Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Smart Hub hosts webinar for food and drinks sector
Businesses in Scotland’s food and drinks sector have learned more about the benefits of collaborative robots – or“cobots” – during an event hosted by Smart Hub Lanarkshire.
Thirty-six delegates attended a live webinar designed for small and mediumsized enterprises (SMES) who are considering introducing automation into their manufacturing processes.
It was the first of three summer events to be hosted by the hub, which is a partnership involving North Lanarkshire Council, New College Lanarkshire and the University of Strathclyde.
The free session began with industry experts working in the field of robotics giving an overview of the practical application of cobots in the food and drink sector.
Mark Gray of Danish company Universal Robots provided a summary of the flexibility and adaptability of cobots, while Roy Henderson of SP Elements, Scotland’s only integrator and distributor of Universal Robots, gave an overview of the speed at which cobots can be re-programmed to perform a series of repetitive tasks in a production line.
Dr Dzeti Zait of the National
Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), which is hosted by the University of Strathclyde, gave an insight into the technical support that her organisation can provide SMES with research, development and funding opportunities, giving real-life examples of how NMIS and the University has worked with the whisky industry and a celebration cake firm to boost productivity.
Finally, Colette Mcmorrow of Lanarkshire Enterprise Services detailed financial support available through the Scottish Government’s Digital Development Loan Fund, which can provide interest-free loans of between £5000 and £100,000.
Barry Skea, head of faculty of engineering at New College Lanarkshire, said: “I hope that this event will have inspired many SMES in Lanarkshire and beyond who are considering taking that bold step towards a digital manufacturing process.
“I’ve been lucky enough to watch demonstrations of the cobots in action and have been impressed by their efficiency, their interchangeability to perform different tasks, and how they can be a valuable addition to the workforce.
“We would encourage anyone in the food and drinks sector who is interested in finding out more about robotic automation to get in touch with Smart Hub Lanarkshire.
“I’d like to thank our presenters, Mark,
Roy, Dzeti and Colette, for providing a good understanding of the use of robotics in the food and drinks industry, and the potential to invest and move forward for the future.”
Caroline Brown, enterprise development officer at North Lanarkshire Council, added: “Smart Hub Lanarkshire can provide a range of support to manufacturing businesses locally. We are a point of contact for any challenges or opportunities being faced, which could include production capabilities, workforce development, systems and processes such as technology and ICT, new product development, or issues of efficiency and sustainability.
“If you are a manufacturing company looking for help, contact Smart Hub Lanarkshire. We can direct you to sectorspecific business support relevant to your needs.”
The Hub will host a similar webinar for businesses working in the life sciences sector on August 25, in addition to an event for engineering and fabrication businesses on September 24.
To register to attend, visit www. eventbrite.co.uk/e/159833671815 for the former event and www.eventbrite. co.uk/e/159886622191 for the latter webinar; for more on Smart Hub Lanarkshire, go to www.northlanarkshire. gov.uk/business/smart-hub-lanarkshire