Made Smarter

Made Smarter
Name	Made Smarter
Type	Industrial digitalisation initiative
Established	2017
Location	United Kingdom
Founders	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Made Smarter is a United Kingdom initiative launched to accelerate the adoption of industrial digital technologies across manufacturing and related sectors. It aims to increase productivity, competitiveness, and innovation by promoting automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and digital skills among firms. The initiative connects public agencies, private enterprises, research institutions, and regional bodies to drive technology transfer and investment.

Background

The initiative was conceived amid debates over productivity and deindustrialisation in the United Kingdom and followed policy discussions involving the Industrial Strategy White Paper (2017), the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and regional development bodies such as the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and West Midlands Combined Authority. Influences included comparative studies of initiatives like Germany's Industrie 4.0, France's Industrie du Futur, and the United States' Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, and policy recommendations from think tanks including the Institute for Public Policy Research and the Resolution Foundation. Political endorsements referenced interventions promoted by figures associated with the 2017 United Kingdom general election and by ministers who worked with agencies such as Innovate UK and UK Research and Innovation.

Objectives and Scope

Primary objectives include raising manufacturing productivity, fostering resilience among supply chains, and developing a digital skills pipeline. The scope targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in regions with historic manufacturing concentrations, engaging stakeholders like the Federation of Small Businesses, the Confederation of British Industry, and trade associations including the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Policy goals reflected priorities from forums such as the CIPD and initiatives associated with the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit. The program also aligns with funding strategies influenced by frameworks used by the European Union's industrial programmes prior to Brexit-related shifts.

Program Structure and Components

The program features a combination of advisory services, investment matching, demonstrator facilities, and skills initiatives. Delivery partners encompassed organizations like Innovate UK, local enterprise partnerships such as Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP, and research centres affiliated with universities including University of Cambridge, University of Sheffield, University of Manchester, and Cranfield University. Components included regional accelerator hubs, sectoral pilot projects in automotive and aerospace linked to companies such as Rolls-Royce Holdings, Jaguar Land Rover, and BAE Systems, and collaborations with technology providers akin to ABB, Siemens, and Rockwell Automation.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding combined public investment from entities such as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and quasi-public agencies like UK Research and Innovation with private sector co-investment from venture capital firms and strategic corporate partners including ARM Holdings and system integrators. Regional funding matched contributions from metropolitan authorities including Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and West of England Combined Authority. Partnerships extended to trade unions including Unite the Union and professional bodies such as the Institute of Engineering and Technology, reflecting efforts to integrate workforce development with capital grants and business support.

Implementation and Projects

Implementation involved regional pilots, proof-of-concept demonstrators, and SME adoption grants. Notable project types included sensor retrofits for legacy machinery, collaborative robotics trials in assembly lines with suppliers to BAE Systems and Airbus, and data platform deployments inspired by industrial analytics used at firms like Rolls-Royce Holdings and GKN plc. Skills projects created accredited courses developed with universities and training providers like City & Guilds and National Apprenticeship Service, while regional hubs coordinated engagement with local manufacturers including suppliers to Jaguar Land Rover and McLaren Automotive.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluations employed metrics used by bodies such as HM Treasury and National Audit Office frameworks: productivity uplift, employment outcomes, and return on investment. Reported impacts included increased digital adoption among participating SMEs, capital investment leveraged from private partners, and the creation of apprenticeships and retraining pathways tracked against standards from the Engineering Council and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. External reviewers compared outcomes with international benchmarks from Germany and United States studies on automation and manufacturing competitiveness.

Criticism and Controversy

Criticism addressed the adequacy of funding relative to competing national priorities, concerns echoed by commentators at the Institute for Fiscal Studies and trade bodies including the TUC, and debates over regional allocation highlighted by leaders in Scotland and Wales. Labour market analysts associated with institutions like the Resolution Foundation and New Economics Foundation raised questions about displacement risks and social equity. Some technology commentators referenced examples from Amazon (company) and Foxconn to argue for stronger labour protections, while others called for clearer metrics and transparency akin to reporting standards advocated by the National Audit Office.

Category:Manufacturing initiatives in the United Kingdom