You have most likely touched one of their products without ever realising. Innovia are a global manufacturer of high-quality films for the packaging and labelling industry. Their production facility in Cumbria is an established and successful site which is a key local employer with an ever expanding orderbook. With growing production demands, Innovia faced a pressing need to develop its frontline Supervisors into effective Leaders. While Supervisors had significant technical ability, stepping into a leadership role required them to adopt a completely different mindset.

Innovia had three primary challenges which needed solving:

1. The Leadership Transition: Supervisors found it difficult to move from their long-held, hands-on roles into Shift Leadership positions. They needed to strike a better balance between maintaining camaraderie with their teams and upholding company objectives as Leaders.
2. Succession Planning and Retention: With an ageing workforce approaching retirement, Innovia needed to ensure that the years of technical expertise could be retained and transferred through high-quality leadership development.
3. Training Constraints: Supervisors were unfamiliar and sceptical of conventional training environments, preferring practical, hands-on learning methods over classroom settings. The training needed to be both accessible and directly applicable to their roles.

‘The course has helped me grow as a leader and helped the shift perform more efficiently by working as a team’

‘Already, I can see a difference in my team, and they are now working better together and more positively’

For Supervisors

Participants reported increased confidence and a greater sense of ownership in their leadership roles. They felt equipped to tackle difficult situations, communicate effectively, and balance the needs of their teams and the company.

‘The key thing I will remember are shift touch points and when to use them, i.e. speaking to each individual operator, making sure they know what I expect of them’

‘It has given me more confidence and understanding of how to deal with difficult situations or individuals’

For Teams

Teams benefited from improved communication, stronger leadership and a more cohesive working environment. The Supervisors’ new skills positively influenced morale, productivity, and team engagement. Most importantly it allowed the teams to handle the increased production demands placed on them.

‘I now take a more proactive approach and include the operators’ opinions on production matters’

‘Most issues now can be worked on straight away due to good communication between the departments’ 

For the Company

By addressing leadership challenges, Innovia has positioned itself to handle the growing market and customer demands as well as securing a robust Leadership pipeline for the future. Enhanced Leadership capabilities contributed to better staff retention, which in turn supported greater customer retention. The company is now better equipped to manage the increasing flexibility required to meet new orders in 2025 and beyond.

Innovia’s investment in its Supervisors has ensured long-term stability and strengthened its ability to maintain its position as a global leader in their industry.