Number of employees: 25,000 across 35 countries
Rexam Group annual turnover (2000): 2,724 million
HR director (Rexam Glass): Jeroen Elfers
You may not have heard of Rexam but you will have definitely had your hands on their products. The company, which ranks as world number five for consumer packaging, is the worlds number one producer of drink cans. It has 140 businesses and a customer base that includes brands such as Unilever, Proctor & Gamble, Heineken, Coca-Cola and LOral.
Rexam, founded as Bowater in 1881, has grown and successfully managed numerous changes, particularly over the past three years, culminating in a takeover of American National Can last year. The changes have spurred the company to set up a system to focus on recruiting, developing and retaining the firms best people.
When he joined the firm two years ago as group human resources manager, Jeroen Elfers (who has since been appointed sector HR director of Rexam Glass) recognised a need for a framework to achieve the latter and subsequently worked with Ashridge Management College to design training courses for managers at different stages of development.
A chance to advise the board on better ways to work
Employees have to compete for places on the Rexam Horizon programme. Staff can be sent to any of Rexams 140 businesses to deconstruct the company and advise the board on better ways to work.
Theres a graduate programme, an introduction to management programme, and an advanced management programme (AMP) which takes in 10 employees who are considered the cream of the crop. Individuals can either work their way up the programme levels or, if seen as having high potential, can go straight in at a higher stage.
Elfers says that although the core firm [Bowater] has been around for over a century, it has undergone such transformation that it needs to be approached as if it is a relatively new company. Its difficult to keep managers up to speed. To do that, we wanted to share that with the different generations of leaders in the organisation. We also wanted to retain the best we have.
As Rexam used to operate as a decentralised business, Elfers says the Horizon programme, which brings together members of the five business sectors, was significant as they didnt know what people would come back with. When he started it two years ago, Elfers says he spent 60% of his time on the internal marketing of the concept.
Managers from the five sectors learn from each other
Bob Stilliard, director of executive education at Ashridge, says managers from five sectors of the company, based in different countries, learn a significant amount from each other in terms of technology and skills on the AMP.
They saw that problems exist outside their own area and had the chance to network, which was absolutely crucial. From Rexams point of view, one of the key aspects was retaining staff. The AMP was, for many of them, pretty new.
There had been a dearth of management development activity so they came to it with a feeling of being chosen being one of the anointed ones.
Last year, a real-time strategic business project was introduced. Managers had to identify problems that they may have previously resorted to external consultants for.
Participants had to use real budgets and tackle issues to encourage fresh thinking among board members.