Speaking at the event, Mr Bouchier said: “As a nation, our manufacturing output is consistently behind other countries each and every month. Businesses of all types and sizes need to come together to support one another, particularly as we enter the age of Industry 4.0 connectivity.”
Mr Bouchier addressed delegates during a Made in the Midlands breakfast meeting, which provided local business representatives with an opportunity to build relationships and discuss the latest manufacturing developments. Delegates were also given a tour of Fanuc’s £19 million facility, including its workshop, showroom and training academy.
He continued: “The next decade will be challenging, which is why events such as this are critical. UK businesses will need to establish these links as competition from abroad, skills shortages and technological advancements combine to provide further hurdles, particularly for SMEs.
“It was a pleasure to host Made in the Midland’s latest breakfast meeting at Fanuc’s UK facility, and we look forward to hosting similar events, for local and national businesses alike, in the future.”
Charles Addison, director at Made in the Midlands, added: “We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Fanuc’s facility, which provided valuable insight into the latest industrial automated solutions within robotics, robo-machining, CNC controls and servo-drives.
“Our breakfast meetings are a great way for decision makers from local manufacturing and engineering firms to meet one another, share best practice, and build lasting relationships. We’re proud to be supported by Fanuc and look forward to working with them on similar events in the future.”
Fanuc UK www.fanuc.eu/uk
Made in the Midlands www.madeinthemidlands.com
