Made Smarter commissioner Margaret Wood calls for manufacturers to take advantage of advice, sign-posting and funding available for digital technology deployment

Posted on: 19/08/2019

A greater integration of digital technologies is needed to boost UK manufacturing.

A YORKSHIRE based member of the Made Smarter Commission has urged business to take advantage of R&D to elevate their ideas to the next level.

Margaret Wood, MBE, founder of specialist glazing company, ICW UK (Ltd) recently joined fellow commissioners at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at Rotherham to call for greater integration of digital technologies into manufacturing.

“Automation is one of five Integrated Digital Technologies (IDTs) can make a massive difference in delivering on the Made Smarter’s ambitions to boost employment, tackle inefficiencies and improve productivity, only if SMEs take advantage of all it has to offer,” she said.

“Alongside Additive Manufacture, Immersive Tech (AR/VR), IoT & Connectivity, AI/Big Data/Analytics it can help businesses improve productivity, increase efficiency and therefore boost profitability.

“Fertile breeding grounds of innovation such as the AMRC can add value and make a massive difference to the lives of ordinary citizens and society. Similarly, integrating automation can free skilled workers from mundane tasks liberating them to develop their skills and boost productivity.  Yet sadly, many are excluded because they either don’t know or lack the support to investigate further” said Mrs. Wood.

“There is advice, sign-posting and funding available to underpin the ambition of the smallest enterprises.”

“Already some have had great ideas, harnessed automation and taken advantage to increase production, increase employment and boost skills and training.  More need to step through this doorway to growth.”

The new Industry Strategy Challenge Fund; Manufacturing Made Smarter  is offering manufacturers a chance to apply for a share of up to £30m to deploy industrial digital technologies (IDTs) that will have rapid impact to transform the productivity and agility of UK manufacturing.  Find out more about the competition here.

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