Report suggests automation could transform UK manufacturing
2 September 2024 
A new report from the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult predicts what the country’s manufacturing sector could look like in the future if it was built on a foundation of automation and robotics (A&R).
The 2050 vision for automation and robotics in UK manufacturing report looks at the current state of A&R in the UK, highlighting its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as outlining a vision for A&R in the future. The 41-page report, produced by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) with contributions from other High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres, argues that there will be widescale adoption of A&R across the sector by 2050.
The vision includes:
- a decentralised approach to producing goods, where manufacturing processes are dispersed across multiple locations or facilities;
- designing products with automation and the circular economy in mind;
- advances in sensory capabilities and intelligence, driven largely by AI; and
- an acceptance of robots working alongside humans or providing support by undertaking tasks that humans do not want to do.
The report suggests that by embracing automation and robotics technologies, the UK will improve its productivity and competitiveness, strengthen its supply chains, raise its living standards, and create more jobs with higher salaries. It calls on academics, equipment suppliers and end-users to work together to develop the support services and skills needed to make this happen.
“Despite the UK’s strengths in advanced robotics research and AI, the UK needs to ensure that it is not left behind other nations when it comes to implementation,” warns the MTC’s chief automation officer, Mike Wilson. “It is crucial to continue investing in R&D, fostering collaboration, but also ensuring the responsible adoption of A&R technologies to maximise their benefits across the UK and the global manufacturing industry.”
