At a time when maintaining quality standards in manufacturing is more important than ever, G&P Group Holdings is stepping up to offer a service you can rely on.

G&P is a leading provider of quality management services that works closely with the automotive and aerospace industry sectors to improve quality and efficiency levels. However, talking with Geoff Cousins, Chairman of G&P Group Holdings, it is clear he doesn’t feel that description tells the whole story.

“G&P provides a full spectrum of quality management services to OEMs and suppliers to maintain quality standards, minimise disruption and increase efficiency. Just as importantly, maintaining quality protects brand reputation for our customers, many of whom we have enjoyed long-lasting relationships with,” Cousins says.

G&P Group Holdings was established in Germany in 1994. Since then, it has grown to have a key presence in a number of global markets operating at 100 manufacturing facilities, with its headquarters now in the UK. Throughout that journey, the company has been guided by one key vision.

“The business has one owner, Dino Kyriacou, and Dino is the entrepreneurial driving force behind the company,” Cousins tells us. “It dovetails well with my OEM experience heading up a prestigious car brand. Some look at us and think we’re the odd couple but frankly it works well because we have a different mix of experiences to bring to the business.”

Fixing quality first time, every time

What that mix of experiences has borne is a truly systematic approach to ensure quality levels are maintained by OEMs and suppliers throughout the manufacturing process.

Cousins adds, “Where G&P is different is that we use our award-winning Quality Excellence Model, removing disruption from customer plants, driving issues up the supply chain to eliminate issues at source.”

“Our unique selling point is professional, dedicated people working in proactive partnerships or integrated teams with clients,” he says. “They are also supported by an industry-leading proprietary IT system called QTrak that delivers real-time analytics and recording, so we can catch quality issues very quickly. Simon Francis, G&P’s quality director, and his team have been very active in developing this, demonstrating to clients or prospective clients its multiple benefits.”

Specifically, the Quality Excellence Model enables high-value manufacturing organisations to manage complex supply chains and control costs, while giving these companies on-demand access to the resources and expertise they need for both reactive and proactive management of supplier quality, together with their own in-house quality, quickly and cost-effectively.

At the heart of G&P’s Quality Excellence Model is its proprietary QTrak system. This is a sophisticated project management software tool that allows real-time analysis and identification of quality issues.

As QTrak provides instantaneous results, it allows problematic supply sources to be investigated without delay, parts contained and corrective action to be deployed to prevent further defective components from being produced.

G&P’s systematic approach to quality can be applied further afield, Cousins believes.

“Automotive is a great sector but there are ups and downs and for a while it’s been clear there’s a lot of aggressive top-down targets, and the aggressive cost targets will continue given the need for investment in electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles,” Cousins reflects. “Given you need to have electric vehicles by 2030 the pressure is on automotive now and in the future. We decided to increase the breadth and depth of our business targeting different sectors and higher skill roles.”

Automotive and aerospace had always been at the forefront in terms of product development, engineering and manufacturing, now Cousins is looking to further drive that expertise to the defence, off-highway, rail, marine and household goods sectors.

“G&P’s skills and expertise are transferable to other sectors. We moved into aerospace six years ago and we’ve also started working in defence, the industrial sector and household goods,” Cousins explains. “We’re diversifying our core automotive sector, generating more work with upskilled engineers and technicians, developing business in the aerospace sector as it comes back but also a big target for us is the rail industry where there’s going to be a lot of investment in the next ten years.”

Adapting to New Markets

G&P’s time in the automotive sector means it has built up a network of contacts and a solid reputation across several industries.

“What we have found is there are a lot of automotive quality professionals and suppliers who’ve moved into other sectors. I know a number of automotive contacts now working in household goods, a lot more have moved to aerospace and rail. They go in and bring the current operating practices with them and say to themselves ‘I know how to improve this, and I know the people who can help me’,” Cousins says.

The philosophy that G&P takes with it across all these industry sectors is that quality is not only important for businesses, businesses depend on it.

“If you don’t have good consistent levels of quality you suffer financial loss directly through inefficiency and warranty costs as they come in from customers, but also in the longer term the biggest damage is the damage to your brand and reputation,” Cousins says. “People want to trust the brand and the product they’re getting and the customer service they’re getting.”

Looking forward, G&P will continue to invest in QTrak as well as demonstrating to customers the results it delivers in enabling better quality and processes. At the same time, the company’s broad base of offices and professionals positioned around the world have proved vital during a year when travel has been deeply restricted. Having local people, speaking the local language and understanding the local culture also removes any barriers, while reducing a carbon footprint. It also ensures customers everywhere are within reach of G&P’s services as working practices evolve.

“We’re a dynamic company, led by an entrepreneur, with great experience throughout all its levels,” Cousins says. “We need governance but can make sure we do governance that helps get ideas out into action. We’re an agile company with a mix of backgrounds and the right amount of flexibility to react incredibly quickly and proactively.”