22 n UK MANUFACTURING April 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com The UK’s digital transformation: insights from the factory floor At the beginning of 2025, a survey revealed that one third of UK manufacturers saw digital technologies, cloud and AI as being significant drivers for growth. But is this actually happening? Are manufacturers truly maximising the potential of digital tools to fuel the growth of industry for years to come? In previous years, many factories were still experimenting with the emerging tools. Fastforward to today and digital improvement is now a key factor across all areas of manufacturing. In particular, I believe that there are six key innovations that are fuelling this digital revolution in the manufacturing sector. 1. AI is spreading out across supply chains, into maintenance and training The UK manufacturing sector is spearheading the digital revolution across Europe, with more than half of manufacturing organisations already using AI or machine learning on their factory floors. Many of the factories that I visited have The UK manufacturing sector is undergoing a digital revolution, progressing from experimentation to using digital technologies across their operations. Following visits to some of the UK’s leading manufacturers, Kevin Bull, product strategy director at the digital transformation consultancy, Columbus, identifies what he sees as the key innovations that are shaping the next chapter in smart manufacturing. Are UK manufacturers maximising their potential, or could more be done to digitise the sector?
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