OVER RECENT months, I have spoken to numerous manufacturers and suppliers at events including the MAKE UK National Conference and the PPMA Conference. In contrast to what’s being said in the general media, I felt an air of optimism for 2025 and beyond. My roles as Head of Sales at FANUC UK and BARA Chair allow me access to data around both UK and global automation adoption rates and, whilst we are undoubtedly behind the global average, I believe the UK is poised for a surge in automation adoption – but only if the right environment can be created by the current government.

Stability for investment

Discussions around the UK Industrial Strategy at the MAKE UK Conference confirmed that what British manufacturers need is more stability in order to start investing in capital equipment. Following the Spring Statement and changes to policy from 1 April, they are now beginning to do so.

At another recent event, held in the northeast with ten automation companies, attendees were clear that better collaboration is also needed between supply chains and end customer manufacturers. More projects would be won by UK automation suppliers if they knew who could support them within the domestic supply chain in regard to equipment or services outside of their own capability. This is one of the key aspects that Automate UK and BARA will be focusing on at Automation UK on 7-8 May at the CBS Arena in Coventry.

Manufacturer engagement in developing their supply chain will be crucial to ensuring the right application and process skills are being developed by automation suppliers; whether in automotive, food, aerospace, or warehousing and logistics. Each sector requires different skills and knowledge, and has a different risk appetite, both technically and financially.

Better understanding

The elements of a project where an automation supplier may benefit from support from the end manufacturer include specific process knowledge, regulatory guidance (particularly in medical/food/ATEX applications), as well as working together to find solutions to financial challenges (eg cash flow). It’s not uncommon for procurement/purchasing departments to take over final negotiations, which can make it difficult for suppliers to plan for longer term engagement and future projects with a business. After all, the most suitable long-term supplier may not necessarily be the cheapest, or offer the quickest delivery time. However, a supplier developed alongside your business needs will better understand you and their importance within your supplier ecosystem.

Automate UK and BARA welcome discussions with automation suppliers and end-user manufacturers on supply chain development. To share your opinions, contact bara-chair@automate-uk.com

www.automate-uk.com/our-associations/bara/

IN THIS issue's column, I intend to focus on the new technologies that are being deployed in industry right now and what trends might influence automation adoption in the coming years.

There are many global trends being reported from which we can gain insight, but which of these will solidify and show resilience in what is an ever-changing automation space remains to be seen. As reported by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), artificial intelligence and humanoids are leading the technical discussion.

While it’s clear to see that AI is becoming ever more present in our society and working practices, I believe that humanoids are some years off meeting the needs of industrial manufacturers compared with their industrial robotic counterparts, who are specifically deployed to do a certain task. While humanoids have a place in society, this is more likely to be outside of manufacturing and within the service industry.

Digital twins

One area that has been spoken about consistently over the past few years is the concept of digital twinning. Linked with IoT and Big Data, the idea of a true digital twin is being requested more at the point of equipment purchase and, interestingly, largely from SMEs that see it as part of their longer-term digitisation strategy. It’s clear that collating the right data to analyse can provide insight to help reduce waste, increase quality, reduce energy consumption and increase uptime. If a digital twin can help grow and maintain higher Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) it can therefore directly improve a business’ bottom line. The key to success in creating a digital twin is to ensure the data that matters is being collected, so it can be used to drive those future insights that will affect your business.

Other global trends that are driving automation growth are linked to challenges that we are seeing closer to home, such as the cost of energy and the drive towards sustainability. New markets including recycling, as well as existing industries like food and beverage, are looking for productivity gains and improved efficiencies. One of the biggest challenges many companies are experiencing is the skills shortage, in particular the lack of skilled employees to work in the manufacturing process (eg welders or painters). Adding to this are cultural shifts affecting who is available to work on production lines. A change in behaviour or culture of those new to work shows that fewer younger employees are willing to work on production lines with minimal opportunity for growth or development, for example in entry-level positions stacking pallets or filling boxes.

Government polices

Closer to home, we also have additional trends and government polices driving change. The forthcoming changes to National Insurance and minimum wage are having an effect on businesses’ growth strategies, prompting many to at least investigate what processes they can automate to ensure competitiveness in what’s becoming a globally aligned marketplace. Companies are beginning to turn their focus more towards operational costs (OPEX), ensuring they are running as efficiently as possible – and with the cost of people and the cost of energy two of the biggest outgoings affecting firms today, it is inevitable that these two factors are key drivers for companies developing automation strategies.

Lastly, the government’s focus on developing and delivering an Industrial Strategy is being viewed as a positive step, and we have recently seen real engagement with stakeholders who can put forward the views of the SME community. Trade associations such as BARA have engaged with government officials and other organisations like MAKE UK to help support the productivity increases desperately needed to ensure UK manufacturers keep up with European and global competition.

For more information and insights the Automation UK exhibition is being held the CBS Arena in Coventry on 7 and 8 May 2025.

www.automation-uk.co.uk

THERE ARE thousands of quotes from famous (and not so famous!) people stating that whilst you are standing still, you are actually falling behind. Whether that’s in relation to local, European or global competition, it’s my firm belief that the UK needs a wake-up call. We must start investing in our future production capability and then scale for capacity. This runs true for nearly all sectors of manufacturing, and whilst we’ve seen some level of automation, especially in those early adopter markets like automotive, we are now falling further behind our European and global competitors because of a lack of investment.

I was recently asked what three factors support a higher rate of automation adoption. I immediately looked to those companies that are already deploying best practice and answered Ambition, Culture and Skills.

Risk management

Having the ambition to automate allows for growth and company development. It proliferates goodwill around investments within a firm and supports a more open risk appetite. The risk that new technology presents to a company as an early adopter can be managed with support from the equipment supplier, as well as internally with the right training and upskilling. These de-risking and risk management processes come in different forms and require different skills.

In particular, there are three technologies or strategies that I believe will rise in value within engineering and procurement teams for future equipment adoption:

1. A wider use of VR Simulation and Analytic Tools for discrete event simulation and upfront technical de-risking. The ability to prove out the multitude of possible scenarios before production planning is invaluable, especially in high-speed production situations. Identifying potential bottlenecks prior to committing to a project is a huge win and ensures a much higher success rate when meeting OEE

2. A broader range of off-the-shelf specialised automation and robot solutions. As manufacturing sites look to move towards common solutions, there will be a shift from traditional capital purchase to more rental or leasing options that better reflect operating expenses

3. A move towards Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) vs. Payback Return on Investment (ROI). This will support longer term capability levelling with European and global competition, increasing capacity and generating value for UK GDP.

Skills development

Inspiring a culture of continuous improvement within a firm is paramount and will lead to calculated risks being taken on future production capability and capacity. However, by committing to education and skills development across their internal stakeholders, businesses will be better placed to manage these risks. From shop floor operators and maintenance and engineering teams to sales and leadership departments, it is vitally important that everyone understands automation and how it affects them and their business. A strong business rarely reduces headcount through automating; instead, they will be best placed to continue developing new products, bringing new ideas to market or winning more business.

I hope that Automate UK and BARA can help by becoming more visible to those manufacturers looking for the knowledge and best practice to improve their production. Some of the de-risking tools that will prove so useful are already in development, so keep connected with BARA and Automate UK to benefit from these throughout the coming year.

www.automate-uk.com/our-associations/bara/

IN MY first piece for CDA I have to say that I am delighted and honoured to have been elected by my peers for the post of chairperson at the British Automation and Robotics Association (BARA). I have sat on the committee for the past three years as a general member representative and have seen quite a change in how the organisation is supported by the rebranded PPMA Group, which is now Automate UK, under the steady helm of Peter Williamson. I think the passion and ambition Peter imparts to the three trade organisations under the Automate UK banner – the Processing & Packaging Machineries Association (PPMA); the British Automation & Robotics Association (BARA); the UK Industrial Vision Association (UKIVA) – is very exciting, and positive for the industry.

My ambition within the role is to strategically align and deliver value to the membership and all the other stakeholders that the association supports. The new support structure put in place by Automate UK helps dramatically, and we have already taken big steps in the past two years with the delivery of the Automation UK tradeshow, which has gone from strength to strength and will again grow next year.

Common value

When we think about the value a trade organisation can deliver for its members it is sometimes difficult to appease everyone. We count large OEMs, small SMEs, dealers and equipment suppliers, among our members, in addition to education, and Catapult engagement entities. With such a broad selection of those engaging with UK manufacturers in different ways, I hope we can unite those parties through the association and find common value in the way we all work to increase the adoption of robotics and automation in UK manufacturing.

A common thread in most discussions I have with my customers, and within the panel discussions I engage in for Automate UK is the fact that the UK falls some way behind our competition in Europe, and globally, in terms of the number of robots adopted into manufacturing processes. Currently, we sit in the top 12 nations globally for manufacturing output (MAKE UK), but down at 23rd for robotics density within manufacturing (IFR, 2024).

There are many reasons for this disparity but I hope to see, that while we are behind the curve now, UK manufacturers soon looking to capitalise on the benefits automation and robotics will give them. Higher productivity, higher quality, and supporting workforce challenges are some that I am sure will drive growth over the coming years.

I hope that by strategically supporting our members and becoming more visible to those manufacturers looking for the knowledge and best practice to improve their production, we can help. There are going to be many ways we can do that, and in future submissions to CDA I’ll look to outline those in more detail. Whether it be business case development, de-risking methods, workforce upskilling or finding a supplier, I’ll try and cover it!

www.automate-uk.com/our-associations/bara/

Part of Automate UK, BARA’s remit is to promote and support the development and adoption of industrial robots and automation in the UK, providing a voice to government, industry and academia. With more than 20 years’ experience, Selby is a longstanding and vocal supporter of the UK automation sector, and of manufacturing more widely. In his role as Chair, he plans to drive the association’s activities forward, supporting BARA’s aim to increase automation uptake while placing members’ needs firmly front and centre.

Peter Williamson, CEO of Automate UK, says: “Oliver is an influential voice within the industry, his passion for all things manufacturing, automation adoption and future skills, will be a key factor in developing BARA alongside the existing committee, and with the full support of Automate UK.”

Increasing automation uptake

One of Selby’s key pledges is to ensure the association delivers real value to its members. “I am excited to bring my knowledge, influence and passion for automation to a wider audience, and will be fully focused on delivering value to all facets of the BARA membership and other stakeholders – from OEM robot manufacturers and system integrators to companies in the supply chain, academic institutions and High Value Manufacturing Catapults,” he states.

“It has been widely reported that, despite our status as a leading manufacturing nation, the UK is still lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to automation adoption. Communicating the myriad benefits that automation can bring, including through events such as Automation UK (7-8 May 2025, CBS Arena, Coventry) is key to increasing uptake. It is essential that we highlight how automation can alleviate manufacturers’ key challenges by helping to mitigate labour shortages, increase productivity, boost sustainability credentials, and cut operational costs.”

Supporting UK manufacturers

Selby continues: “However, it is also important to understand the challenges that manufacturers – particular SMEs – are facing. At BARA, we will strive to offer the right tools to manufacturers of all sizes, to ensure they can make the right automation choice for their business, with the right partners, and with the right technology, to futureproof their manufacturing operations as risk-free as possible.”

www.fanuc.eu/uk/en

www.automate-uk.com/our-associations/bara/

THIS IS the article that I have been dreading… Before I get into why, I need to ask where have the last three years as BARA Chair gone? As with most business endeavours I had such big plans, some of which have been realised, some are still in progress and some just weren’t possible to achieve.

In my opinion, one of our greatest achievements during my tenure as BARA Chair was the creation of the Automation UK exhibition, which had its inaugural event in 2023. Having attended both years of the event, I personally think that it feels like no other event that I have attended. Could there have been a higher footfall? Maybe… That being said, the people that attended were all looking for solutions for specific manufacturing challenges. The show attendance has grown in the second year when compared to the first year, and the show doubled its footprint at the same time. For 2025, the Machine Vision Conference will also fall under the banner of Automation UK, which we think will benefit both Automation UK and MVC as vision and automation work hand in glove.

We have also continued to develop the format for our BARA Roundtable events, which have predominately been held as online webinars. We did hold a Live Roundtable at Automation UK back in June, which was such a resounding success, we are repeating it on 25 September at the PPMA show. The panel all agreed that it was such a broad and important topic, that we all could have spoken for hours on the subject.

Handing over the reins

So, if you haven’t guessed it by now, my time as BARA Chair is at its end. On 1 October, I will hand over the reins to Oliver Selby, who is also the Head of Sales for Fanuc UK. I have known Oliver for quite a while and can safely say that he will do an outstanding job and will drive the Association forward with his unwavering drive and passion for Robotics and Automation. I know that he will want to introduce himself properly in his first article, so I will leave that bit to him. I will say that, like me, he thinks that the key to making our economy stronger is reliant on making our manufacturing sectors more efficient and cost effective on the global stage. The key to this is to automate more of the Dull, Dirty and Dangerous applications, which in turn will assist in enabling UK Companies to reshore their manufacturing and in turn creating more jobs.

We all know that there is a skills shortage here in the UK, and I know that Oliver is passionate about how we could potentially achieve this. Again, I do not want to pre-empt anything he may or may not promote, so I’ll fade quietly into the background – to some extent anyway. Don’t worry, I’m still going to be on the Council and hope to be able to take part in Roundtable discussions in the future. If you’re around PPMA 2024 or Automation UK 2025, I’m sure I’ll be found somewhere around the events.

I guess the only thing left is for me to thank you for reading my mad ramblings over the last three years. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my opinions and hopefully get you to think more about how automation can help your business grow, become more efficient and most importantly become more sustainable for the good of us all.

www.automate-uk.com/our-associations/bara

I RECENTLY gave a presentation on how automation can help us collectively achieve our sustainability targets. We’ve all heard the arguments for and against any given product or way of life, and it depends on which piece of research that you read as to what is the largest contributor to the environmental changes that we are seeing. I think it is safe to say that we would all agree that we need to implement some changes to save our beloved Mother Earth!

We all know that automation has well defined benefits such as better utilisation of space and energy, improved productivity, increased efficiency, improved utilisation and flexibility, better utilisation of staff, consistent quality, less waste, as well as the Health & Safety benefits as a result of the reduction of manual handling. These same benefits could also be directly linked to sustainability as they help to reduce waste.

Automation strategy

By implementing an automation strategy, we can collectively improve the UK’s overall competitiveness and productivity. Once we improve these, the draw to lower cost manufacturing countries would not be as financially attractive. Once we collectively have the automation strategy in motion, we can collectively use automation as the key enabler for companies to begin reshoring their manufacturing processes back to the UK. By reshoring, we can begin to become less reliant on long supply chains. I hope you would agree that if a company needed a part shipment of an order, they could just pick up the phone and arrange it with a supplier on more or less the same time zone!

There is another HUGE benefit for Reshoring, which has a key environmental positive. This benefit is the reduction of container ships traversing the world’s oceans.  As part of my research, I was astounded to learn that there are over 90,000 cargo ships currently in the global fleet. According to an article that was published in the Guardian a few years ago, one of these cargo ships would emit the equivalent of 50 MILLION cars throughout its serviceable life. In this same article, there is a reference to the level of pollutants that these ships contribute, and that level is truly staggering. 

More UK manufacturing

Do not get me wrong, I am not suggesting for one moment that we should move everything to the UK. We should, however, be looking to reduce the number of ships bringing products from far flung destinations as much as practical and how we can manufacture MORE here in the UK. This will in turn helping our UK manufacturing companies be more competitive on the global stage. As we all know, the UK was once one of the greatest manufacturing countries in the world and we do not need to wait for the UK Government to wake up and create a manufacturing strategy. Each and every one of us can make a difference and buy locally manufactured products wherever possible.

So, in summary, automation is the key to reshoring, which is the key to growing our economy as well as saving our planet. Manufacturing the products that we want in our modern lives, should not cost us the earth. Make local, Buy local!

If you would like to start your automation journey, but don’t know where to start – I would highly recommend visiting the BARA website where we have outlined several topics under the Expert Advice section to give some initial information.  Whilst you are there, why not watch some of our previous roundtables again as there is likely to be just the information you have been searching for and register for our next roundtable discussion.

www.automate-uk.com

From showcasing the very latest innovative technologies and solutions, to providing an abundance of thought-provoking seminars where visitors can soak up the knowledge and be inspired to improve their own businesses, the wide spectrum of features in the show ensures it delivers something for everyone. The free-to-attend event also provides many great networking opportunities where visitors can both develop new contacts and build on existing contacts.

Automation UK provides a platform for automation and robotics technologies to be demonstrated throughout the hall, giving visitors a vast array of opportunities to see for themselves what can be achieved. An impressive list of well-known companies will be showcasing their cutting-edge products and services including robots, robotics systems, systems integration, automation control parts and systems, and sensor and machine safety. The leading experts from the exhibiting companies will be eager to answer questions, provide technical guidance and recommendations on the most suitable solutions for specific needs as well as highlight the advantages their solutions can bring to businesses.

Integrating these remarkable technologies offers many benefits including enhanced productivity through accelerating production, increased operational flexibility, a safer work environment, an ability to manage routine tasks efficiently, an attractive return on investment, and innovative solutions to address labour shortages. When combined, all of these benefits can deliver significant business improvements and enable the business to thrive in the future.

Throughout the two-day show, visitors will be treated to a broad range of inspiring seminar sessions delivered by the industry leading speakers. These captivating sessions will provide visitors with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to take away and digest how it can be used to deliver benefits to their business.

In between fascinating presentations, visiting numerous interesting companies showcasing their products and services, experiencing live demos, and hearing about new product launches, there are many opportunities to meet new contacts and develop existing business relationships. These can be mutually beneficial for sharing knowledge, industry insights and problem solving.

www.automation-uk.co.uk

IN ONE of my recent columns for Controls, Drives & Automation, I mentioned the relatively quick wins around the End-of-Line solutions available. I thought that perhaps I should elaborate more on how this could work in a typical manufacturing environment. I have toured countless facilities in my career where I could see several opportunities for the elimination of manual handling through the introduction of relatively simple automation. There are others that I could see more complex solutions that would completely revolutionise their production!

Push pull risks

If I use a typical food processing company as an example, ingredients are moved around the facility in either wheeled totes or perhaps using a manual pallet mover where the products are manually depalletised. If we look at this first step, there are risks associated with the pushing/pulling of the moving the product tote or pallet coupled with the bending, twisting, lifting element of the depalletising – assuming the products are in a suitable container for a single person lift of course.

In an ideal world, the transfer of the product to the area for depalletising could easily be accomplished by using an AGV/AMR, which would eliminate the risk of the push/pull action used in the manual operation. The AMR/AGV could automatically load the pallet or tote into the depalletising cell, which could then load the ingredients into the appropriate machine. If this is a bagged item, there are existing solutions that are used in the Injection Moulding Machine loading applications that could easily be modified to depalletise, cut and decant the bags and deposit the empty bag into a bin / shredder / compactor ready for recycling, which perhaps the AMR/AGV could collect the completed bale on the return journey as part of its overall mission schedule.

The decanted product would then be dosed into the production cycle in a measured and controlled manner to ensure the recipe is followed exactly.

If we assume that the AMR/AGV doesn’t always pick a recycling bale, which it wouldn’t, perhaps on the return journey it could collect a completed pallet or trolley of product to be taken to goods out. Before we get to that stage, there are several areas that could also be automated relatively easily.

Another quick win is case packing, especially if this is coupled with a case or box erector and a box closer. Not all boxes are created equal, however most box styles can be loaded into the erector and closers.

Case in point

Case packing is another relatively easy win for most companies. The operators that are putting products into boxes, generally speaking, do not add any value to this process or the product. I know it is a necessity, but it would be far better to use automation to pack the cases and use the operators to conduct more value-added operations within the business.

The next stage is obviously End-of-Line (EoL) palletising where we have very similar manual handling concerns as I mentioned earlier for depalletising. Regardless of what type of EoL solution you pick, and there are numerous options, they will undoubtedly be more efficient than manual stacking pallets. Before the AMR/AGV collects the pallets, why not use an automatic pallet wrapper to ensure the pallets are secured and protected for transport. By the way, did you know that on average, an automatic pallet wrapper will use 30% less wrap when compared to most manual application of stretch film. This is not only good for the bottom line, but also better for the environment!

www.automate-uk.com/our-associations/bara/

AS MOST of us are aware, food and drink is our largest industrial sector by a considerable margin and has both similar and different manufacturing challenges to other market sectors. One of the biggest challenges that I hear on a regular basis is the lack of suitable operatives available in the employment pool. I think those of us in the Automation industry can give a different perspective on how to solve those resourcing issues, as well as improving efficiencies and traceability at the same time.

I’m sure by now, every manufacturing company is aware of the relatively quick wins around the end-of-line solutions, however there are numerous options available throughout the manufacturing process. For example, I have lost count of the production facilities where totes were being manually filled and then pushed around to the next process, then manually emptied into the next vessel. Another way to approach this would be to use simple flow control automation to dose the product into a tote, which is then collected by an AGV/AMR and taken to the next process where again we use simple automation to automatically decant into the same vessel.

Another example would be lifting bags, buckets, or boxes of ingredients to decant into mixing vessels. These ingredients could be brought to the lineside by conveyors or AMR/AGV and then using food compatible robotics to effectively depalletise and decant. This is a process that is already used in the plastic industry for feeding Injection Moulding Machines, so it would be repurposing an existing solution from one industry sector to another. Yes, there will be some changes made to robot type and perhaps the gripping technology may need to be modified to suit the high care environment, but the bones of the solution would be VERY similar.

Make the connection

If we now couple these examples with one of my favourite topics, which is connected manufacturing – also described as Industry 4.0 – which is FAR more than just data. If the facility is connected as a cohesive manufacturing system, each production area can work together for smooth production flow. What this means in practice is that if there is an unplanned stoppage in one area, the upstream and downstream processes can slow down to allow for the unplanned stoppage to be rectified. Yes, the data is collected by the control system to allow for a root cause analysis to be carried out, but more importantly the production itself can balance itself to match the flow. 

Why is this important you may ask? Simply speaking, it helps to reduce the ‘feast and famine’ that is created by suddenly having to stop production due to the back-up caused by the stoppage downstream, or the starvation caused downstream by the same stoppage. If I’m honest, this is exactly what I see when I visit a factory that wants me to look at a specific process that has been identified as the problem area. It is likely to actually be upstream or downstream of this process where the actual issue lies. 

Examples like these are evident throughout our industry and are some of the many reasons that I am an advocate of going to a wide range of trade shows, even those not in your market sector, to see how other areas are approaching similar manufacturing challenges.

If you would like to start your automation journey, but don’t know where to start, I would highly recommend visiting the BARA website where we have outlined several topics under the Expert Advice section to give some initial information. Whilst you are there, why not register for our next Roundtable discussion or catch up on a previous session?

www.bara.org.uk