Case Studies

Client: Videojet

Since its establishment at the end of the 1960’s, with more than 275,000 systems installed worldwide, Videojet Technologies is one of the most successful suppliers of coding solutions. The company has over 2,600 employees in 26 branches across the world.

The Position: Electronic Design Engineer

After months searching for the perfect permanent candidate to fulfil a niche Digital & VHDL design role, the electronics department at Videojet began to suffer, projects were beginning to fall behind. Recommendation: A Specialist Contractor

A regular supplier of professional technology staff to Videojet, Redline had an excellent understanding of the technical and cultural aspects of the business. The first action was to set up a meeting to discuss the impact this role would have on the business and gain clarity on the finer technical details.

Redline’s recommendation was to provide professional Contractors to solve this project-related problem. It proved both time and cost effective to hire two contractors with complementary skill sets covering digital electronics, VHDL and PCle. This enabled Videojet to resume control of projects.

Total Shortlist: 6

Outcome:
2 Interviews
2 Hires
Both contractors received an extension to continue with further R&D projects

Client: Curtiss Wright

Curtiss-Wright is an industry-leading supplier of sophisticated electronics products for air, ground and naval defence.

Position: Senior Software Engineer

The main responsibilities of the role were to work closely with technical staff to understand and develop resolutions of software problems by using their expertise in design & development of embedded software.

Recommendation: Networking, Search & Selection

The Software division at the Curtiss Wright’s Letchworth site were looking for a Senior Software Engineer with experience in embedded software including a background of working in a Linux environment. I conducted a number of searches concentrating on the technical skills required for this position. This including researching competitors and understanding the markets they operate in. I researched direct competitors of Curtiss Wright and began using various search tools to identify senior level software engineers working on embedded software. I approached and attracted a talented engineer who was actively on the market and keen on Curtiss Wright.

CV’s Submitted:4
Interviews: 2
Offers & Acceptance: 1

Client: EAO
Media: Search / Networking

EAO AG, a Swiss, family-owned company founded in 1947, has developed into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality switches, keyboards, sophisticated control elements, and complete HMI control units and HMI systems.

With over 600 dedicated employees, EAO has global production and distribution network at its disposal. And with production sites in Switzerland, Germany, North America and China, as well as their 11 country sales companies and distributors in over 50 countries, they can guarantee global availability – around the world, around the clock.

The assignment was to identify and hire a UK Managing Director responsible for their in-country sales, applications and logistics operation based in West Sussex. Redline Executive Search conducted an extensive targeted search of competitor companies, identified, approached and screened potential candidates for the role and assisted throughout the interviewing process to ensure not just one, but a choice of suitable candidates.

Outcome:
12 candidates were pre-screened by Redline Executive
5 candidates were shortlisted and interviewed by EAO
2 candidates were invited to their Swiss Headquarters for final stage discussions
The first choice candidate was offered and accepted the position.

Plexus Corporation Ltd

For over 30 years, Plexus, the award-winning product realisation company, have designed and manufactured hundreds of technology products for clients worldwide. Customers benefit from their industry-leading experience, managing projects for mid-to-low volume, higher-complexity products within a range of industries including Communications, Medical, Industrial & Defence.

Position: Mechanical Design Engineer (Contract) The Deutschland Design Centre (DDC) located in Darmstadt were liaising with a number of German based recruitment companies who had not produced any suitable candidates. The Engineering Manager at the DDC contacted his counterparts in the UK to gain assistance and they immediately recommended Redline Group.

Recommendation: Europe-Wide Search

Originally the Engineering Manager had only considered local candidates. After analysing the needs of the role and the available candidate pool, Redline identified that candidate acquisition could come from 3 potential routes: the local market, UK citizens with German speaking skills or candidates with the exact skill set but non-German speaking.

Redline used its own extensive network of professional Contractors, identified and approached others, screened and shortlisted according to the skill-sets required and candidate suitability for location, rate etc and presented a shortlist of well-matched candidates.

Shortlisted: 8

4 candidates were immediately interviewed and the position was successfully appointed from the shortlist.

Positions: Engineering Manager & Operations Manager

Established over 40 years ago Thurlby Thandar Instruments has grown steadily into a respected and established developer of specialist Lab Power Supplies and Test & Measurement equipment. Operating from their headquarters in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, they design and manufacture their product range which is sold globally into a range of technology sectors..

The Challenge

With both the Operations Director and the Engineering Director approaching retirement, the business needed to undertake a dedicated Search and Selection project to identify suitable successors for both business-critical roles. The new Engineering and Operation Manager’s need to demonstrate the characteristic and capability to obtain board positions in the future.

The Process

Redline were successful in being awarded the project and initially interviewed the incumbent Directors to establish their current duties and responsibilities to develop both a job specification and a clear person criteria for the search and selection process.

An internal project team of specialists was created support each aspect of the process. Managing Consultants from the Engineering Team and Operations & Manufacturing Team oversaw an extensive search and selection phase which required the initial stage interviewing of 39 candidates around the country before refining down a shortlist of 6 per position.

Benefitting from very low levels of historic staff turnover, the management team at Thurlby Thander had comparatively little recent exposure to interviewing candidates of this seniority as well as using some of the more involved, modern interviewing and selection techniques such as competency-based interviewing.

Client: Bibby Scientific

Bibby Scientific is one of the leading designer and manufacturers of laboratory products for the worldwide scientific community.

Position: Contract Software Engineer

After completion of the software design phase, Bibby urgently required a Contract Software Engineer with specialist skills in Visual Basic 6 to support design changes and final product debug.

Timescales for candidate attraction, interview and selection were very limited and presented candidates were required to be technical specialist as there was no time for training. Bibby trusted Redline Group to source candidates within this very narrow specialism both with precision and haste.

Recommendation: Search, interview and select

Using multiple online search platforms, passive and active resourcing methods, including Redline’s extensive network, which spans back 35 years.

To shortlist only the most technically relevant candidates for client interview, Redline employed two interviewing techniques. Firstly candidates were interviewed in line with predetermined technical questions and secondly, competency based techniques. Finally, candidates were reference checked and presented to Bibby within agreed timescales.

Shortlisted: 3

Outcome:
1 Interview
1 Hire

Client: Nexans UK

Nexans UK manufacture a wide variety of cable products for the infrastructure, industrial and construction markets. One of the world leading brands in cable manufacturing, Nexans has an industrial presence in nearly 40 countries, over 23,000 employees and sales of around €6 billion a year.

Position: Business Development Manager

A Business Development Manager’s position focussed on generating new business through demand creations for the entire product offering through demand creation for the entire product offering through direct design activity with UK based Electrical Contractors, Consultants and Specifiers. A highly commercial position, which requires a candidate who is a competent sales person with an understanding of specification-led sales and the respective Cabling Technology.

Recommendation: Retained Search

Following a change in the original criteria taken during a Vacancy briefing with the decision makers within Nexans, the assignment was to identify, attract and present a shortlist of suitable candidate for this position.

The shortlist was created as a result of mapping and approaching potential candidates within similar roles in competitors, both direct and indirect, throughout the cabling industry. The successful candidate was selected from a shortlist of credible and capable candidates each of whom offered varying positive attributes. Following a robust interview process, and consultation with Redline’s Consultant regarding the suitability of the candidate both in terms of skills and cultural match, Nexans committed to making an offer to the successful candidate and the Redline Consultant ensured the offer was present professionally and concluded the search assignment successfully, maintaining regular contact with both client and candidate.

CVs Submitted: 11
Interviews: 6
Offers: 1

Client: GKN – Hybrid Power

GKN Hybrid Power specialises in the design and manufacture of composite flywheel-based energy storage systems. The company was formerly Williams Grand Prix Engineering, GKN acquired the business in 2014. GKN Hybrid Power is focussed on bringing its innovative flywheel energy storage systems to the mass transit market (electric hybrid buses, city tramways) and progressing its sports car racing projects through to further track successes. GKNHP has developed a ground breaking flywheel hybrid system, a tightly integrated electro-mechanical system that includes a high power electronic inverter, having analogue and digital subsystems.

Position: Head of Electronics

The assignment brief was to seek a high-calibre Engineer who was able to Head up the entire electronics division of the business. This person will be given the responsibility of GKNHP’s electronic and electrical output and directing development programmes to meet customer objectives. .

Recommendation: Search, Interview and Select

The position was successfully appointed from Redline’s shortlist. The candidate who gained the position was sort from within Redline’s extensive Engineering Candidate Database.

CV’s Submitted: 8

Outcome:
3 Interviews
1 offer and acceptance

Client: Panasonic

A world leading brand name in the world of electronics, with a broad and diverse range of electronic components across passive, active & electromechanical product, available through direct sales into OEMs and through a number of broadline and specialised distributors.

Position: Business Development Manager

A sales position focused on generating new business through demand creation for the entire product offering through direct design in activity and through design support with distribution channel partner. A highly commercial position, which requires a candidate who is a competent electronics engineer, as well as a sales person.

Recommendation: Search & Selection

Having discussed the job brief at length and fully understood the requirements of the client for the completion of this search and selection assignment, a shortlist was submitted and considered, but it was evident to the consultant that a pool of stronger candidates were available with a different location criteria. Therefore the suggestion was made by the Redline consultant to consider a candidate who could work from a remote location. From the second shortlist the candidate was sourced successfully.

Redline’s network of Quality Professionals, spanning more than 35 years, was the obvious and ultimately successful resourcing method. First identifying specific skills, secondly employing competency based interview techniques and finally our FREE full reference checking service to verify their experience closely matches the requirements.

CV’s Submitted:8
Interviews:4
Offers:1