MARCH 2019 COVER STORY
17
MOTORING AHEAD
A young and vibrant workforce is the secret to
success for Oxford-based electric motor and
controller manufacturer YASA, which scooped three
prizes at the 2018 Manufacturing Champions Awards
BY CHRIS BECK IMAGES DONALD MacLELLAN
Back in 2009, when Tim Woolmer
was undertaking a DPhil in electrical
engineering at Oxford University, he
could scarcely have imagined that the
lightweight electric motor technology
he developed would, in less than a
decade, transform into YASA: a highly specialised
manufacturing fi rm that employs around 150
people at a world-class factory in Oxford.
The company’s rise has been meteoric, and
YASA can now count major automotive OEMs on
its customer base (see p6), as the market moves
towards electrifi cation, as well as cutting-edge
research with Rolls-Royce into the future of electric
fl ight (https://bit.ly/2N8pCsJ).
YASA’s growth continued with the opening of
a new, state-of-the-art factory in February 2018.
At full capacity, the site will have the capability to
manufacture 100,000 motors per year, with 80%
of those destined for markets abroad. Innovation,
however, still remains at the heart of the company:
80% of the company’s IP relates to its products,
and 20% to its manufacturing processes.
Nevertheless, the crowning glory came last
December, when YASA walked away with a
staggering three trophies – at the fi rst time of
entering – at the 2018 Manufacturing Champions
Awards. First up, principal simulation engineer
Tom Hillman won the Employee-Led Innovation
Award, followed shortly after by his colleague,
materials engineer Georgie Molloy, who scooped
the prestigious Rising Star Award. The success
didn’t stop there, either, as Molloy was named the
inaugural Winner of Winners – the outstanding
entry in what was the strongest shortlist in the
fi ve-year history of the event.
Rising stars
Both Molloy and Hillman have arrived at YASA
via academia. For Molloy, though, things could
have taken a diff erent path. “I wanted to do a
job that involved maths, science and design, plus
gave me the chance to solve problems,” she says.
“There were lots of diff erent course options
I considered, including
architecture, and it took me a
while to decide, but engineering
seemed to fi t what I wanted
to do best.” Molloy eventually
chose a degree in materials
engineering at Loughborough
University. In August 2015, she
started a 12-month placement
programme at YASA. This, she
says, was invaluable: “It felt
like I learnt a lot more about
real world problems on my
placement. I’m the type of
person who’s able to learn more
from doing things than listening
and reading from a textbook, so
for me it was very benefi cial.”
Architecture’s loss was
manufacturing’s gain. After
graduating with a fi rst-class
degree, Molloy was welcomed
back to YASA, where she took
up a full-time position as a
materials engineer, and hasn’t
looked back.
As a materials engineer,
Molloy is responsible for
performing mechanical tests on
the company’s motor materials
and components, ensuring they
meet the correct specifi cations.
new bonding
processes,
bonding, laser
Since starting
and despite
her relative
inexperience,
www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
She also works on developing
including adhesive
bonding and hotdrop
processing.
at the company,
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/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk