On Monday 18th November, Xtrac hosted the Autumn 2024 MiddleGround Capital bootcamp at our Thatcham facility. This initiative brought together 14 delegates from eight of MiddleGround’s portfolio companies, along with participants from MGC’s Amsterdam office, for an intensive week focused on strengthening our understanding of key business and operational concepts.

The group included representatives from a range of companies within the MiddleGround portfolio, such as Helix, Castle Metals, IT8, DURA Automotive, PVI Holdings, Stemmer Imaging, and Race Winning Brands, as well as experts from MiddleGround and Banner Consulting, in addition to six Xtrac employees.

There were three teams, each assigned to a different section of our factory: the grinding shaft cell, the ratio cell, and turning & milling. Their week began with a mix of theoretical and simulation training at an off-site location, before arriving at Xtrac to begin the hands-on projects.

During the week, the teams ‘deep-dived’ into data collection and process analysis. Using the tools and methodologies introduced in the training session, they worked to visualise the current state of operations, identify bottlenecks, and develop ideas for continuous improvement.

The result of their hard work came on Friday morning, when they presented their findings and improvement proposals to Xtrac and MiddleGround executives, Stephen Lane, and Christian Kellner.

The week not only provided valuable learning opportunities but also promoted collaboration, innovation, and problem-solving, reinforcing our commitment to continuous improvement and growth through knowledge-sharing.