Manufacturers are increasingly investing in automation not to replace people, but because finding them has become one of the industry’s biggest challenges, according to West Midlands electrical control systems specialist Banelec.
The Brierley Hill company, which designs and manufactures bespoke electrical control systems, integrates automated production equipment and provides industrial electrical maintenance services, says a growing proportion of customer enquiries now centre on overcoming skills shortages, improving operational resilience and making better use of experienced engineers.
Rather than viewing automation as a headcount reduction exercise, many manufacturers are instead using it to protect productivity while allowing skilled employees to focus on higher-value engineering work.
Dean Banner, Managing Director of Banelec, believes the conversation around automation has changed significantly over the past decade.
“There was a time when automation projects were largely driven by the desire to increase production volumes or reduce operating costs,” he said.
“Those factors are still important, but today we’re seeing manufacturers come to us because they simply can’t recruit enough skilled people. Experienced maintenance engineers, electricians and machine operators are becoming harder to find, so businesses are asking how technology can help them do more with the teams they already have.”
Across sectors including aerospace, automotive, food production, energy and advanced manufacturing, companies are facing increasing pressure to improve efficiency while maintaining high standards of quality and traceability.
For many, that means modernising ageing control systems, integrating automated handling equipment, upgrading PLC-controlled machinery or introducing smarter monitoring systems that reduce manual intervention and improve equipment reliability.
Banner believes the greatest value often comes from combining new automation with existing production assets rather than replacing entire manufacturing lines.
“Very few businesses can justify ripping out production equipment that still has years of life left in it,” he explained.
“Our approach is usually to look at what the customer already has and ask how we can make it smarter. That could mean integrating new control systems, upgrading obsolete PLCs, introducing automated handling or improving the way different machines communicate with one another.
“Those kinds of improvements often deliver significant productivity gains without the disruption or capital cost of starting again.”
The company has seen growing demand for projects that improve repeatability, reduce operator fatigue and remove repetitive manual processes that can lead to inconsistency or workplace injuries.
Banner says the benefits extend well beyond productivity.
“When skilled engineers spend half their day carrying out repetitive tasks, you’re not making the best use of their knowledge or experience,” he said.
“Automation allows those people to concentrate on problem-solving, preventative maintenance and continuous improvement instead. It supports your workforce rather than replacing it.”
That philosophy has shaped Banelec’s work across a broad range of industries, where every project begins with understanding an operational challenge before developing a bespoke engineering solution.
Whether designing complex electrical control panels, integrating new production equipment into existing manufacturing environments or providing ongoing maintenance support, the company’s focus remains on delivering systems that are reliable, adaptable and built around the way customers operate.
“As manufacturers continue to invest, flexibility is becoming just as important as performance,” Banner added.
“Nobody knows exactly what their production requirements will look like in five or ten years’ time. Customers want control systems that can evolve with their business, accommodate new machinery and support future automation without having to start from scratch every time.
“Good engineering has always been about solving problems. Today’s challenges might be different to those of twenty years ago, but that’s exactly where we add value. We help manufacturers build factories that are not only more productive, but also more resilient for the future.”