New Project Managers Strengthen COBA’s Capabilities

COBA has recently restructured its Project Management team through the promotion of two experienced employees who now both take on specific Project Manager roles with responsibility for Automotive Seating and Technical Products, the latter of which spans both automotive seals and non-automotive products. Since implementing this change, this is already proving beneficial to both COBA and our customers through greater efficiencies and improved communication taking new projects into serial production.

Keith Jupp, who has previously been a Quality Engineer for COBA for last two years experienced in continuous development and customer support, now takes on the role of Project Manager (Seating). Keith says, “I am pleased to be given this opportunity to be involved in new projects from development to delivery and with this, the satisfaction that comes with seeing a product released.

Meanwhile former Program Engineer, Andy Lucas now fills the position of Project Manager (Technical Products) having worked for the company for some eight years. Andy has a sound knowledge of effective engineering work-plan management, using ETF systems and MS Project plans with past project management experience.

“I am thoroughly enjoying this new role,” says Andy. “It is allowing me to fully utilize my core skills and knowledge which I have developed throughout my career. I am looking forward to effectively managing and launching more technically challenging products for the business.”

This restructuring is already enabling COBA’s Project Managers to work with our customers at a much earlier phase of the project to establish good working relationships and a sound understanding of customer requirements from the outset. In short, these project management roles ensure that products are delivered to the specification and quality required, on time and to budget for optimum levels of customer satisfaction.

While Andy and Keith still report to Nick Wood and Chris Richmond in the Sales Team, they both take responsibility for the planning and execution of all related new business in their respective ‘technical’ or ‘seating’ projects, ensuring that customer requirements are communicated to relevant COBA departments and of course, to our suppliers.They also oversee the quality control area of each project, ETF (Engineering Trial Feasibility) forms and the manufacture of prototype parts as well as NPC (New Product Control).

Speaking on the restructuring, COBA’s European Sales Manager, Nick Wood, says: “We are already receiving positive feedback from both our automotive seating and technical product customers. Andy and Keith’s roles as Project Managers in these fields further strengthen our capabilities to introduce larger projects into production and support our growth strategies going forwards.