Karen’s in the Manufacturer Top 100
Everyone who has worked with our MD Karen Friendship knows she is at the top of her game. Alongside heading up our successful business, she chairs the Plymouth Manufacturers’ Group; and she still finds time to advocate for engineering careers, leading by example.
You could well call her an ‘Inspiring Leader’ – which is why we are delighted that she has been recognised as such in the Manufacturer Top 100 list for 2023.
The Manufacturer Top 100 project, run by The Manufacturer magazine, celebrates the most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing. Its aim is to showcase the exciting, well-paid and fulfilling careers that exist in the sector, inspiring young people in particular to pursue a manufacturing career.
The final Top 100 were announced at an evening celebration in Birmingham on 7th June 2023. The seven award categories included Young Pioneers, Unsung Heroes, Net Zero Heroes, Digital Transformers, Sector Activists, Innovators, and Inspiring Leaders – each category representing a key focus area of today’s manufacturing industry.
Winners were selected from hundreds of nominations, chosen because of the positive example they set for young people. Each winner had a unique story, set out in a commemorative brochure. Karen was named as one of the twenty ‘Exemplars’, so a longer interview with her was published as a special feature in the brochure.
Joe Bush, Editor of The Manufacturer and The Manufacturer Top 100 publication commented, “It’s been a pleasure talking to some of this year’s intake and our judging panel, and listening to the passion for the manufacturing industry in the UK. They say that if you find something you love doing, you’ll never work another day in your life and it’s clear that for so many, a career in manufacturing means so much more than a job.”
For Karen, her STEM engagement statistics speak volumes. In the last 12 months she has engaged with 32 different organisations and reached 3772 participants. Evidence indeed of an inspiring leader positively influencing the next generation of manufacturing stars.
Karen used the opportunity, as always, to promote Plymouth. “Plymouth is one of the best-kept manufacturing secrets; we’re a little cluster down here of fantastic, innovative, forward-thinking companies.”