With almost twenty years of experience in aerospace and defence manufacturing, Liam Robinson joins the GM Business Growth Hub’s Manufacturing Team with a reputation for delivering measurable improvements in performance, quality and culture. Having spent his career in environments where precision and safety are non‑negotiable, he brings a distinctive blend of technical rigour and people‑centred leadership to support businesses across Greater Manchester.
Liam’s Journey Into Manufacturing
Liam began his career as an engineering apprentice at a global aerospace organisation, rotating through design engineering, manufacturing, quality and supply‑chain functions. This early experience gave him a deeply integrated understanding of the whole product life-cycle while shaping his values around discipline, safety and accountability. Over the years, he progressed into senior operational leadership roles, responsible not only for output but also for mentoring teams, shaping processes and embedding continuous improvement into factory culture.
Transforming Operations Through Process Discipline
A defining example of Liam’s capability came when he stepped into a precision‑engineering environment struggling with variation and inconsistency. Operators were following their own versions of the same process, relying on personal notes and informal methods. This created variability in cycle times, quality and workflow efficiency. Liam led a complete transformation of the operation by unifying process instructions, re-organising the workspace for clarity and flow, and reinforcing lean fundamentals. The impact was immediate and quantifiable. Productivity improved by more than 30%, First Pass Yield rose by a similar margin, on‑time delivery increased from around 75% to 100%, distance travelled on the shop floor was reduced by roughly 50%, and overtime usage halved. None of these gains required capital investment; they resulted from clarity, structure and team engagement.
People‑Centred Leadership and Change
Liam’s people‑focused leadership is evident in several moments across his career. In one example, he inherited a team whose alternating shifts made attending traditional college courses nearly impossible. Rather than allowing this to limit development, he partnered with a local college to create a bespoke, shift‑friendly training programme. Twenty staff members eventually enrolled, gaining new technical skills and renewed confidence in their future. In another situation, when a factory needed to transition from one shift to two, the initial plan risked poor morale by relying solely on formal letters and notices. Liam stepped in, gathered the entire workforce, explained the rationale for the change, invited questions, and incorporated many of their suggestions into the final structure. The result was universal agreement and a smoother transition. These experiences underline his belief that meaningful change relies on communication, trust and involvement.
Helping SMEs Bridge Structure and Agility
One of Liam’s greatest strengths is his ability to translate the structured, highly regulated practices of aerospace manufacturing into practical, manageable steps for smaller manufacturers. He often compares large organisations to an oil tanker and SMEs to a speedboat - one built for scale, the other for agility. His role is to help SMEs retain their agility while adopting the systems and consistency needed to grow sustainably and meet the expectations of larger customers.
Liam also understands the pressures businesses face today: skills shortages, global competition, rising costs and tightening margins. Yet he believes local manufacturers have advantages that overseas suppliers cannot easily match. Short lead times, responsive communication and the ability to deliver bespoke or value‑added solutions remain powerful competitive strengths. He frequently encourages businesses to reassess their product portfolio and consider ways to move up the value chain, whether through additional capabilities, higher‑value variants or by tailoring existing expertise for new markets.
This approach aligns with Greater Manchester’s increasing emphasis on developing security and defence supply‑chain capability. The priorities identified at the recent Security and Defence Supply Chains Network event hosted by the Growth Company in partnership with the North West Regional Defence and Security Cluster (NWRDSC) - including certifications, capability development and understanding multi‑tier procurement - mirror the challenges Liam has helped manufacturers navigate for years, and with improved processes and clearer documentation, many local firms are closer to meeting expectations than they realise.
A Balanced Approach to Growth and Future Opportunities
For Liam, joining the GM Business Growth Hub is the natural continuation of a career dedicated to strengthening the UK’s industrial base. He is motivated by helping manufacturers modernise, grow and pursue higher‑value opportunities, particularly as new sectors emerge across Greater Manchester. He sees enormous potential in the next generation of leaders and is energised by the chance to guide them through challenges around capability, processes and diversification.
The arrival of Liam as one of the business advisors in the Manufacturing Team strengthens the Hub’s support for the region’s manufacturing community at a time of both challenge and opportunity, making him a valuable partner for any business seeking to improve performance or expand into new markets.