Bringing together more views, for one powerful voice
Welcome to the UK Automation Forum
The UK Automation Forum brings together experts, end users, policymakers and suppliers from across the industry, to discuss challenges and topics relating to the adoption of automation technology in the UK.
As an independent facilitator, we harness the collective views and voice of the industry to create mutual aims. Our goal is to drive collaboration, educate the industry on the benefits of automation, and help break down barriers to adoption.
Mission
We aim to ensure that automation is at the heart of UK manufacturing, now and in the future; using our voice to Influence government, stakeholders and regulators to ensure law, policy and regulation is appropriate and effective.
Community
We will create a community of experts and businesses, hosting regular events to share ideas relating to the adoption of automation and robotics.
Skills
To inspire the next generation of talent, we will support education providers to help schools, colleges and universities provide relevant skills.
Industry
Reaching out to academia and funding bodies, we will focus on industrial automation and robotics, feeding new developments into industry.
Upcoming events
Learn more about our forthcoming events, held regularly throughout the year.
How can you attract young people into UK manufacturing?
13/11/2024The Fanuc UK Open House event, Ansty Park, CoventryThis roundtable event will be available to stream and will feature a panel of experts to discuss how engineering can compete with other sectors to attract the best talent into a manufacturing plant. It will discuss what a career path might look like within automation and robotics in the UK, from classroom to boardroom.
Past events
What would make UK food businesses adopt more robots?
25/09/2024The PPMA Show, Hall 5, the NEC, BirminghamOn stage at the PPMA Show 2024, representatives from across the food industry will join the panel to discuss the positive impact that adopting automation can have on the sector, while also sharing top tips and learnings that help to ensure successful outcomes. Real life projects will be discussed as well as ways to overcome the reluctance that UK manufacturers seem to have to adopting robots and automation.
Learn MoreHow do you open doors to investment in manufacturing?
16/09/2024The UK Automation Forum’s fifth event was live streamed and featured a panel of industry experts from Automate UK, the MTC, Make UK, BAMUK, FANUC and NatWest. The panel discussed how manufacturers could access finance more easily to allow a higher adoption of robotics and automation. As well as setting the scene as to the current state of UK manufacturing, the discussion included findings from a report from Make UK called Finance: Opening Doors to Investment in Manufacturing that was published in partnership with NatWest and Lombard earlier this year.
Learn MoreHow do we bridge the skills gap in UK manufacturing?
18/06/2024Automation UK exhibition at the CBS Arena, CoventryOn stage at Automation UK, participants at this live event discussed the impact that skills shortages are having on business, including their ability to adopt new technologies, robotics and automation. The panel also discussed how automating repetitive and more laborious tasks allows workers to focus on the more skilled tasks that are harder to fill.
Learn MoreWhy a change in culture will benefit productivity in this country
14/05/2024This roundtable took place on stage during the Robotics and Automation: For a Sustainable Future 2024 event at the MTC. It discussed how changing company culture can benefit the bottom line in modern manufacturing. The make do and mend attitudes of the past can still be found at many UK manufacturers, whereas many global competitors are prouder of brand-new automation options. The panel discussed how changing these attitudes can help deliver buy in to new technology.
Learn MoreWhat the Government must do to drive manufacturing growth in UK PLC
18/04/2024MACH exhibition at the NEC, BirminghamOn stage at MACH, this live event outlined several trade association’s demands for current and future Governments to ensure the delivery of a coherent industrial strategy going forward.
Learn MoreAutomation – how will greater adoption benefit UK PLC?
06/03/2024Streamed from the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Ansty Park CoventryThis inaugural event aimed to set the scene of where UK PLC is now, compared to its global competitors, and why and how it needs to change to advance our country’s manufacturing sector. Barriers to adoption were explored, common myths around automation were busted and a real-life experience of automation from an SME was shared.
Learn MoreMeet our Steering group team
Get to know your UK Automation Forum Steering group.
Gail Hunt
Facilitator and hostGail has been writing about manufacturing technologies across several trade publications for over 30 years. She has worked as a business-to-business journalist with such titles as Food Manufacture, Fine Food Digest, Artisan magazine, The Grocer, British Baker, Builders Merchants Journal and DIY Week. While editor of Packaging News she won several awards and for the last 13 years she has been editor of Machinery Update, the machinery-only journal published by Automate UK. She stepped down from the magazine at the end of 2023 to work on projects for Automate UK including this new UK Automation Forum.
Peter Williamson
CEO, Automate UK (formerly the PPMA Group)In his role as CEO of leading trade body Automate UK, Peter is looking to use his 25 years of experience in robotics and automation to support end users in adopting the latest in automation technology and to help raise awareness of the benefits that automation can bring to UK manufacturing. His experience comes from RARUK Automation, a company he formed in 2016 that is now a world leading supplier of collaborative robots (or cobots), and for which he is also now a non-executive director.
James Selka
CEO, Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA)James has accumulated over 25 years of manufacturing experience, including 13 years as Managing Director of a specialist high precision, internationally trading, supplier of turnkey instrument sub-systems and prior to joining the MTA, he was Production and HR Director at a major manufacturer of mechanical seals and support systems. James brings knowledge about global manufacturing, a strong interest in supply chains together with logistics, and is an expert on global advanced manufacturing. He regularly participates in policy formation in the UK, Europe and further afield.
Mike Wilson
Chair UK Automation Forum & Chief Automation Officer, Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)Mike has over 40 years of experience in the application of automation to manufacturing across a broad range of industry sectors and is widely recognised as one of the leading authorities on the application of industrial robot systems in the UK. At the MTC, he is leading the drive to increase the adoption of robotics and automation in the UK. He is also a Director of the Manufacturing Technologies Association, Council member and past Chairman of the British Automation and Robot Association and has previously been Chairman of the International Federation of Robotics.
Steve Brambley
Chief Executive, GAMBICASteve leads the trade association for Instrumentation, Control, Automation and Laboratory in the UK – GAMBICA – to be a highly collaborative and influential organisation, engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders including UK and European governments, associations, institutions, academia, industry, media & events companies and standards bodies. He has over 18 years of trade association experience at GAMBICA with previous roles in public affairs and the industrial automation sector. Steve also brings previous experience from the automotive industry, having worked for the Michelin Tyre Company and the Dana Corporation in management roles across manufacturing, quality, logistics and engineering.
Oliver Selby
Head of Sales at specialist automation company FANUC UKWith 20 years of experience in factory automation, Oliver brings a wealth of industry and product knowledge of UK manufacturing and engineering to the Forum. He is passionate about strategically transforming the UK’s automation and manufacturing position on the global stage which can be seen through his customer first philosophy and drive to improve manufacturing businesses efficiency and profitability using modern technology.
Stronger together
Discover more about the organisations we work in partnership with.
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