Make UK & Made Smarter manufacturing event @ iconsys

In collaboration with Make UK and Made Smarter, we recently hosted a manufacturing business networking event at our Technology Hub.

On the day, close to 60 manufacturing businesses were in attendance to get the opportunity to see first-hand the benefits of adopting automation and digital technology into their business processes, and learn how it could help to improve safety, profitability, security, reliability and productivity.

 

Guests were welcomed with an introductory speech from Make UK Region Director Charlotte Horobin with the highlights around how UK Manufacturing is performing.

Our Sales Director, Andy Bunce, then explained the value to organisations in harnessing the power of digital technology and automation and how vertical integration of data is the future for manufacturing.

Finally, Barry Jones, Digital Transformation Specialist for Made Smarter, outline the business support available from the programme which helps SMEs in the manufacturing and engineering sectors utilise new digital technology and equip them for the future.

After the introductory speeches a behind-the-scenes tour of the factory was undertaken as guests observed a number of “live” technological demonstrations. These included:

• An introduction to our industrial asset software management tool, AMRConnect™
• An overview of Virtual Reality Digital Twin Simulation and Robotics
• How sustainability within our own Smart Building is key with energy storage solutions incorporating the latest, digital technology advances and collaborative cloud-based infrastructure software to create a superior and well-connected working environment.
• Through two of our partners, Omron and Siemens, how Cyber Security plays a key role in how Operations and Management (OT/IT) convergence can be safely implemented plus Predictive Maintenance (PdM) tools to support end user future maintenance strategy.

 

Following the tour, Paul Milne, Deputy Director of SME Engagement at the Warwick Manufacturing Group demonstrated the importance of digital technology, before Charlotte Horobin led a panel discussion with the above speakers including Mike Wilson, Chief Automation Officer at the Manufacturing Technology Centre.

At the end of the event, Make UK Region Director Charlotte Horobin said:

It was exciting to share the market leading expertise that iconsys has in automation with the wider manufacturing community.  More businesses need to grasp the opportunities that digital tech and automation can bring.  “It was fantastic to show business the possibilities that are here at iconsys, and we hope many choose to adopt new tech and take their businesses to the next level.

Barry Jones, Digital Transformation Specialist at Made Smarter said:

iconsys was the perfect place to bring them, the event showed manufacturers just how much impact digital technology can have on their fortunes, as iconsys are at the forefront of providing automation and digital solutions for their clients. We hope the attendees were inspired by their visit.

Andy Bunce summed up the day:

We were proud to host this event in partnership with Make UK and Made Smarter.  Opening up our purpose-built smart building, Technology Hub, to the manufacturing community enabling us to show off how our truly Smart building incorporates the latest, digital technology advances.

The factory tour was a great opportunity for those interested in adopting digital technology to hearing from industry leaders about best practice to further understand its capabilities and the benefits it will bring to improve productivity.

I hope the technology we showed to guests today, will inspire them to access the support that’s available from us to help them forge ahead.

We have already helped numerous customers across UK Manufacturing adopt game-changing digital solutions, and we would urge businesses that haven’t considered it to think about how automation when correctly adopted and installed can improve safety, profitability, security, reliability and productivity.

Here’s to helping many more businesses digitally transform for a stronger, more streamlined manufacturing industry.