Introduction

Manufacturing is increasingly vital to the UK economy. It already contributes £140 billion and is responsible for over half of thecountry’s exports.

The growth of the UK’s manufacturing base, based on sustainable businesses, is key to rebalancing the economy and generating future prosperity for the country.

In a relatively high cost economy such as the UK the application of automation (computer controlled machines for processing and handling products) is an essential ingredient in creating sustainable manufacturing businesses.The right investment in modern, automated manufacturing facilities will enable businesses to achieve success in increasingly competitive global markets and grow exports into the rapidly developing economies of the world.

When applied appropriately the benefits are clear. Automation of the manufacturing process not only drives costs down, it improves quality, reduces waste and optimises energy use. It does not have to mean fewer jobs. However the results of a study we have just carried out (Application of Automation in UK Manufacturing, 27 Sept 2010, www.eama.info) shows that UK companies, despite being innovators in product and process technology, are falling significantly behind their European competitors in adopting automation.

Many UK SMEs think automation is only for big companies.

What they may not realise is that it is being used, increasingly, by their overseas competitors to gain advantage over them.

The increasing uptake of automation in countries with low labour costs, such as India and China, demonstrates automation is not about reducing labour costs. While the use of labour undoubtedly provides businesses with flexibility, its use also has cost implications. Automation and particularly robots can provide a solution to ongoing business operating costs and can also respond flexibly to changes in volume demand and product type.

In this increasingly competitive world we need to improve our performance continually to achieve success. There is a limit to what can be achieved by the application of efficiency measures if operations continue to be based on manual input. To drive improvements further requires increased efficiency and consistency, in many cases this is best achieved by the application of automation.