Research & Innovation

Research and Industry Insights

Explore our collection of research-based content, industry studies, and evidence-backed insights on AI, technology, and business transformation. We bridge the gap between academic research and practical application, making complex findings accessible and actionable.

Our research content includes analysis of emerging trends, industry reports, case study findings, and expert perspectives on technology adoption and innovation. Learn from data-driven insights that inform strategic decision-making.

Whether you’re exploring new technologies, validating approaches, or staying informed about industry developments, our research resources provide the depth and rigour needed to make confident decisions. We focus on translating research findings into practical business value.

The UK's leading manufacturing event

Digital Manufacturing Week will be taking place next week in Liverpool. You’ll find us there on Wednesday and Thursday the 10th and 11th, on Innovation alley.

The State of AI and learning from Transformers

Deloitte’s State of AI in the Enterprise report is an enlightening read. This edition focuses on becoming an ‘AI fueled’ organisation. The results come from a survey conducted on 2,875 executives from across the Americas, Europe and Asia. They separated companies into four groups based on their success with AI implementation and identified what was driving the success of the highest performers.

Procurement best practice – what manufacturers can learn

The National Audit Office (NAO) report on ‘Managing the Commercial Lifecycle’ is a great guide to improving your own procurement processes. Here we share some interesting findings and the key areas to make changes in.

Microsoft Emissions Impact Dashboard - what you need to know

The Emissions Impact Dashboard is a great way to track and reduce cloud carbon emissions. The tool has an accessible visual interface that gives users high quality data and key insights into their cloud carbon footprint. If you’re aiming for net zero this dashboard can be a step in the right direction.

What is Microsoft Project Bonsai?

Microsoft Project Bonsai is a low-code AI platform that can be used to build AI-powered systems. These can provide guidance to operators or control industrial equipment. This allows optimisation of process variables, leading to an increase in production efficiency and reducing equipment downtime.

Investing in digital technology lowers future operating costs for manufacturers

There are so many benefits to going digital with your business including cutting your future operating costs and becoming more sustainable. We’ve taken a look at the UKRI’s report on productivity opportunities and risks in a transformative, low-carbon and digital age which looks at this in more detail.

What is a citizen developer?

Citizen developers are not developers by trade but still make useful tools and applications with no-code tools. The concept is relatively new and has gained momentum in the last few years. Citizen Development has the potential to be of great benefit to the manufacturing industry by empowering ordinary staff to improve the processes they work with every day. Their unique perspectives can be transformative in identifying key areas to work on and improve.

What manufacturing SME's need to know about IIoT and cyber-security

IIoT can have benefits for manufacturing businesses of all types and sizes. It can be particularly useful in providing transparency and tracking along the supply chain but that’s just the start. To stay safe, it is vital you develop strong cyber security practices around IIoT. Here we offer some best practices and how to approach them.

UK Government supports AI approaches to manufacturing sustainability

The UK government released its AI strategy on 22nd September 2021. We’ve looked at the report and broken down how this will affect the manufacturing industry going forward. We outline some key areas such as skills shortages, addressing net-zero challenges, and new product development as well as the next steps manufacturers can take.

Steph Locke at Impact Festival 2021

Take a look at what happened at last week’s Impact Festival, where Steph took part in the EIT Manufacturing panel on The Future of Sustainable Manufacturing.