Feature

Q&A: Why UK firms must automate to compete on the international stage

It’s no secret that, despite its position as a top 10 manufacturing economy, the UK lags well behind its global counterparts when it comes to our use of industrial robots.

31/05/2022 16:45:24

According to the 2021 IRF World Robot Report, the UK ranks just 24th in the world robot density league, with 101 units per 10,000 employees – far outpaced by countries such as China, Japan, Korea, the US, Germany, Italy and France. Globally, however, it is a promising picture – the average figure of 126 robots per 10,000 employees is nearly double what it was in 2015. This makes the UK’s continued reluctance to automate all the more surprising.

Here, Oliver Selby, Robotics Business Development Manager at FANUC UK, shares his thoughts on what could be holding the UK back, how companies like FANUC are helping to drive a change in mindset, and the surprising positives to come out of the pandemic…

Read the full article in DPA's June issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.