From tackling global events like the pandemic resulting in resource scarcity, to political shifts like Brexit, the UK food and beverage manufacturing sector has had to become more agile. However, more focus needs to be on generating a reliable source of goods, reducing dependence on external forces, and fostering innovation in response to these challenges, to strengthen the UK’s economy and become more resilient. Through the Made Smarter Innovation initiative, a number of digital technology solutions to resilience have been created.
Reducing food and beverage waste through smart labelling
Food waste is a massive problem worldwide. The UK alone throws away around 9.52 million tonnes of food waste in a single year. That’s the equivalent of filling Wembley Stadium nine times over! The biggest challenge is due to consumer misunderstanding of, and confidence in, ‘Best Before’ food and beverage labelling.
A SecQuAL consortium, made up of LRQA, PragmatIC Semiconductor, RSK ADAS, IBM, Advanced Material Development (AMD), BlakBear, Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), Consus Fresh Solutions and Cranswick PLC has received £1,414,926 in funding through the Made Smarter Innovation Challenge to tackle this challenge.
They have developed smart labels with microsensors that can detect meat freshness by gas readings, informing consumers via phone apps if meat is still safe to consume. This unique technology is improving stock rotation in retail and improving shelf life by one day, transforming resilience by providing information on provenance, predicting shelf-life, and identifying inefficiencies in supply chains.
AI managing supply chain disruption
PO automation across today’s manufacturing sector is a challenge. Disruption in supply chains is commonplace and procurement managers need instant access to data to understand where orders are, when they will arrive and whether there will be any delays or risks.
Using AI, Kavida’s Agent PO solution has received funding and support from the Made Smarter Innovation Digital Supply Chain Hub to create a centralised system to automate PO management tasks like order confirmation, order revisions tracking and more. This solution allows manufacturers to reduce inventory delays, speed up invoicing and optimise payment terms with suppliers.
Transforming inventory control and supply chain management in smart factories
Traditionally, human intervention has and continues to be prevalent in manufacturing to connect and control various production processes and systems. A partnership between University of Northumbria alongside supply chain management company NBT Group and Senseye, a leading industrial software business headquartered in the UK, has received £226,907 of funding to help uncover how digital technology and internet-based innovations could be applied to remove human intervention and transform inventory control and supply chain management in production maintenance operations in a smart factory context.
Initiatives like Made Smarter Innovation are fostering the development of practical solutions that directly address vulnerabilities across the manufacturing sector. From intelligent food labelling that tackles waste to AI-powered tools that automate processes, these advancements offer a glimpse into a more resilient future for UK manufacturing.
Continued investment in research and development will be crucial. Encouraging collaboration between industry leaders, academic institutions and government bodies will further accelerate progress. By prioritising innovation and building a robust domestic supply chain, the UK manufacturing sector can not only tackle future challenges, but also thrive in the global marketplace.
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