The latest Make UK report on manufacturing digitalisation has highlighted a challenge that at Transicon we know all too well – the UK's struggle to bridge the gap between legacy systems and modern technology.
The report reveals that whilst we're the world's sixth largest economy, the UK ranks only 24th when it comes to using robots in manufacturing. Perhaps more tellingly, whilst 70% of manufacturers are investing in digital technology, only 10% actually have fully digital factories.
“That statistic really resonates with us,” said Transicon General Manager Jennifer Hughes.
“It's not that people aren't trying. We see manufacturers who are committed to digitalisation. The challenge is that bridging the gap between old systems and new technology is genuinely difficult.”
Real-world experience
This is where Transicon's decades of experience come into their own. The company has been helping manufacturers tackle exactly this problem, whether it's upgrading control systems that have been running since the 1990s or integrating state-of-the-art robots into existing production lines.
“Sometimes we're working with GEM80 PLCs that were cutting-edge in their day but are now decades old,” said Jennifer
“Other times it's integrating modern robotics into production lines that were never designed for automation. Every project teaches us something new about what actually works in the real world.”
Recent projects undertaken by the team have included modernising control systems for major food manufacturers, integrating Delta robots for steel processing applications, and upgrading automotive production lines – all examples of the kind of practical digitalisation that can help close the gap identified in the Make UK report.
The £150 billion opportunity
The report estimates that fixing the digitalisation gap could add £150 billion to UK GDP by 2035 – a figure that Jennifer believes is achievable, but only with the right approach.
“We agree that this figure is huge, but it'll only happen if we stop treating this purely as a technology problem and start treating it as an engineering one. You need companies with the right skills and experience to make these integrations work reliably in industrial environments.”
Transicon's approach involves combining electrical, mechanical and software engineering expertise to create bespoke solutions that address specific customer needs – exactly the kind of integrated thinking the report suggests is needed.
An engineering solution
Jennifer said the key to progressing automation in the UK lies in treating digitalisation as a practical engineering challenge rather than simply a technology upgrade.
"UK manufacturing is brilliant, we've got world-class companies making world-class products. We just need to give them the engineering support they deserve to modernise effectively.”
With its growing mechatronics division and ongoing investment in skills development, Transicon is well-positioned to help more UK manufacturers make the transition from legacy systems to fully digital operations, contributing to the ambitious targets outlined in the Make UK report.
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