2020 must be the year for robotic automation within UK manufacturing

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UK manufacturers must tip the balance in favour of automation in 2020 to avoid falling behind international competition.

As the only G7 country with a robot density below the world’s average, with just 74 units per 10,000 workers, the UK is behind 14 other European countries in robotic adoption, highlighting the challenge that British manufacturing faces to compete with foreign productivity.

The UK led the First Industrial Revolution by embracing new technologies and the opportunities these created. However, unless British manufacturers significantly increases its adoption robotics and automation, and take full advantage of the technology available, foreign productivity will increase and the UK will be left trailing behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Last year, Endoline Automation, capitalising on its four decades of success in automating global food manufacturing facilities, launched Endoline Robotics in a bid to not only meet rising demand but to educate UK manufacturers on the many benefits robotic integration can yield.

At the end of last year, Endoline Robotics’ strategic partner, FANUC UK, held an Open House as a way of bringing key industry figures together and open a discussion on what needs to be done to move UK automation uptake forward.

While raising a number of interesting questions on the state of automation, the event highlighted the major challenges which still need to be overcome, and, in particular, the misconceptions which still surround robotics.

While most UK manufacturers understand the efficiencies gained from automation, the belief that it is expensive is still a barrier, particularly for SME’s and manufacturers on short term retailer contracts. However, when you consider that, as a country, we are around 30% less productive per hour than a German manufacturer, then the financial impact of not automating is clearly far greater.

Today, robotic systems can not only boost productivity and efficiency, they are tangible assets which can be moved or easily re-programmed to meet changing demands. Robotic palletising systems in particular, as they are outside high-care areas, are extremely flexible and can take the strain of monotonous and repetitive tasks off human workers, freeing up their time to complete more value-added tasks.

For many, return on investment (ROI) can be a deal breaker. When looking to achieve ROI inside a year, manufacturers shouldn’t be swayed by price alone. A well-engineered solution will provide low cost of ownership for many years at a fraction of the cost of manual labour.

Therefore the risk we face is not robots taking over the UK workplace, but the risk that, unless UK manufacturers begin embracing the benefits of automation, other countries will continue to seize the initiative and take advantage of new technologies, not least the growth and jobs they bring, while the Britain continues to trail behind.


Endoline Robotics solutions demonstrated at FANUC’s first Open House

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Endoline Robotics were delighted to participate within FANUC’s first ever Manufacturing, Automation, and Digital Transformation Open House. The inaugural event brought the manufacturing industry together in a bid to change the perception of automation in the UK.Held at FANUC’s state-of-the-art UK headquarters in Coventry, over 600 manufacturing professionals from across the UK attended the event. Discussions held over the course of the three days responded to some of the industry’s most burgeoning questions on automation in UK manufacturing.

During the event, Endoline Robotics exhibited a fully automatic palletising system incorporating a 6-axis FANUC M-710iC series industrial robot. Director of Sales for ERL, Grigory Belosky, commented: “We were delighted to play such a pivotal role alongside FANUC. A sister company to Endoline Automation, ERL was launched in a direct bid to respond to growing calls from UK manufacturer’s for fully automated end of line systems with robotic solutions.”Recent figures suggest that UK automation is currently falling behind other leading manufacturing nations, which is having an impact on its ability to keep pace in terms of productivity. To illustrate the point: there are just 71 industrial robots per 10,000 workers in the UK, positioning it behind 14 other European countries. In contrast, Germany has 309 units, contributing to a production rate which is 30% higher per hour than the UKs.

“It is important that we clearly communicate and educate our customers on how robotic automation can improve productivity.” Continues Grigory. “Automation needs to evolve within the UK, and robotic solutions will play a vital role in this progression. For almost 40 years Endoline Automation has been a leading provider of case erecting and sealing automation. Now, following the launch of Endoline Robotics and through the strength of the FANUC brand, we are able to offer our customers robotic solutions to help drive up robotic adoption in the UK.”


Endoline Robotics Limited

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In a bid to meet the ever growing demand for fully automated end of line systems, which increasingly require robotic solutions, Endoline Machinery has created a sister company called Endoline Robotics Limited (ERL) while also forging a strategic partnership with Fanuc.

The move is designed to reinforce Endoline’s reputation as a provider of case erecting and sealing automation and, through the strength of the Fanuc brand, the company will now manage the installation of robotic palletising systems under the umbrella of ERL.

“Our ability to engineer customised, fully automatic case erecting and sealing solutions underpins our reputation in the market,” says Andrew Yates, MD of ERL.

“Through our relationship with leading global food manufacturers we have become increasingly aware of the demand for robotic integration, particularly as companies move away from using manual labour.

COMMITTED TO UK BUSINESS

“The decision to partner with Fanuc and launch a sister company dedicated to robotic palletising equipment, illustrates a progressive period in our almost 40 year history,” he continues. “While we have developed the company and built up a solid export business, we are committed to the UK and creating solutions which directly meet our customers’ needs.”