Tag: manufacturing

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InterAct Blog

Breaking down the barriers to deep tech adoption will be critical to improving supply chain resilience in the UK

Factors such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing global regulatory hurdles have all exposed the fragility of global supply chains. It is now more essential than ever that continued collaboration, and the adoption of digital technologies are encouraged to help build more sustainable, efficient and resilient supply chains that remain strong in the face of external challenges. Doing so will be critical to improving supply chain resilience in the UK, but the barriers to adoption must be broken down first.

Addressing the SME gap

Research from the Made Smarter Innovation | Digital Supply Chain Hub reveals organisations’ top priorities and interests when it comes to digitalising their supply chains, and the barriers preventing them from doing so. What’s clear is that interest in adopting digital supply chain technologies continues to grow in parity with the changing commercial climate, but that barriers to adoption amongst SMEs must be addressed as a priority.

A total of 502 large UK manufacturers and 502 UK SME manufacturers were surveyed as part of this research. The findings show that SME manufacturers are less likely to prioritise adopting digital supply chain technologies than large businesses. Adopting new digital supply chain technologies is a top three priority for large manufacturers along with improving market reputation and reducing costs. The discrepancy between SMEs and large businesses is particularly important, given the economic value of SMEs and the role they play in broader sectoral growth and development.

In fact, the research further found that adopting new digital supply chain technologies is less likely to be cited as a top business priority for SMEs than reducing costs, increasing brand awareness, improving market reputation, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Despite the lack of prioritisation, the research did find growing interest in advanced digital technologies amongst SMEs, promising a new era of supply chain innovation amongst SME leaders.

Recognising the growing interest in digital supply chain technologies

While falling behind their larger counterparts, the tide may well be turning for SMEs, with a growing number looking to improve their supply chains, with digital technologies and innovation holding the key. The SMEs surveyed are slightly less likely to be prioritising supply chain digital transformation, with 14% saying they don’t currently have any supply chain top priorities. That said however, 44% of these businesses are looking to enhance supply chain efficiency and automation, while a third are prioritising building resilience against disruptions, developing a more sustainable supply chain, and improving visibility and traceability.

While it may appear that SMEs fall behind their larger counterparts when it comes to the adoption of digital supply chain technologies, it is clear that innovation will play a critical role in helping these businesses to achieve their business goals in the long-term, despite the barriers to adoption.

Understanding the barriers to adoption

Above all, businesses are looking to enhance efficiency and automation by digitalising their supply chains, but the barriers to adoption pose a pressing challenge that may inhibit economic growth. While enhancing efficiency and automation, building resilience against disruptions, and developing a more sustainable supply chain are most likely to be cited by large manufacturers as top priorities, the barriers to achieving these commercial objectives vary.

The research shows that businesses of all sizes are facing similar challenges when it comes to adopting digital supply chain technologies. Respondents in both large businesses and SMEs are most likely to say that the most significant barriers hindering digital transformation in their organisation are existing processes, resources and work culture. In light of these barriers to adoption, initiatives and programmes are available to businesses to help them to accelerate the practical application of deep tech solutions and improve UK supply chain resilience.

The value of the Digital Supply Chain Hub and UK SCALE Centre

These barriers to adoption are why initiatives like the Digital Supply Chain Hub and the UK SCALE Centre are vital interventions within often traditionally operated organisations and sectors.

The Digital Supply Chain Hub delivered by Digital Catapult, facilitates the necessary connections, collaboration and knowledge sharing between industry and technology solution providers to improve UK industrial supply chain resilience through the application of deep tech solutions. So far, the programme has 37 funded projects with industry, technology and academic partners, and 255 industry engagements across all manufacturing sectors, demonstrating the value of the programme in supporting both SMEs and larger businesses.

We have been keen to work with the UK SCALE Centre since it’s inception in June 2024 as a way to further develop the future supply chain ecosystem and cross-regional partnerships. I encourage UK industry, academia and supply chain professionals to join and collaborate with the Digital Supply Chain Hub and UK SCALE Centre to further this vital mission across the UK supply chain ecosystem, as we seek to build a more productive, resilient and sustainable future.

This article was published by Loughborough University, read the original version here.

About the author

Tim Lawrence is the Director of the Digital Supply Chain Hub, Digital Catapult in this article, Tim outlines the importance of breaking down technological barriers to improve supply chain resilience in the UK.

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InterAct Blog

Charging Forward: Electric vehicles and what we can learn about the role of Global Value Chains in sustainable manufacturing

Professor Jun Du, Reader Luciano Battista and Dr. Oleksandr Shepotylo (Aston University)

Faced with the challenge of climate change, and the growing need for sustainable business practices, it can often be hard to know where to start. In this guide, InterAct researchers examine the critical role of global value chains for the future of UK manufacturing, through the case study of the electric vehicle sector.

The UK automotive industry stands at a crossroads, facing a rapidly evolving landscape driven by the global electric vehicle (EV) revolution. While EVs offer a pathway to a greener and more sustainable future, the challenges of global value chain (GVC) dependencies, rising material costs, and competitive industrial policies present formidable hurdles. InterAct research has delved into these dynamics and outlines strategies for positioning the UK as a leader in sustainability-oriented manufacturing.

Industry in transition

Recent developments underscore the urgency of action. In November 2024, Stellantis announced the closure of its Vauxhall plant in Luton, resulting in 1,100 job losses. This follows Ford’s decision to cut 800 UK-based positions and Nissan’s global reduction of 9,000 jobs, with major potential implications for its UK operations.

These challenges reveal a broader issue: Europe’s historical dominance in the automotive sector is under strain, and the UK must adapt to remain competitive amidst shifting supply chains and mounting global competition. Nor is this unique to the automotive sector, with many organisations and governments in developing economies seeking technology transfer and more equal partnerships as a requirement for access to markets or local production. Explored in our global research missions, the rapid pace of advancement in manufacturing across countries like Singapore, India and Malaysia, highlights the need for the UK to evolve to compete.

The changing EV landscape

The transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs, driven by technological advancements, environmental awareness, and significant policy support, is reshaping not only the automotive industry but also the intricate web of GVCs that underpin EV production.

Since 2010, the cost of lithium-ion battery packs has plummeted by 89%, making EVs increasingly competitive with ICE vehicles. EVs now account for a substantial share of global passenger car exports, growing from 4.3% in 2017 to 27.6% in September 2024. This growth has been bolstered by government incentives, such as tax credits and investments in charging infrastructure, and by tightening emission standards.

Germany and China lead the EV sales in export value and quantity respectively. UK-made EVs, while primarily destined for EU markets (accounting for 68% of exports), face pressure, despite being delayed, to comply with rules of origin (RoO) requirements under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). These rules necessitate higher regional content in EVs and batteries, complicating the supply chain landscape.

With the challenge of where to locate manufacturing, new opportunities are arising through the reshoring or ‘right-shoring’ of production, with localised manufacturing offering improved resilience against global supply chain shocks such as pandemics, conflicts or logistical disruption. Locating manufacturing closer to the consumer base also offers the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of supply chains due to significantly shorter transport links.

Three key trends shaping the future
  1. EV adoption is growing, but steady policy is crucial

In September, electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 27.6% of car sales across 15 major markets, marking a 7.6 percentage point increase year-on-year. The UK ranks fifth globally in EV adoption, underscoring its potential as a leader in this transition. Electrification is the future, but progress hinges on a stable, predictable policy environment that encourages investment and innovation. It is therefore essential that manufacturers make their voice heard, with collective messaging to government and policymakers that can cut through the noise, encouraging a clearly articulated vision and strategy.

  1. Europe is catching up in battery production

While China continues to dominate the lithium-ion battery market, European nations such as Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are emerging as key exporters of EV batteries. Meanwhile, the Inflation Reduction Act in the US has spurred the growth of US electric vehicle innovation and production. In the face of such major competition, the UK should seriously consider aligning closely with EU supply chains to potentially enhance resilience and competitiveness, ensuring the automotive sector remains integrated into global markets. This consideration is especially relevant in light of recent EU legislation surrounding traceability and digital product passports, explored in an InterAct funded research project.

  1. Supply chains will determine future winners

Success in the automotive industry increasingly relies on building efficient and adaptable supply chains, not just manufacturing the best vehicles. This requires collaboration, investment, and strategic vision—elements that are difficult to achieve without systemic support. InterAct’s ‘Scenarios 2040’ work from researchers at Loughborough University has highlighted the essential importance of taking a full ‘ecosystem’ approach to the future of the sector, with manufacturers working with suppliers across their supply chain to determine the most viable and beneficial future for everyone.

A moment for strategic decision-making

The UK manufacturing sector is at a pivotal moment. Sustaining its position in this high-stakes global competition will require visionary leadership, robust policy support, and alignment with broader industrial strategies. The alternative—neglect or fragmented efforts— is likely to result in a gradual decline of one of the UK’s historically significant sectors.

If the UK Industrial Strategy is to back industries such as automotive manufacturing with bold action instead of pivoting decisively towards other emerging opportunities, then policymakers and manufacturers need to explore and adopt strategic recommendations. In the case of the automotive industry shift to electric vehicles, these are:

  1. Enhance domestic capabilities
  • Invest in local battery production facilities and recycling initiatives to reduce dependency on imports and align with RoO requirements.
  • Promote innovation in battery technology to improve efficiency and lower costs.
  1. Optimize trade policy
  • Negotiate flexible trade agreements that account for the complexities of GVCs.
  • Strengthen partnerships within the EU to ensure seamless access to key markets.
  1. Strengthen supply chain resilience
  • Diversify sources for critical materials to mitigate geopolitical and market risks.
  • Establish regional partnerships to secure stable supply chains for EV production.
Charting a Path Forward

The success or failure of the UK manufacturing sector over the next few decades hinges on its ability to adapt to the changing global landscape. By addressing critical dependencies and fostering innovation, the sector can leverage the opportunities presented by the green technology revolution. With strategic investments and policy alignment, the UK can solidify its position and push towards a bright manufacturing future.

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People Resources

Future scenarios for attracting the next generation of young talent into digital manufacturing careers

Digital transformation has unrivalled potential to improve the lives of citizens throughout the UK and renew the way that the private, public and third sectors can work together.

For UK manufacturing, digital transformation will require future workplaces that can attract and retain young talent from diverse backgrounds and mindsets. However, research by MAKE UK reported that in 2021 only 2% of the average UK manufacturing workforce is currently below 30 years old.

Outdated perceptions overshadow the exciting, tech-driven careers modern manufacturing offers. Attracting the best young talent starts with changing those views.

InterAct’s future-focused research provides free, human-centric insights to help you understand and attract tomorrow’s workforce.

Get started today with our workforce scenarios guide – designed to help you shape the future of talent.

This research was conducted by Dr Karl Warner (University of Glasgow), Dr Nicola Bailey (Kings College London), Dr Anna Chatzimichali (University of Bath), Mr Malek El-Qallali, (University of Bath), Dr Imtiaz Khan (Cardiff Metropolitan University), Dr Anastasia Kulichyova, (Queens University Belfast). This work was supported by the UKRI Made Smarter Innovation Challenge and the Economic and Social Research Council via InterAct [Grant Reference ES/W007231/1].

For further discussions or to propose potential applications/collaborations, please contact Karl Warner.

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InterAct Blog

Mission to Australia: sharing cutting-edge research from the ‘factories of the future’

Professor Colin Lindsay (University of Strathclyde and InterAct)

The InterAct Future of Work Team visited Australia for an international evidence-gathering mission, seeking to share findings from our research with manufacturing stakeholders and learn from good practice in fostering collaboration and innovation in the sector. As reported in our first blog from Professor Jill MacBryde, our first engagements in Brisbane were really inspiring, as we learned about how colleagues at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have partnered with Australian manufacturers, and we visited the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub, to see first-hand how this collaborative factory space brings together researchers, tech experts and growing manufacturing SMEs to ensure that manufacturers have the support they need to scale and innovate.

Our next stop was Melbourne, where the team hugely enjoyed hearing from Professor Laura Anne Bull (Deputy Vice Chancellor, Education, Experience & Employability at Swinburne University of Technology) and her team about Swinburne’s exciting work around business engagement and innovation, which is realised through impactful collaborations with manufacturers and others, but also integrated in the employability-related provision delivered to students. The jewels in the crown of Swinburne’s engagement with manufacturing stakeholders are their Factory of the Future, Smart Structures Lab and SEAM (Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials) Lab, where we were pleased to spend the morning for a research visit.

Experts in each laboratory walked us through some of the cutting-edge technologies they deploy to support the manufacturing industry in their innovation journeys. Professor Anita Kocsis (Director of Design Factory Melbourne at Swinburne) also helped us understand how the Factory of the Future and other manufacturing-facing initiatives connect with a broader suite of collaborations that place Swinburne and partners at the centre of a burgeoning design innovation ecosystem across Victoria.

We were fortunate to have Dr Avril Thomson (Head of Skills Programmes at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland) as a key member of our Mission team, so that Avril could share insights from the NMIS team’s wide range of impactful learning and technology transfer solutions in Scotland, and compare notes with various factories of the future experts in Australia. There were interesting parallels between the work carried out by NMIS, Catapult network stakeholders and other partners in the UK, and the essential and practically useful support provided by Swinburne’s Factory of the Future, for example through its innovative Industrial Digital Transformation Hub.

The final Australian city stop for the team was Adelaide in South Australia, where we were able to spend time at a second Factory of the Future. Flinders University leads this fast-developing project, and we were able to tour some exciting innovation projects being developed by manufacturers in collaboration with the Factory of the Future. Inspirational Principal Manager Philipp Dautel shared Factory of the Future’s vision for a world-class, advanced manufacturing innovation and training facility that will engage up to 250 companies, a vision that is already beginning to be realised through a range of exciting ongoing projects and a major build underway. Factory of the Future is embedded within the stunning Tonsley Innovation District – a formerly disused automotive manufacturing site that has now regenerated into an innovation and inclusive hub hosting partners ranging from mega-MNEs like BAE Systems to local SMEs.

While visiting Adelaide, the team also enjoyed two excellent research dissemination events kindly hosted by Professor Michael Gilding (Vice President and Executive Dean, College of Business, Government and Law at Flinders University). First, we enjoyed a lively roundtable discussion with senior policy and business stakeholders, with Professor Jill MacBryde presenting InterAct research on attracting the next generation of talent to manufacturing work, while we also shared insights on digital ‘dynamic capabilities’ from our research with industry leaders in the UK, and Dr Avril Thomson spoke about NMIS’s impact in collaborating with Scottish manufacturers on emerging skill needs.

Then, we followed a first successful event with a half-day workshop targeting manufacturing managers and stakeholders. This time, I got the opportunity to share research on the importance of effective people management and fair work for the manufacturing sector (drawing on the work of both InterAct and the ESRC PrOPEL Hub). My colleagues Professor Jill MacBryde and Dr Avril Thomson both led interactive workshops on the future of work and skills in manufacturing.

It was great to engage directly with South Australia’s manufacturing stakeholder community, and we’re hugely grateful to Philipp, Michael and their teams at Factory of the Future and Flinders for making it happen. It was also interesting to hear much positivity about the future of manufacturing work from policy, business and manufacturing leaders, but also familiar concerns raised about skill shortages and the challenge of attracting (especially young) people to the sector.

Our take-aways?

Often following the UK (and indeed Scotland’s) example, national and regional policy stakeholders in Australia have invested in collaborative spaces and projects that have the potential to impact significantly on innovation and digital transformation in manufacturing. Just as in the UK, there are really exciting partnerships between higher education, research and manufacturing – something that obviously chimes with the core values of InterAct, and its partners. Finally, there was a willingness to engage with the idea that people – and therefore people’s jobs and experiences in the workplace – are crucial to understanding and fostering the high value, innovative future that we want in manufacturing. Sharing robust research and best practice on ‘what works’ in practices that support an innovative, inclusive and productive future of manufacturing work will remain a key mission of the InterAct team.

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Productivity Resources Sustainability

Beyond Ownership: Business models for sustainable, smart appliances

dusanpetkovic1 / Adobe Stock
Watch a short video explaining the potential of shared ownership business models in the manufacturing sector.

Research overview

What factors the drive consumer adoption of digitally enabled products?

This project, from InterAct funded researchers, has investigated the assumption that a lack of consumer demand lies behind manufacturers’ underinvestment in Industrial Digital Technology. It focused on domestic washing machines as a widespread product that could be ripe for innovation, and which is under pressure to improve its environmental performance.

The findings suggest that consumer resistance to digital features stems from a lack of clear perceived benefits. While manufacturers focus on promoting the technological features of their products as a competitive advantage, customers value outcomes and experience offered. Moreover, customers expressed a dislike for refurbished washing machines and scepticism about alternative revenue models as potentially exploitative. Demonstrating value for money and cultivating trust are major challenges.

For manufacturers, the key recommendation is to place the customer’s experience and expected outcomes (e.g. peace of mind and clean clothes on demand) at the heart of their innovation, rather than emphasise product features.

Technology should be harnessed to support delivery of such outcomes and may be enabled through business model innovation. For example, assured maintenance leading to peace of mind can be delivered through a combination of digital technology (condition monitoring, predictive analytics etc) and business model innovation (shared ownership, access-based service etc).

You can find out more about the project, it’s findings and the team’s recommendations in the full report below.

This research was conducted by Ahmad Beltagui (Aston Business School), Ana Isabel Canhoto, Daniela Castillo, Amireza Alizamani (University of Sussex – Business School), Ramin Behbehani (Brunel Business School) Niraj Kumar (Essex Business School), Maren Schnieder (Anglia Ruskin University). This work was supported by the UKRI Made Smarter Innovation Challenge and the Economic and Social Research Council via InterAct [Grant Reference ES/W007231/1].

For further discussions or to propose potential applications/collaborations, please contact Ana Canhoto or Ahmad Beltagui.

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Productivity Resources

Webinar – Unlocking the UK’s regional manufacturing productivity

Watch the full recording.

Webinar overview

This webinar, led by InterAct researchers in partnership with The Productivity Institute’s ‘Midlands Productivity Forum’, offers an analysis of the comparative productivity of the manufacturing sector across different UK regions, specifically the East Midlands, West Midlands, and Yorkshire. Drawing on data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the manufacturing sector has been identified as the largest contributor to output growth per hour, with a rate of 0.7 compared to 0.1 for the total UK industries, underscoring its critical role in driving regional economic performance.

Expert researchers from InterAct’s ‘Future of the Economy’ team will examine findings of a recent report exploring key factors affecting regional productivity. You’ll hear more about the impact of collaborative R&D grants that foster technological advancements and innovation, as well as labour market dynamics that ensure the availability of skilled and adaptable workers. Our team will then highlight how the innovation ecosystems of these regions contribute to building resilience in the manufacturing sector.

The insights derived from this analysis are intended to support stakeholders—including regional policymakers and industry leaders—in making informed decisions to enhance regional economic growth. Join us on November 4th to find out more, as we work to promote a more productive, resilient, and sustainable manufacturing sector across the UK, ensuring long-term economic growth.

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News

InterAct expands global programme with India research mission

At the end of October 2024, the InterAct team continued their series of InterAct Global research missions with a visit to Pune, India. InterAct Global is an expansion of the project, designed to bring insights from international manufacturing and technological innovation in the UK sector. The visit enabled the team to engage with those in the electric vehicle (EV) sector that are working towards making Pune the EV manufacturing hub of the future.

InterAct is hoping to create both local and global impact by exchanging knowledge with international players in the worldwide manufacturing ecosystem. These missions will help to better understand the competitive advantages of other countries, learn from them, and exchange best practices and processes. Providing these insights to UK businesses and policymakers, the project aims to tackle the future challenges of digital transformation across three key areas: ecosystems, economies, and workplaces.

India represents an interesting case study for innovation, with clearly defined priorities in upskilling the future workforce and improving diversity and inclusion in manufacturing. The team had the chance to explore this in more depth through visits to various organisations and companies including:

  • Spark Minda
  • Bajaj Auto
  • ARAI (The Automotive Research Association of India)
  • Tata Motors
  • Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Pune

InterAct had the chance to expand upon these visits and discussions with a round table session and two workshops, hosted in collaboration with Symbiosis International University (SIU). These events brogh together a range of high calibre attendees, including those from automotive and EV manufacturing, artificial intelligence and academia, to collaborate on ‘the need of the hour’ (Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro Chancellor, Symbiosis International University).

These engaging sessions offered participants a chance to hear from the InterAct team, SIU academics and industry stakeholders as they discussed:

  • How to make the Pune region the hub of electric vehicle production by 2050: allowing key industry stakeholders to share their expertise and views for the direction of the sector.
  • The role of Pune in the 2040 electric vehicle global value chain: encouraging participants to envision the stages of development needed to succeed in their share regional vision.
  • The future of work in the Pune electric vehicle industry: highlighting the importance of upskilling and education, as well as looking at how to make manufacturing more appealing to gen Z.

Attendees also contributed to an extended shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities for the manufacturing sector through the workshops built around the approaches of the InterAct Future of Work and Future of Digital Manufacturing Ecosystems teams, led by Professor Janet Godsell, Dr. Robert Stewart, Dr. Carolina Marin-Cadavid and Millie Rodgers.

We want to thank all of our generous hosts and partners for the success of this mission, and look forward to bringing more insights from our further global engagement activities.

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Productivity Resilience Resources Sustainability

Remanufacturing in the aerospace industry: Perceptions and practices of circular economy business models in aerospace small to medium-sized enterprises

Research overview

Global aviation currently contributes approximately 2% of greenhouse gas emissions; the projected growth in global aviation will create annual CO2 emissions of 1.8 billion tons by 2050. Consequently, the sector has made a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Government policy strategies such as the Aerospace Sector Deal, Jet Zero and Destination Zero focus on sustainable aviation fuel and aircraft efficiency for the transition to zero emission flight. Although, attention to the whole aircraft life cycle including design, manufacture and recovery has been relatively lacking.

This project sought to support SMEs in the aerospace manufacturing industry by exploring remanufacturing business models, a form of Circular Economy Business Model (CEBM), to help them move towards a sustainable future.

Embracing the ‘Circular Economy’ can minimise the consumption of finite resources as well as the production of waste and emissions. CEBMs, which are often represented as R-imperatives or R-models, can not only contribute to sustainability but also to business model innovation by extending the value proposition to value recreation, redelivery, and recapture.

This project conducted case studies of five SMEs in the UK aerospace industry to explore:

  1. The extent of their current practice of, and plans for, remanufacturing
  2. Barriers they face in their current or potential remanufacturing business models
  3. Drivers for them to engage with a more sustainable business model

Find out more and download the full report below.

This research was conducted by Dr Rachael Lamb (University of Bristol), Dr Eun Sun Goodwin (University of Wolverhampton), Dr Michael Rogerson (University of Sussex) and Dr Alisha Tuladhar (University of Surrey). This work was supported by the UKRI Made Smarter Innovation Challenge and the Economic and Social Research Council via InterAct [Grant Reference ES/W007231/1].

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News

InterAct joins supply chain industry leaders for UK SCALE Centre Symposium

On Monday 7 October, InterAct representatives joined leaders and executives from across the supply chain industry to the UK Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence (SCALE) Centre Symposium at Loughborough University.

This symposium aimed to bring together key stakeholders from industry, policy and academia to discuss and co-create visions how the UK SCALE Centre, and supply chain community, can confront some of the biggest challenges facing the sector.

In recent years, manufacturers and logistics providers have faced major systemic shocks such as COVID-19, Brexit and the conflict in Ukraine. These difficulties have created a sentiment among some academics and industry leaders that collective forethought and action are needed to protect from future shocks.

Discussing the motivation behind the symposium, Professor Janet Godsell, InterAct Co-director and Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Strategy said: “The future can often seem distant and less concerning than the problems of today, particularly in the supply chain and manufacturing sectors. It has felt as though we are living in an age of ‘permacrisis’, constantly fighting just to stay on track.

“These challenges have proven the vital importance of considering potential futures, today. We need to make a fundamental change in the way we pursue growth to better balance the environmental, social and economic cost of growth, and that’s we’ve brought together so many different voices today to discuss making that change.”

Attendees were welcomed by Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University, Professor Nick Jennings, before hearing from Sir John Peace, Chair of Midlands Engine, as he discussed his enthusiasm for the potential of the UK SCALE Centre and the opportunities for regional benefits to the Midlands.

The initial talks were followed by an in-depth look at the place of the Centre within the wider Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Global SCALE Network. Dr Chris Caplice, Executive Director of MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, also provided an overview of the possibilities for businesses to engage with the Centre: “The chance for academia and industry to work together is always exciting because it opens up new opportunities. One has a longer-term view, and the other is more set in the real world and provides short-term views, so they complement each other well.

“Many figures from industry haven’t really had a chance to consider how they can work with academia to achieve mutual benefits, so it’s great to see them come together and explore that.”

Four expert speakers then examined the influence and impact of four key themes for the development of future supply chains:

  • Supply chain digitisation – Tim Lawrence, Director of Digital Supply Chain at Digital Catapult
  • The need to evolve our workforce to meet the anticipated needs of the supply chain – Dr Grant Charlesworth-Jones, D4Drivers
  • Supply chain sustainability – Judith Richardson, Managing Principal and Head of Sustainability at Argon & Co
  • Talent for the future – Jo Pick, Chief People Officer at Wincanton Plc

Discussing their participation in the day, Judith Richardson of Argon & Co said: “We were incredibly excited when we heard that Loughborough was partnering with MIT to set up a SCALE Centre in the UK. As someone from the Midlands, and an advocate for the sustainability agenda, I was delighted to hear that this initiative would be landing in the region that kickstarted the industrial revolution as we look towards creating a new ‘green revolution’.”

Dr. Charlesworth-Jones added: “Loughborough embodies the essential forward-thinking approach to making a better future, where we can deliver more on a sustainable basis, both in an economic and environmental sense… they are bringing together the best that the UK has to offer to create supply chain solutions so that we can get what we want, when we want it, without it costing the earth.”

The afternoon session saw attendees reconvene to consider the learnings from the morning, engaging with an innovative workshop approach that saw them working together on developing ‘visions for the future of supply chains in 2040’. This workshop gave participants the opportunity to showcase their professional insights and expertise, sharing these through short presentations.

Hear from SCALE Centre Symposium speakers

If you want to learn more visit the dedicated UK SCALE Centre microsite.

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News

InterAct Co-director named in The Manufacturer Top 100 Awards

InterAct Co-director, Professor Janet Godsell, has been named as a winner for the ‘Sector Activist’ category in 2024 edition of The Manufacturer Top 100.

Now in its 12th year, The Manufacturer Top 100 scours the length and breadth of the nation to find the 100 most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing, nominated by The Manufacturer’s audience, the industrial community and judged by a panel of industry leaders, academics and manufacturing associations.

The Manufacturer Top 100 celebrates the heroes of UK manufacturing and recognises their contribution to Net Zero, Digital Transformation, Innovation and Leadership. 

With an extensive background in industry and academic roles across both manufacturing and supply chains, Professor Godsell has long championed the importance of manufacturing to the economy, society and people’s everyday lives. An outspoken advocate of the integral role of humans within our supply chains and manufacturing businesses, she established the InterAct Network as a co-director in 2021 to develop new research in this area.

Professor Godsell has been deeply involved in sustainability focused research through projects such as CircularMetal and CarbonVue, which aim to reduce the environmental impact of the sector. She has also played an important role in the development of the new UK SCALE Centre, a collaboration between Loughborough University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), focusing on the future of supply chain innovation.

Discussing the recognition of her work in the Top 100, Professor Godsell said: “I’ve wanted to work in manufacturing since I was 15, so being part of The Manufacturer Top 100 is amazing. It really shows that the work I’ve done has been recognised by the community.

“Whilst I’m now working in an academic capacity, I think people can see I’m making use of the skills and expertise I’ve gained over the years to make a difference for the manufacturing sector.”

Hear more about Jan’s career journey and her view on the biggest challenges facing the sector