Smiths in the community

John Crane, Czech Republic

Employees and their partners attended the annual John Crane Company Ball where 30,000 Ke (£1,000) was raised in a charity raffle for a local centre which cares for disabled children. The money was used to improve facilities at the centre where employees give their support by joining them for seasonal events.

Smiths Detection, Wiesbaden, Germany

Employees from Smiths Detection, Germany annually donate approximately €3,000 to help support a local hospice near its facility in Wiesbaden. The hospice cares for the terminally ill in two units and the donation is divided equally between the children’s unit 'Baerenherz', and the adult unit, 'Advena'.

Smiths Medical Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Last year, 16 employees, drawn from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, completed a 24-hour cycle race in Munich.

For each of the 1,275 kilometres completed Smiths made a donation of €1 to the German Bone Marrow Donation Association, raising a total of €1,275. The cyclists plan to repeat this initiative in 2008.

John Crane, Brazil

For the third year running, the HR department of John Crane Brazil organised and managed a multi-disciplinary team for their charitable Christmas appeal. This project involved donations of food from employees and their families to help needy children and the elderly. Employees from each region represented by John Crane Brazil selected specific organisations to receive their donations.

Smiths Medical, St Paul, USA

Smiths Medical St Paul sponsored a Health and Wellness week for employees and organised blood drives throughout the year which provided 153 pints of blood for the local Red Cross. Funds of over $52,000 were also raised in a Juvenile Walk for Diabetes and a large supply of clothing and food was collected for a local homeless shelter for Christmas 2007.

Smiths Detection, Edgewood, MD USA

Smiths Detection in Edgewood, Maryland (USA) held a day for Breast Cancer Awareness in October 2007. Smiths bought 'pink ribbon' bagels and offered them for a $1 donation. Smiths managers matched every $5 donation from employees and provided a raffle ticket for the chance to win a prize.

There was a lunchtime group walk around the Egdewood business park, with pink balloons and a cake to celebrate the day. The local 'Race for the Cure' representative provided literature and other materials to share.

The proceeds (nearly $5,000) went to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Smiths Medical, Dublin, USA

Smiths Medical's Services Centre in Dublin, Ohio, has been supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) through 'Light the Night' since the sister of one of their employees was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma five years ago.

A 'can castle' event was organised to collect food for the Plain City Food Pantry. Four teams competed and over 1600 cans, boxes and other items, were collected. Castles were judged on size and creativity. The Customer Service Data Center won with their medieval castle made of over 700 cans, and donated the equivalent cost of their prize to the 'Toys for Tots' charity.

Employees also volunteer for 'Corporate Meals on Wheels' during their lunch breaks, delivering meals to people who can not otherwise get meals on their own.

Smiths Medical Mount Everest Study

Smiths Medical is currently developing a revolutionary breathing circuit. It was tested on Mount Everest as part of a groundbreaking medical study undertaken in collaboration with Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London and the system is undergoing clinical trials and regulatory assessments. If approved, it will for the first time enable patients with chronic breathing difficulties to stay active whilst receiving treatment, greatly improving their chances of recovery. It could prove to be a major breakthrough for patients with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

Smiths Detection USA

Smiths Detection sites in the USA take part in 'Take Your Sons & Daughters to Work', an annual national event which encourages employees to bring their children, aged six and over, to work. The children are given a tour of the facility and spend the day learning about Smiths Detection and how their parents contribute to our organisation.

This day of fun education has activities designed to demonstrate that their studies in subjects such as science, maths, english and business will better prepare them for a wide variety of jobs and the skills needed for specific professions.

Small breakout sessions are arranged with various departments. This year for example:

• Finance hosted a 'how to budget for a party' workshop.
• HR orchestrated games such as 'Safety Jeopardy' and 'Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader?' where parents and their children challenged each other.

John Crane, China

In autumn 2007, John Crane China launched a three-year scholarship project with Tianjin University, which is available to 10 full-time graduate and postgraduate students of the Chemical and Mechanical Engineering Colleges. Practical experience within John Crane is also arranged for students and Tianjin University encourages them to seek internships upon graduation.

The first Scholarship Awarding Ceremony was held in January and was attended by college faculty and visitors from other universities. Representatives from John Crane awarded the scholarships, promoted the programme, and answered questions from students keen to participate.

John Crane, Czech Republic

For the past seven years John Crane has partnered with a local high school in its 'Pathway Study Programme' which is geared towards mechanics and machinists. Students undergo their annual work experience at the John Crane factory and the best students are honoured each year after graduation. Many of the current John Crane employees graduated from this school.

The local Training and Lean Co-ordinator, Viktor Mensik, is responsible for the students on work experience and was honoured this year by the school for his hard work and dedication. John Crane used this opportunity to support the school in a joint press promotion, advertising the school's curriculum and career possibilities with John Crane.

The partnership went a stage further recently as John Crane committed to assist the high school in a special EU educational project. Employees will be co-operating with, and participating in, the process of textbook modification, applying practical and up-to-date information from the manufacturing environment, so as to share this knowledge and experience with the students.

John Crane, Egypt

John Crane in Egypt is forging an important link with the world of education through a seminar presented to an audience largely composed of students and professors from the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Faculty of Engineering at Alexandria University, considered to be one of the finest engineering colleges in Egypt.

As the most prominent supplier of sealing solutions in Egypt, John Crane was approached by the Department's professors to introduce students to the subject of sealing solutions. All 300 attendees received a CD which contained the material presented in the seminar, plus extra information on John Crane products. As a result of the seminar the University's Turbomachinery Division has begun working with John Crane to develop a sealing technology training programme.

Smiths Medical, Germany and Switzerland

Smiths Medical is running an apprenticeship programme offering nine places (five in Kirchseeon, three in Fraureuth and one in Switzerland) which are combined with practical and theoretical study at a business school. This education is completed with an examination and degree from the Chamber of Commerce.

Successful graduates are encouraged to apply for available positions within Smiths Medical.