Spotlight on Godfrey Tucker of Actavis UK

10th Apr 2008

Spotlight on Godfrey Tucker, Continuous Improvement Director, Actavis UK. Actavis is a leading player in the development, manufacture, and sale of generic pharmaceuticals across the world and recently won the Manufacturer of the Year and Best Team of the Year awards at the North Devon Manufacturers Association (NDMA) awards.

1. What excites you about your day-to-day work?
Working across both manufacturing and commercial functions in Actavis means I am involved in a wide variety of improvement activities which present a broad spectrum of learning opportunities.

2. In a typical day, what is guaranteed to put a smile on your face?
Those moments when someone suddenly gets to the root of a problem and the solution becomes obvious.

3. What has been your greatest achievement in the last year?
During the year, we outsourced our finished goods distribution to DHL in Banbury. This was successfully achieved against a background of tremendous growth and numerous other major changes.

4. On a day-to-day basis, what do you find frustrating about your work?
Unnecessary bureaucracy and regulations that impede change.

5. What inspired you to work in manufacturing?
I like the practical aspect of making things (or processes), understanding how they work and solving problems when they don’t.

6. What makes your company stand out from the rest? How do you beat the competition?
Actavis has a truly committed, skilful, experienced and well-trained workforce and follows the Actavis Winning Formula, namely share a ‘challenge’ mindset, bringing a broad product line faster to market, aggressively battling costs and using global power and local know how.

7. What hopes / concerns do you have about the future of manufacturing in the UK?
Most companies are now well aware of the threat from low cost economies. Many are now realising that a good, well-run UK manufacturing operation can compete and be a significant competitive advantage to them in the marketplace.

8. What piece of advice would you give to any manufacturing newcomers?
Listen to customers and the people making the product or delivering the service. Also be obsessive about waste elimination.

9. Who is your hero?
My father who as a farmer had to resolve many problems with minimum resources. He also had an amazing ability to strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere.

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