Engineering giant at the forefront of the new revolution
Engineering giant Siemens is at the forefront of driving the fourth industrial revolution with its UK chief executive Juergen Maier publically leading the charge as a vocal champion of the ‘Made Smarter’ drive.
The business is also pioneering the wider roll-out of technologies that will give businesses a cutting edge in delivering this brave new world of manufacturing.
Its Manchester-based Siemens Digital Industries offers a portfolio of technologies to help manufacturers embrace the vision.
The aim is to deliver “seamlessly integrated” tech solutions that will support companies as they look to increase the flexibility and efficiency of their processes and reduce the time it takes to get products to market.
Siemens Digital Industries managing director Brian Holliday says an increasing number of companies in the North West are getting involved and looking at ways they can harness emerging technologies to their advantage.
He adds: “We are seeing growing demand from SMES looking to innovate and to build their skills.”
Siemens also opened a fully refurbished digital experience centre in Manchester to demonstrate to its industrial customers how they can utilise these digital technologies.
The aim is to show users how they can use them to enhance productivity, optimise performance, support flexible manufacturing objectives, and set up new business models.
Holliday believes demonstrators and businesses opening their doors to show what they are delivering can play a vital role in spreading the word about the impact technology can have.
He says: “There is some tremendous innovation out there. Demonstrating it in action really brings the topic to life.”
Adopting digitalisation is vital if the UK is to solve its productivity gap, adds Holliday, pointing to low adoption rates here compared to countries like Germany, France and further afield Japan and the US.
Failure to accelerate the rate of change could be costly, he adds, with the danger the UK will fall further behind. “We have an opportunity, but it is a threat if we don’t see it and embrace it,” he warns.
German engineering giant Siemens has its UK manufacturing headquarters in Manchester as well as a major manufacturing operation in Congleton in Cheshire.
