBA employees have helped the New Year get off to a fabulous start for one needy crèche in Cape Town, South Africa by donating to their Christmas Toy Appeal.   Thanks to the generosity of colleagues throughout the COBA International group of companies, a fantastic £300 was raised to buy the young children presents at SIKHULISA’S Toy Top Crèche. 

Cape Town based COBA Plastics (Pty) Ltd even managed to organise a visit by Santa, complete with ‘assistant COBA Elf’ in the shape of Mfundo (who helped with the translation), to hand out the gifts which they had wrapped for the children!

“The children were completed overawed.  They couldn’t believe their eyes when they were each given a beautifully wrapped present by a rather familiar looking Santa to take home – in fact, they have so little they didn’t even initially know how to unwrap the presents and simply held on to them in amazement,” says Quality Systems Manager - Peter Farquhar of COBA Plastics (Pty) Ltd.

The whole company joined in the spirit of the occasion which was wonderful and a huge thank you to all those who so generously donated to this cause.  As Charlene Petzer, Financial Manager - COBA Plastics (Pty) Ltd says, “Truly amazing, it will help these children more than we can ever imagine, thank you to everyone.”

There’s been much publicity about ‘Movember’ (the month formerly known as November thanks to the Movember Campaign) when even the most clean-shaven men have been sprouting moustaches to raise awareness and funds for male health, specifically prostate and other cancers that affect men.  

From celebrities to television presenters and sportsmen, everyone has been doing it for Movember. Not to be outdone, we’re pleased to say that some of our willing guys from COBA Europe and COBA Plastics decided to join the ‘tache’ growing community sporting facial hair previously unseen by their colleagues!  

In true COBA competitive spirit, they even decided to create their own teams, quite literally in a face to face contest.  Sam Elliott, Stefan Georges, Liam O’Driscoll and Gary Evans donned their whiskers for The COBA Bangers, while Colin O’Toole and Daniel George made up the modestly named COBA Hairlips.  They started on 1^st November and the photo shows the culmination of their moustache growing efforts by 30 November, some definitely a little hairier than others.  Good on them because between them they have raised just under £1000 for this cause.  An amazing amount indeed.

The funds raised in the UK support the number one and two male specific cancers - prostate and testicular cancer. The funds raised are directed to programmes run directly by Movember and men’s health partners, The Prostate Cancer Charity and the Institute of Cancer Research. For further information, visit uk.movember.com/

Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

Keith Jupp, who has previously been a Quality Engineer for COBA for last two years experienced in continuous development and customer support, now takes on the role of Project Manager (Seating).  Keith says, “I am pleased to be given this opportunity to be involved in new projects from development to delivery and with this, the satisfaction that comes with seeing a product released.”

Meanwhile former Program Engineer, Andy Lucas now fills the position of Project Manager (Technical Products) having worked for the company for some eight years.  Andy has a sound knowledge of effective engineering work-plan management, using ETF systems and MS Project plans with past project management experience. 

“I am thoroughly enjoying this new role,” says Andy.  “It is allowing me to fully utilize my core skills and knowledge which I have developed throughout my career. I am looking forward to effectively managing and launching more technically challenging products for the business.”

This restructuring is already enabling COBA’s Project Managers to work with our customers at a much earlier phase of the project to establish good working relationships and a sound understanding of customer requirements from the outset.  In short, these project management roles ensure that products are delivered to the specification and quality required, on time and to budget for optimum levels of customer satisfaction. 

While Andy and Keith still report to Nick Wood and Chris Richmond in the Sales Team, they both take responsibility for the planning and execution of all related new business in their respective ‘technical’ or ‘seating’ projects, ensuring that customer requirements are communicated to relevant COBA departments and of course, to our suppliers.    They also oversee the quality control/APQP area of each project, ETF (Engineering Trial Feasibility) forms and the manufacture of prototype parts as well as NPC (New Product Control).

Speaking on the restructuring, COBA’s European Sales Manager, Nick Wood, says: “We are already receiving positive feedback from both our automotive seating and technical product customers.  Andy and Keith’s roles as Project Managers in these fields further strengthen our capabilities to introduce larger projects into production and support our growth strategies going forwards.”