The Manufacturer has covered John Robinson’s proposed paradigm shift for UK manufacturing – The Quorum Principle.
John believes UK manufacturing has been stuck in outdated methods of operation; internally siloed and unwilling to collaborate effectively with suppliers.
The Quorum Principle aims to get manufacturers and solution providers working in a different model, one that would see suppliers working more collaboratively and providing manufacturing organisations with the combined solutions and expertise of several vendor organisations.
Momentum has grown for John, having secured seed funding for The Quorum Principle, as well the onboarding of the programmes first client. He has also announced partnerships with significant trade orgainsations; Make UK, the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) and the Food & Drink Federation (FDF)
The Quorum Principle
Continuous performance improvement remains a core ambition for manufacturers, yet a fundamental issue within global manufacturing continues to limit progress. Traditional operating models have resulted in four critical areas – strategy, IT, OT and operational excellence – functioning in isolation. These silos exist not only within manufacturing organisations themselves, but also across the wider solution-provider landscape, ultimately constraining the value that can be delivered.
John argues that overcoming this challenge requires a bold and fundamentally different approach to collaboration. Rather than working independently, major solution providers would actively collaborate to align around manufacturers’ goals and deliver outcomes collectively. This philosophy underpins The Quorum Principle, an approach with the potential to trigger a significant shift in how manufacturing value is created and realised across the industry.
The Quorum Principle was first introduced by John Robinson during a virtual breakout session at the Manufacturing Leaders’ Summit in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the uncertainty and disruption of that period, the idea immediately struck a chord with the remote audience. What began as a thought-provoking concept has since evolved into a compelling journey, gaining momentum and generating widespread interest.
Since its inception, The Quorum Principle has progressed from an initial discussion point into a framework that is driving meaningful engagement and tangible breakthroughs. The past year in particular has marked a period of significant advancement, demonstrating the power of collaboration and reinforcing the belief that a more connected, cooperative ecosystem is essential for the future success of global manufacturing.
Read our full article on The Quorum Principle
