UK advanced manufacturing gets a boost with new investment in a new digital technology competition

25 Jul 2019

BFPA CEO, Chris Buxton reports on the Governments latest attempt to encourage UK businesses to embrace the digitalisation trend.

BFPA members who attended this year’s BFPA ‘Understanding Digitalisation’ seminar will be acutely aware of the impact that current technological trends in this area are going to have on almost every aspect of our businesses and indeed, our lives. One of the ever present challenges when seeking to chase the latest technology is funding and resourcing the process. Government has recognised this dilemma and as of July 2019, UK manufacturers wanting to adopt the latest digital technologies will be able to bid for a new £30 million R&D competition.

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, UK Research and Innovation, and The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP have stated that “the £30 million R&D competition for projects is aimed at radically boosting the productivity and agility of UK manufacturing.”

The competition forms part of the Manufacturing Made Smarter Challenge, funded through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. This Fund – a key part of Government’s modern Industrial Strategy – will support the application of new digital technologies, including AI and Virtual Reality, in manufacturing.

BFPA members wanting to adopt the latest digital technologies will be able to bid for a new £30 million R&D competition (opened on the 22nd July) through the Government’s Industrial Strategy initiative.

The Manufacturing Made Smarter challenge has been designed to support the transformation of UK manufacturing by encouraging the development and integration of industrial digital technologies.

The Manufacturing Made Smarter Challenge will:

• Provide a collaborative and cross-sector approach to digital technology R&D and innovation to boost UK manufacturing productivity and competitiveness;
• Encourage the cooperation of small, medium and large scale companies throughout the UK supply chain to develop new digital capabilities and knowledge to become the recognised global leader in the application of industrial digital technologies such as data analytics, immersive technologies, connected environments and the Internet of Things; and
• Provide the platform for digital technology companies to engage directly in manufacturing.

At the launch, Business Secretary Greg Clark stated:

“We want to support companies of all sizes who want to develop new digital capabilities, and will support projects that will help ensure the UK remains at the forefront of technological developments. Through Made Smarter and our modern Industrial Strategy we are committed to making sure manufacturers are best placed to take advantage of the opportunities being created by industrial digitalisation and help our leading advanced manufacturing sector continue to grow.”

Ministers claim that the first competition of the Manufacturing Made Smarter challenge will fund projects that will help transform the productivity and agility of UK manufacturing, ready for a fast start and with the potential for rapid impact. Projects must be business led and collaborative, with all consortia involving at least one SME thus BFPA members considering making a pitch for this funding will need to partner with each other and possibly with other parties outside the traditional BFPA membership.