Despite ranking low in robot density globally, Leggett & Platt's automation journey shows how strategic investments can significantly boost business growth by improving productivity and efficiency in the UK.
The UK continues to grapple with low productivity, partly due to its sluggish adoption of robotics and automation. Ranked 25th globally in robot density, the UK is the only G7 nation outside the top 20, trailing behind the likes of Belgium, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
Several factors lie behind this lag, including misconceptions about the total cost, potential applications and the flexibility of modern technologies. However, companies like Leggett & Platt (L&P) Springs UK show how strategic automation can overcome these barriers and drive substantial business growth.
Leggett & Platt (L&P) Springs UK is a leading components manufacturer for the bedding industry. The UK operation is part of L&P’s International Bedding division, backed by over a century of experience from L&P Incorporated – a diversified manufacturer that designs and produces engineered products found in most homes and automobiles.
Since pioneering bedding technology in 1885 with the invention of the spiral steel coil bed spring, Leggett & Platt has remained at the forefront of innovation, holding nearly 1,800 patents to date.
At a recent Monthly Industry Meet-up, Mike Holmes, Managing Director of L&P Springs UK, shared how automation has delivered tangible business benefits across their operations. Starting with zero automation, L&P Springs UK has been on a journey that has moved through semi-automated processes towards full automation.
One Company’s Journey of Automation
This journey began with standardising key production assets. A sizeable part of the company’s growth has come from acquisition, resulting in a diverse range of equipment being used. Over several years, this standardisation process led to the consolidation of multiple European acquisitions into two super sites – located in Croatia and Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
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Next, the company targeted automation in product and material handling, primarily driven by health and safety needs. This included automated lifting and movement of heavy products, which not only enhanced efficiency and reduced repetitive strain injuries but also helped develop a positive mindset towards automation being a pathway to higher productivity.
Subsequent efforts focused on automating labour-intensive tasks like feeding production lines and managing product flow, leading to further operational efficiencies. Automation was then extended to packaging, optimising both infeed and packaging procedures.
Beyond the shop floor, L&P Springs UK streamlined its administrative functions through CRM software, ERP systems, automated labelling and barcoding, and automated data capture for production reporting, shipping and quality assurance. Doing so has enhanced accuracy and efficiency, reduced paper use and further embedded a culture of automation within the company.
Looking ahead, L&P Springs UK aims to complete its largest automation project yet by the end of 2024 – fully automating the packaging process. “While infeed has already been automated, the next step is to automate the exiting, collating, palletising and presenting those pallets to the warehouse,” Mike explained.
To date, their automation journey has driven notable improvements across productivity, operational efficiency, product quality and performance, and employee engagement. These enhancements have been a vital part of L&P Springs UK successfully competing against low-cost imports.
Summing up the evolving role of automation, Mike highlighted its shift from predominantly a tool for labour reduction to a means of reallocating labour: “With labour and skill shortages, the emphasis has changed to freeing up workers and using them elsewhere without needing to recruit.”
Common Automation Challenges
Following Mike’s presentation, a Discussion Group of a dozen Made Members explored common challenges businesses face when adopting automation. Here are the key takeaways:
Cost Misconceptions: Many SMEs perceive automation as prohibitively expensive, not realising the long-term savings and efficiency gains it can provide, or how affordable certain automation systems can be.
Cultural Resistance: One Member underscored the major hurdle of changing the mindset and culture within a company to embrace automation. Employees often fear that automation will lead to job losses, making it crucial to demonstrate how it can enhance roles rather than replace them.
Poor knowledge and Expertise: One Member noted the significant knowledge gap in understanding how modern automation technologies can be integrated into existing systems and processes. This includes misconceptions about the flexibility and applicability of automation solutions.
Integration Challenges: One Member described how businesses still struggle with the belief that their current equipment cannot be automated or integrated with new systems. However, most modern PLC-controlled machines are compatible with automation solutions.
Lack of Government Incentives: One Member noted that compared to other nations, the UK provides relatively limited government funding and incentives to support businesses adopting automation. This lack of support makes it harder for companies, particularly SMEs, to justify the initial investment, placing them at a disadvantage on the global stage.
Return on Investment: Demonstrating clear and tangible ROI from automation projects is crucial to gaining buy-in from stakeholders, Mike noted.
Vendor Support: One Member expressed concerns about finding reliable vendors and ongoing support for automation systems are common. Building relationships with trusted partners is key to overcoming this challenge.
Long-term Planning: Mike noted how automation should be viewed as part of a long-term business strategy rather than a quick fix. Proper planning and phased implementation can help manage costs and integration smoothly.
Join our Next Monthly Industry Meetup!
The opportunity to openly discuss challenges, opportunities and solutions is what makes the Made in Group’s Monthly Industry Meetups so invaluable.
During these captivating virtual events, industry experts, thought leaders, and professionals gather to share knowledge, insights and best practices.
The goal is to foster collaboration, inspire innovation, and drive growth within the manufacturing community.
Each month, we feature three engaging talks from Made Members, focusing on best practices around key themes that shape the future of manufacturing, including Global Trade, People & Skills, Future Factories, and Sustainability.
Presentations are followed by interactive Discussion Groups. These virtual roundtables enable Members to exchange ideas and gain further insights on their chosen topic.
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*Header image from Freepik, inset image from L&P Springs UK