UPSKILLING, THE KEY FOR UK MANUFACTURING Tom Bouchier, Managing Director at FAN UC U K, offers his thoughts on the two key reports and discusses what the U K needs to change in order to compete with other nations. DEBUNKING THE MYTHS OF ROBOTS REPLACING WORKERS As explained in the McKinsey report, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play a key role in improving the global economy and is an opportunity that the UK must grasp. McKinsey suggests that there is likely to be a performance gap between companies that adopt AI tools and ‘non-adopters’, meaning benefits will be disproportional.
It’s no secret that the UK is behind many of its European counterparts when it comes to UK manufacturing and productivity. A recent report by the International Federation of Robots (IFR) highlighted the extent to the country’s lack of industrial robots, whilst McKinsey & Company has reiterated the benefits of automation to the economy in its Discussion Paper. The UK needs to offer a solution sooner rather than later if it is to maintain a competitive edge, but how can industrial robots play a key role in UK manufacturing?
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According to the IFR, there are just 71 industrial robots per 10,000 workers in the UK. That positions the UK behind 14 other European countries and, alarmingly, the only G7 country with a robot density below the world’s average (74 units). In contrast, Germany – Europe’s most automated country – has 309 units whilst the Czech Republic, the closest European country to the UK, has 101 units per 10,000 workers. It’s clear that change is needed. One possible reason for the UK’s low performance could be linked to the stigma attached to the use of robotics and unemployment. If the UK is to catch up with the rest of the world, it’s going to need to adopt more automation in its manufacturing facilities and therefore shift this viewpoint.
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