With the exception of the automotive sector, UK manufacturers have been more cautious, some may say sluggish, about taking the step into automation. Here, Pacepacker Services asks the question, is the penny finally dropping, and are we slowly catching up? Compared to our European counterparts, the UK has certainly been a little sluggish when it comes to the uptake of automation. Take German manufacturers - in 2010 they had 127 installed robots per 10,000 people, compared to 25 per 10,000 in UK industry. According to recent sales figures published by the British Automation and Robotics Association (BARA) it appears that the UK is turning a corner. Notably, food is where the biggest surge in automation investment is coming from, with a 60% increase in robot uptake compared to 2000. Pacepacker Services believes this signals an increased confidence about the role robots play in boosting productivity, quality and production line efficiency, whilst driving down costs.
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