courses that feed into educational programmes , giving students hands-on robotics experience ; it recently held its first ever Work Experience Week , for young people aged 16-18 ; and the 2023 FANUC UK Open House played host to the finals of the WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition .
However , for a nation built on SMEs , Dr Struijk is also clear that UK government support is critical to future success : “ The penetration of robotics and automation in the UK is especially low among small and medium sized enterprises . Government tax breaks or accelerated depreciation of robots could certainly help to change this .”
Nordic nations : A supportive business environment
At sixth place in the global automation league table , Sweden boasts an impressive 343 robots for
Above , Catapulted by the automotive industry , robotics and automation have been at the forefront of bringing Germany to its position today as a manufacturing leader .
Left , By investing in automation and robotics , UK manufacturers can help to futureproof their business and ensure we continue to compete on the international stage in the years to come .
every 10,000 workers . Neighbours Denmark have 274 , Finland has 168 and Norway has 103 – all sit higher than the UK .
“ With their realistic approach towards return on investment ( ROI ), the Nordic countries have successfully integrated automation into their industries ,” outlines Dr Struijk . “ By focusing on the longterm benefits , these nations have cultivated a business environment that encourages companies to invest in automation technologies .”
By looking at TCO rather than just ROI – considering indirect cost savings such as reduced energy bills , less waste , higher productivity and increased production capacity – investing in automation could be a far more attractive proposition to UK manufacturers than it is today . But again , the importance of government support cannot be overlooked , explains Dr Struijk :
“ While the UK could draw inspiration from the Nordic model by fostering an environment where companies can confidently invest in automation , this must also be backed by supportive government policies and incentives ,” he states . “ In the Nordic countries , robust government initiatives have provided financial support and created favourable conditions for the adoption of automated solutions . For example , in the city of Odense , the government has stimulated the set-up of a ‘ Robot Valley ’ – a cluster of private companies , start-ups and academic institutions – that is helping to drive the Danish robotics market forward .”
Eastern Europe : Putting worker welfare first
Finally , Eastern European countries such as Slovakia , Hungary and the Czech Republic have embraced automation as a means of prioritising worker welfare .
“ By automating dull , dirty and dangerous tasks , these nations have not only increased their manufacturing efficiency but have also enhanced the overall wellbeing of their workforce ,” states Dr Struijk .
“ They have benefitted from their close proximity to the German automotive market and used a combination of skilled labour and investment in robots to take a large share of the tier 1 market , as well as a host of greenfield investments by major European and Asian automakers . The UK could benefit by adopting a similar mindset ; using automation to alleviate workers from monotonous and hazardous tasks , thereby improving job satisfaction and increasing overall productivity .”
There is no doubt that manufacturing is already one of the UK ’ s greatest success stories . By investing in automation and robotics , UK manufacturers can help to futureproof their business and ensure we continue to compete on the international stage in the years to come
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Issue 67 PECM 7