Manufacturing has been central to the UK’s economic success since the Industrial Revolution. Today, it accounts for 43% of exports, employs 2.6 million people, and contributes £1.8 trillion to the economy (Make UK). Yet productivity remains 15% below the OECD average, and the UK’s share of global manufacturing exports has dropped from 10% in 1970 to just 3% in 2020 (ONS).
To stay competitive in a volatile global market, UK manufacturers must embrace innovation. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Smart Manufacturing Survey, manufacturers implementing smart technologies – including automation and analytics – reported a 10% to 20% improvement in production output and 10% to 15% in unlocked capacity, demonstrating clear productivity and efficiency gains
Data issues
Data is critical to manufacturing, yet many businesses face persistent challenges. Common issues include data silos and poor integration, which hinder a unified view of operations and informed decision-making. Inaccurate or incomplete data often leads to flawed analysis, while inconsistent governance can expose businesses to regulatory risk and disruption.
Security and compliance must be prioritised, but even with safeguards in place, many manufacturers struggle to extract meaningful insights. Without the ability to leverage data effectively, opportunities to improve efficiency, drive innovation, and enhance customer experience are often missed.
Letting technology take the strain
Digitalisation software can help your business improve efficiency in many areas including R&D; planning, procurement, sourcing and inventory management; production; supply chain management; and enhanced customer service.
For manufacturing businesses like yours, a shift to digital business means an integrated supply chain, streamlined and digitised processes, and advanced utilisation of technologies (such as data analytics, and AI/Machine Learning).
You may be surprised by the breadth of assistance that these digital systems can offer, from back-office assistance with Records Conversion (scanning, indexing, and archiving paper documents) and HR Process Automation, to visual monitoring systems that assist with physical operations such as Equipment Monitoring, Inventory Tracking, Vehicle Recognition, Visual Quality Inspection, Machine Vision Defect Detection, Product Lifecycle Management, Visitor Management, Security Management, and Workplace Safety.
However, before you investigate and invest in new digital technology, it is important to remember that it must actively play a part in building a more resilient and agile business, one that can withstand market disruption and be flexible enough to seize new opportunities.
Intelligent Information Management
Konica Minolta’s Intelligent Information Management (IIM) solutions help manufacturers streamline data handling by breaking down silos, enabling fast access to documents, and improving operational efficiency. These systems digitise and capture document data, reduce paper use, and eliminate manual processes – making it easier to share information and collaborate across teams.
Content is centralised in a secure, scalable repository that integrates with other systems, allowing real-time dashboards, automated task assignments, and approval workflows. Managed Content Services further optimise how data is created, used, and refined across its lifecycle, helping to solve inefficiencies and improve productivity.
Complementing this is Konica Minolta’s Process Automation, which automates repetitive workflows, freeing teams to focus on core tasks. This boosts efficiency, reduces costs, and enhances production quality – supporting a more agile, data-driven manufacturing environment.
Intelligent video systems
Konica Minolta’s Intelligent Video Solutions are the Swiss Army Knife of manufacturing smart technology. By combining visual, thermal, sound, and sensor data, these systems automatically monitor and protect people, facilities, and infrastructure.
Using powerful AI, these intelligent systems are also perfect for visual quality inspection – utilising high-resolution cameras, they automate checking for defects or anomalies, such as the contamination of boxes on a production line, and alert the management team so action can be taken, raising quality and boosting efficiency by avoiding unnecessary stoppages. They can also monitor safety – checking for potential fires, people in unexpected areas, or lone workers in trouble; security – monitoring for unusual behaviour or unexpectedly missing items; and vehicle recognition.
Automated industrial printing
COM! PRINT is Konica Minolta’s modular printing solution for industrial and retail environments, designed to eliminate bottlenecks caused by manual, error-prone processes. Seamlessly integrating with ERP, MES, and WMS systems, it enables automated, real-time, variable data printing of labels and documents directly on the production line, in warehouses, or when shipping.
Highly secure, COM! PRINT improves efficiency, reduces errors, and ensures compliance with traceability and documentation standards. Businesses benefit from lower material costs, on-demand printing, and scalable software tailored to their workflows – transforming print processes from a pain point into a competitive advantage.
Simplified office print and scan with OneRate
OneRate is Konica Minolta’s fixed quarterly print and scan service designed to simplify operations and control costs. It covers all prints, scans, consumables (excluding paper), parts, maintenance, and nationwide support of our powerful bizhub multifunctional printers – eliminating unpredictable billing, hidden fees, and downtime.
With no meter readings or manual orders, manufacturers gain full cost visibility and reliable access to the latest print and software technology. Tailored for fast-paced environments, OneRate saves time and money and lets production and IT teams focus on core tasks while Konica Minolta ensures scalability, full-service availability and expert support.
The benefits of embracing digitalisation
Digitalisation is increasingly referred to as the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, and this doesn’t overstate its importance. By embracing its benefits, your business can play a pivotal role in the digital transformation of UK manufacturing, contributing to overall growth, productivity, and competitiveness.
It enables you to harness the power of data, giving your business the tools, technology, and expertise to effectively manage and utilise invaluable insights and competitive advantages. By fostering a culture of data-driven innovation, you can improve the development of new products, services, and processes that give you a competitive edge.
Embracing digitalisation also promotes responsible data practices, ensuring your business adopts and retains management processes that comply with regulations and safeguard sensitive information. At the same time, it allows your business to be more agile, flexible and operationally efficient through data-driven decision-making that streamlines processes, reduces costs, and improves productivity.
For more information on how Konica Minolta can help your manufacturing business embrace digitalisation please contact us.
For more articles like this, visit our Digital Transformation channel.
