Time to automate:
Shifting the manufacturing narrative towards productivity
The latest IFR figures show just how far British manufacturing has to climb in terms of automation adoption. Now down to 23rd in the global robot density league table, the UK has just 119 robots per 10,000 workers, against a global average of 162. If we remove the automotive sector from these statistics, the picture is worse still, with just 69 robots per 10,000 workers. The UK has also dropped out of the top 10 world manufacturing rankings for the first time, falling to 12th place.
Despite our proud history as a strong manufacturing nation, UK productivity rates have to rise if we are to remain a force on the international stage. In Q4 2024, productivity was estimated to be 0.8 % lower compared with a year ago, and 19 % lower than the US. With a clear correlation between automation adoption and higher productivity rates, why aren’ t more UK manufacturers investing in robots?
Where are the workers?
One often overlooked reason is a focus on job creation over productivity. It has been well documented that the UK manufacturing industry is in the grip of both a labour crisis and a skills shortage. According to a recent report by The Manufacturer, 97 % of manufacturers say that hiring and retaining staff presents a challenge to the growth of their business, with 36 % of manufacturing vacancies proving hard to fill( compared to an average rate of 24 % across all industries).
Despite this, we regularly see news stories of how government funding towards large manufacturing projects for companies such as Nissan, Rolls Royce or BAE will create‘ thousands of new jobs’ for
Oliver Selby, Head of Sales for FANUC UK and Chair of BARA
the industry – with no mention of where these workers will come from or what this funding will deliver in terms of output. A shift in government and media focus towards increasing productivity levels among manufacturing firms of all sizes – rather than job creation via large corporations – would be far more useful for boosting overall manufacturing output. Support for investment in automation projects would be a sure-fire way to do this.
Attracting new talent
Exacerbating the labour crisis is the fact that young people are not currently entering the sector in sufficient numbers to replace workers leaving the industry. Working culture has changed hugely over recent years and digitally native Gen Zs are looking for stimulating roles that offer career progression, instead of a steady but low skilled‘ job for life’. Investing in automation to replace the dull, dirty and dangerous roles that are now so hard to fill has numerous benefits for business owners, existing workers and new entrants alike. Robots don’ t get sick or tired, can work 24 / 7 even in the dark and carry out tasks to a consistently high level, improving product quality and increasing output for manufacturing firms. At the same time, existing workers can be upskilled and redeployed to higher value tasks, increasing job satisfaction and improving retention rates. Furthermore, a company employing advanced manufacturing capabilities such as robotics, automation, vision technology and AI will find it far easier to attract new talent to help futureproof its business.
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