This week we're taking a closer look at Milliken, a global business with a local base right here in Bury. Milliken is a world-leading company in the automotive airbag market.

In November last year Milliken sponsored the Made in Bury Business Awards, when they were Commended in the Environmental Impact award and Highly Commended in the Manufacturing and Engineering award. This is a fantastic achievement for Milliken, a business that continues to be at the forefront of innovation when it comes to car safety.

Milliken European Airbag Products and the Wellington Mill, Bury

Built in the Lancashire heartlands of the industrial revolution in 1864, the Wellington Mill has always been a textile plant. Products and processes have advanced from traditional cotton processing to modern man-made fibres, the application of chemical coatings to fabric rolls and industrial laser part profile cutting.

In 2014, the Wellington Mill will celebrate 150 years of industry, 50 of those years under the ownership of Milliken & Company. Today, Milliken manufactures safety critical airbag fabric for automotive vehicles and is proud to demonstrate to all visitors how they have transformed a traditional textile mill into a world class manufacturing operation.

It is in Milliken & Companys DNA to improve, and whether it is applying deep science, unique insights or innovative designs to processes and products, the company strives to be the best. Their goal in manufacturing is not simply maintaining high operational performance levels but continuously improving them.

Over the last two years, Millikens airbag business at the Wellington Mill has competed for a number of awards with the view of testing itself externally against the best businesses in the UK and to drive its continuous improvement program.

Winning the 2013 World Class Manufacturing award and performing so well in the Made in Bury Business Awards was, without doubt, the pinnacle of this process and would not have been possible without an educated and engaged workforce, robust processes and a desire to improve. Everyone within the business is delighted to have been recognised in this way.