Celebrating 30 years of S A Partners

We are 30 years old and we are celebrating just how far we have come.. from our early years as a spin-out from Cardiff University’s Lean Enterprise Research Centre (LERC) our founders Peter Hines & Paul Morris founded a company that now has a global team and offices in the UK, Ireland, Germany, the USA, and Australia.

One thing that has endured over the years is a sense of camaraderie, friendship, and fun.  We asked the team for some of their best memories, which were far-reaching and included:

• Recording the ‘Lean inspired’ Beatles covers in a studio. The evidence of which has recently been uncovered. (enjoy at your own risk)

• Robin Jaques being interviewed for ITV for the HSBC Business Awards

• Video filming ranked highly in people’s memories, from recording our team sharing insights into OEE – only to realise several years later that the numbers didn’t add up, Jeff Williams bloopers, and another Partner on a stepper explaining utilisation.
• Quite a few of the team hold the annual get together in Tenby as a powerful memory, apparently, it snowed and there were a lot of other moments that can’t be mentioned here.
• Conquering the three peaks challenge in the worst weather known to man
• Supporting VALE in their Shingo challenge and seeing them win the Shingo Silver Medallion
• Seeing our models and materials proudly included in the M&S Supplier Guide.
• A Lean workshop in Llandudno with Status Quo practicing next door
• Coaching teams without words in Clarecastle
• Breaking an antique chair at Peter’s house – we weren’t invited back!

We were initially called the Supplier Association Partnership – our name may have changed but our purpose has remained steadfast – we exist to support organisations on their journey to excellence.

Jeff Williams recalls his early days…

“When I joined in 1999, we had 1 laptop and an overhead projector that we used for our black and white slides. I remember dropping the slides in a puddle once and all the ink running and then had to use them to present a workshop”

One common theme in everyone’s reflections is some absolutely hilarious, but mostly unprintable travel memoirs, we’d love to share – maybe we should create a new book called Travels with a Consultant!

Together, the Power to Improve has been our motto for decades. It’s who we are at heart. We love working with our customers, colleagues, associates, and partners to move the dial on our customer’s journey toward enterprise excellence.

Thanking all those that have supported us on our journey would take us another 30 years, but we will reach out and try. We are looking forward to another great thirty years of continued growth and prosperity but, most importantly, we are committed to building an organization that makes a positive impact on all those that it comes into contact with.

Looking forward to the next 30 years!