Manufacturing

Manufacturing is at the heart of everything we do in Pilkington. It is as much about working effectively with people in order to achieve high levels of personal performance and good industrial relations, as it is about ensuring that plant and equipment operate at maximum efficiency.

The float glass process, invented by Pilkington in 1952, is now the universal worldwide process for the manufacture of flat glass. The Group has 25 float lines of its own, each of which can manufacture over 60,000 square metres of flat glass every day. Downstream from float manufacture are processing operations that produce coated, toughened and laminated products for the building industry and high quality, added value glass products for the automotive industry.

The scope of manufacturing is growing as the business strives to achieve higher levels of manufacturing performance and plant efficiency. Areas such as logistics and operational planning provide major challenges and have a significant impact on the effectiveness of manufacturing operations.

There are also roles in manufacturing engineering that are a bridge between manufacturing and engineering and focus on achieving high levels of operational performance from plant and equipment.

Although UK graduates will start their careers in the UK, there will be opportunities to work with colleagues in other countries as part of a coordinated approach to manufacturing and to participate in performance benchmarking and exchange of best practice initiatives. Major manufacturing projects can provide the chance to take part in short-term assignments outside the UK.

This experience, combined with a series of increasingly responsible jobs, allows you to make a strong personal contribution to the business and to build a sound, practical understanding of manufacturing management in readiness for your first major management role.

In addition to training in manufacturing skills and relevant process and product technologies, you will be encouraged to participate in the full range of general graduate development activities. This includes the Diploma in Management, which will help prepare you for more substantial supervisory and management roles in the future.

Please see the Vacancies page to check which functional areas we have vacancies in.

• St Helens: Building and Automotive Products
• Birmingham: Automotive Products