Manufacturing productivity falling behind due to lack of digital investment

UK manufacturers believe the country’s industry has fallen behind the US due to a lack of digital investment.

According to a Manufacturing Digital Productivity Report from The Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, more than half of UK manufacturers are losing sales as a result, and more than nine in 10 say under-investment will lead to many UK manufacturers going out of business in the next decade.

The report, surveying more than 400 engineering and industrial manufacturers in the US and UK, reveals that a reluctance to invest in digital technology is the industry’s biggest productivity blocker, with more UK respondents saying legacy technologies are having a more negative impact on the business than Brexit.

Dr Clive Hickman OBE, Chief Executive at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, said: “Manufacturing produces more than 18 per cent of UK GDP, yet 96 per cent of employees at major manufacturers think that UK businesses are not doing enough to reap the benefits of digitisation.

“This isn’t just a UK problem –companies all around the world have been sluggish to adopt these technologies; that means there is a prize available for the country that moves swiftly to embrace the new manufacturing economy.”

The report reveals that many UK and US manufacturers are still unable to let go of legacy processes and systems. Manufacturers still use paper for more than a third of processes, while manual spreadsheets are still used for almost half of processes.

A consortium of automotive pioneers is banging the drum for UK automotive engineering by taking part in a series of trade events spanning six countries, demonstrating why Britain is such an attractive proposition for overseas investment into automotive innovation.

The consortium is backed by the government, which wants to showcase the strength of the UK automotive sector and its capabilities in low-carbon vehicle technology development.

Under the banner of the UK Pavilion, the consortium will highlight major success stories emerging from the UK’s thriving clean automotive scene, and show the attractiveness of the sector and the collaboration opportunities on o er.

The ’Britain is Great’ international events programme got under way in Japan in May and will run in six countries across events in Norway, Germany, the USA, India and the UK until October.

Philippa Oldham, Director of Stakeholder Engagement at the Coventry-based Advanced Propulsion Centre, which is managing the programme for the UK government, said: “Our international events programme gives us a unique platform to showcase exactly why Britain is a prime location for investment and a world leader when it comes to automotive technology.

“As one of the cornerstones of the UK economy, it is essential that the sector continues to strengthen its clean tech capability while actively exploring new opportunities to consolidate trade links around the globe.”

The UK Pavilion exhibitor line-up will include Leamington Spa-based Drive System Design, an award-winning engineering consultancy along with Flettner Ventilator, the Buckinghamshire developer of environmentally-friendly ventilation solutions for vehicles used in the distribution of food and livestock.

It also includes Bicester-based propulsion motors expert Saietta which is helping to deliver axial flux motor technology to the mass market. Brackley vehicle testing facility Total Sim and Oxfordshire-based Willams Advanced Engineering – a leader in battery management systems are also exhibiting.