Manufacturers Go Lean as Toyota experts headline Ballymena’s First Lean Leadership summit

Wednesday 17 June 2026

The flagship event, delivered in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, brought together global expertise and local industry leaders to explore how lean principles can drive productivity, innovation and sustainable growth.

Delegates heard keynote presentations from Julian Ball of the Toyota Lean Management Centre and Mark Hutchinson, CEO of Hutchinson Engineering. Julian shared insights into how the pioneers of the Toyota Production System maintain a culture of continuous improvement at global scale, while Mark demonstrated how the same lean principles can deliver measurable results in a local SME environment.

A panel discussion, chaired by David Greer, Operational Excellence Manager at Invest Northern Ireland brought together the keynote speakers with Paul Blahyj of the Toyota Lean Management Centre, Dwain Steele of Hampton Conservatories, and Simon McKee, Operational Excellence Coach, Invest NI. This panel of experts offered practical advice on embedding lean thinking, securing leadership commitment and fostering continuous improvement across manufacturing operations.

The summit was complemented by a two-day ‘Gemba Safari’, during which lean experts visited the factory floors of MTF member companies including Northern Regional College, Norbev, demanu, Moore Concrete and Hutchinson Engineering. The visits offered an opportunity to share best practice directly in live manufacturing settings.

Ryan Black, Director of Growth and Major Projects at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, said: “Manufacturing is the backbone of the Mid and East Antrim economy, supporting four in ten jobs across our borough. Events like this summit highlight what makes this place special – world-class expertise from Toyota alongside local firms who open their doors and share what works.

“Through our partnership with Invest Northern Ireland and the MTF Network, we are helping manufacturers change the dial on productivity and continuous improvement, while investments such as the £27 million i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre and iLab makerspace are building the infrastructure needed to keep our businesses competitive for decades to come.”

David Watson, Chair of the MTF Network, said: “Since 2018, MTF has been built on one simple idea – manufacturers learn best from other manufacturers. To welcome the Toyota Lean Management Centre team to Ballymena, alongside members who generously opened their factories for our Gemba Safari, shows just how far this network has come.

“The energy and openness shown by manufacturers throughout the summit underline the strength of the sector and demonstrate that the lean journey in this borough is only just beginning.”

David Greer, Operational Excellence Manager at Invest Northern Ireland added: “Improving productivity and competitiveness is critical for the long-term success of Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector.

“Through our Operational Excellence support, we work directly with businesses to embed lean thinking and continuous improvement at every level.

“The MTF Network plays a vital role in bringing manufacturers together to share knowledge, learn from global leaders like Toyota, and apply those insights in a practical way on the factory floor.”