Richard Firmstone

​Choosing a career with GKN can turn your ambitions into reality, as Richard Firmstone’s experience clearly demonstrates. He joined the company as a production operative and today is Plant Manager at the Telford manufacturing facility.

Richard first came to GKN in 1994 and initially worked at GKN Autostructures. His skills were quickly recognised and he soon progressed to become a Team Leader and then a Manufacturing Controller. After just three years, he was promoted to a production management role with responsibility for production, quality control and delivery.

He subsequently moved to project management, working on new product Introduction and a restructuring project reorganising the whole Autostructures business into value streams. A year on secondment to the Midlands Productivity Alliance - which focuses on enhancing companies’ overall productivity - saw him working on continuous improvement initiatives before being appointed Operations Manager for Chassis Systems.

He was appointed Plant Manager at GKN Wheels at the end of 2011.

He won the company’s Global Recognition Award for his achievements in the same year and is currently also studying for an MBA.

Says Richard: “It’s been an exciting and very fulfilling journey from production operative to senior management. What is so great about the company is the way it nurtures talent and provides real scope for career progression. As a truly global organisation, GKN can offer a wealth of opportunity to those seeking to develop their potential to the full.”