Central to the stand will be the SOAP Factory (Smart, Orchestrated, Autonomous Production), a connected production environment showing how these capabilities work together across design, operation and maintenance.

“Many manufacturers are being asked to increase productivity, improve resilience and respond faster to changing market demands, often while working within existing facilities and infrastructure,” said Vincenzo Monaco, managing director DACH, Rockwell Automation. “The transition from automation to autonomy is about helping them make better decisions across the production lifecycle, using industrial AI, software-defined automation and cybersecurity to unlock greater value from the assets and investments they already have.”

Highlights at the Rockwell Automation booth include:

Software-defined automation: As manufacturers seek greater flexibility, separating control software from hardware creates opportunities to simplify deployment and adapt production systems more quickly. Demonstrations featuring LogixEdge integrated industrial control and edge computing will explore how virtualised control brings IT and OT closer together. A flexible manufacturing demonstration will feature Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork companies autonox Robotics and Comau, which will show how multiple robot technologies can operate within a common control environment.

Industrial AI: Rockwell Automation will showcase the newly launched FactoryTalk Conductor, an AI-native orchestration platform that connects AI agents, skills, workflows and automation software to help engineers accelerate system design, development and testing, as part of its factory demonstration. The demonstration will illustrate how intelligent technologies can support decisions throughout the manufacturing lifecycle. Additional technologies on display include FactoryTalk Design Studio, a cloud-based engineering environment for designing and programming industrial control systems, and Emulate3D digital twin technology, which enable engineers to simulate and validate production systems before physical deployment. FactoryTalk Analytics industrial analytics software, Fiix cloud-based maintenance management software and GuardianAI AI-powered predictive maintenance solution will also be featured, supporting predictive maintenance and data-driven operational decisions. A brownfield demonstration will show how existing production lines can be modernised without extensive equipment replacement.

Cybersecurity and compliance: With the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), Machinery Regulation (MR) and NIS2 increasing the demands on manufacturers and machine builders, Rockwell Automation will demonstrate how cybersecurity can be integrated throughout industrial operations. Visitors will discover how SecureOT cybersecurity suite supports asset visibility, risk prioritisation and vulnerability management, alongside secure-by-design approaches to industrial networks and regulatory compliance.

Visitors are invited to booth 320 in hall 3C, where Rockwell Automation specialists will be available to discuss individual automation challenges and demonstrate integrated solutions developed with members of the company’s PartnerNetwork.

Visit the Rockwell Automation website for more information

See all stories for Rockwell Automation

But taking the first step towards an automated factory does not have to be complicated. One often overlooked strategy is to start at the end of the production line and work backwards, beginning with one of the most straightforward and repeatable processes in manufacturing: packaging.

UK manufacturing’s hidden success story

Whether producing sandwiches, door handles or automotive components, almost every manufactured product needs to be packaged before leaving the factory. In many cases, that means handling standardised cardboard boxes. The closer a process gets to the individual product itself, the more complex automation can become. Boxes, by comparison, are predictable and relatively easy for robots to handle.

The UK packaging sector is a significant contributor to the national economy, accounting for more than £13 billion in sales, £6.2 billion in revenue and employing over 80,000 people. Almost every manufacturing business is involved in packaging in some form, whether directly or through its supply chain.

Despite its importance, packaging is often overlooked when manufacturers consider where to introduce automation. Investment discussions frequently focus on complex pick-and-place applications at the beginning of the production line, where products can vary considerably in shape, size and handling requirements.

A more effective approach for first-time automation users is to focus on the packaging hall. Repetitive tasks such as box handling, case packing, palletising and wrapping can often be automated with comparatively little disruption to existing operations. Rather than attempting to automate everything at once, manufacturers can start with a manageable application that delivers measurable benefits while developing the knowledge and confidence to automate further processes.

Improving productivity while supporting the workforce

Robots are particularly well suited to dull, dirty and dangerous tasks. Lifting heavy boxes and stacking them onto pallets for an entire shift is repetitive, physically demanding and can place considerable strain on employees. Automating these activities can not only increase throughput, improve consistency and reduce bottlenecks at the end of the production line, but it can also ease the physical demands placed on employees and potentially lower the risk of handling-related injuries.

Staff can then be redeployed into more skilled, value-added roles, including quality control, machine supervision, maintenance and production improvement. This approach can also support workforce retention. Giving employees opportunities to develop new skills and move away from monotonous tasks improves job satisfaction, while reducing the time and expense associated with recruitment, onboarding and training.

Making the business case for automation

Cost remains one of the biggest barriers to automation investment. While packaging operations may appear relatively inexpensive because they often rely on entry-level labour, the true cost extends beyond wages; for example, National Insurance contributions, pensions, holiday and sick pay, training, workwear and recruitment.

Consider a manufacturer operating four production lines, each staffed by four full-time packing and palletising operatives. Using an illustrative annual wage cost of £25,000 per operative, the direct annual wage bill would be £400,000. An automated palletising solution costing £250,000 could, in theory, deliver a payback period of just 7.5 months.

While this is a simplistic calculation, it nevertheless demonstrates why packaging automation deserves serious consideration. And even when immediate labour savings are not the primary objective, increased throughput, greater reliability and better use of staff all make a compelling commercial case.

Choosing the right automation partner

However, although simpler than many other manufacturing processes, packaging lines typically combine several processes, including case erecting, product packing, box sealing, conveying, palletising and stretch wrapping.

Manufacturers should therefore look for an automation partner with established relationships across the wider packaging supply chain. Proven collaboration between robot suppliers such as FANUC and our system integrator partner network, who are providers of conveyors, box erectors, tape sealers and stretch wrappers, will help ensure that equipment works together as a cohesive system, reducing integration risks and supporting a competitive overall solution.

Collaboration is particularly important when businesses are considering changes to packaging materials. Consumer demand for recyclable packaging and ongoing legislative pressure is encouraging manufacturers to rethink the materials they use, and these changes create an opportunity to review production processes at the same time.

By considering automation alongside packaging redesign, manufacturers can address these challenges before new materials are introduced at scale. Packaging consultants and material suppliers should therefore aim to work closely with automation providers from the outset, reducing the need for costly modifications later on and reducing the change burden.

Extending automation into distribution

While many manufacturers will have their own packing facilities, some use third-party logistics providers and distribution centres to store products and manage fulfilment. In some cases, products are packaged or prepared for dispatch only when customer orders are received. These co-packing and distribution operations often involve high volumes of repetitive work, making them strong candidates for automation.

Integrating robotic equipment with warehouse management systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms and order fulfilment software can improve coordination between inventory, packaging requirements and dispatch schedules. With the right integration, businesses can increase visibility, reduce manual handling and make more efficient use of their labour and equipment.

Start small, think strategically

In conclusion, for any manufacturer that has yet to embrace automation, transforming an entire factory may feel overwhelming. Packaging provides a more accessible starting point, with repetitive processes and established robotic solutions offering opportunities for practical, measurable improvements.

By starting at the end of the production line, firms can build internal expertise, improve productivity and develop a clearer understanding of how automation can support their wider business objectives. The key is to define the operational challenge, assess the potential return and involve the right technology partners from the outset.

Automation does not have to begin with the most complex process in the factory. For many companies, starting with packaging could be the most effective way to improve efficiency, support the workforce, respond to sustainability demands and compete more confidently in a global market.

Visit the FANUC website for more information

See all stories for FANUC

Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) treat life-altering diseases, such as cancers and genetic diseases, at the root level by modifying DNA, living cells or tissue. Among the most complex and advanced medical treatments under development, these therapies have the potential to deliver long-lasting or even curative treatment. However, access to these treatments worldwide is limited due to the costly, labour-intensive manufacturing processes involved.

“The challenge today is that the biology is phenomenal, but the manufacturing capacity and the ability to scale that to the world is not there.” Says Leo Steenson, Head of Robotics at Cellular Origins.

Cellular Origins set out to change this by developing a scalable, robotic system that could fit into existing or new manufacturing facilities. To automate cell therapy manufacturing, Cellular Origins needed a way to transport materials between different stations for each stage of the production process. Unlike systems that rely on higher-grade cleanroom environments, Cellular Origins’ method uses sterile tube welding to form closed connections, supporting operation in Grade C/D environments while mitigating contamination risk and reducing gowning requirements for operators. The whole system would be controlled by a unified software orchestration layer to track every step, coordinate equipment and process activities, and collect data.

It became clear to the Cellular Origins team that Integrated Mobile Robots (IMRs) would be the ideal solution to facilitate the transport of materials. It was important that the system could navigate autonomously around dynamic environments, enabling human interaction as required. Another key consideration was that the mobile robot base had an open interface that would allow it to be integrated with the central software system, as well as an industrial robot arm, which would sit on top of the mobile unit.

Collaborative, autonomous navigation

After considering multiple options, including AGVs which would require tracks to run on, Cellular Origins engaged with RARUK Automation for a demonstration of the MiR250 autonomous mobile robot (AMR), developed by Mobile Industrial Robots, a Teradyne Robotics company. The demonstration highlighted the model’s compact footprint and collaborative, autonomous navigation capabilities. Additionally, MiR’s Agility Boost feature enables faster, smoother navigation in narrow and dynamic environments, which makes the AMR ideal for operating within the space-constrained layouts CGT manufacturing requires.

“The MiR250 is the ideal size, weight, payload, but crucially it is the easiest to integrate.” Remarks Steenson.

A key differentiating feature for the MiR250 was its open architecture, which enables communication with a wide range of industrial systems and devices. This provides manufacturers with the freedom to build tailored automation solutions without being constrained by proprietary interfaces or rigid system designs.

“The MiR platform is what we call an open platform. It’s able to communicate with multiple different industrial devices,” explains Ross Lacy, Sales Director at RARUK Automation. “It allows the users to build a platform that fits into their application around that, so it’s quite unique in that sense.”

In addition to its flexibility to integrate with a range of technologies, the MiR250 (along with the rest of the MiR range) has smart charging capabilities. The mobile robot monitors its own battery levels and automatically docks for charging at a logical break point. When multiple MiR robots are managed by MiR Fleet software, the software coordinates jobs and charging schedules across the fleet. Robots can take turns charging while others continue working, helping maintain continuous, 24/7 operation.

“[MiR AMRs] can autonomously charge, they are scalable, they have a piece of fleet software that allows up to 100 to be used in the same environment,” says Lacy. “They are very straightforward to get to grips with and get going.”

After Cellular Origins selected the MiR250 as the foundation of its integrated mobile robot (IMR), the implementation process progressed rapidly. The platform’s ease of use enabled the team to begin operating the robot almost immediately following initial training. Working closely with RARUK Automation, Cellular Origins then focused on refining the system and addressing the technical requirements needed to integrate the MiR250 with its other technologies.

As Steenson recalls: “After some training with Ross and the team, we got [the MiR] running within hours and, after that, we worked very closely together to figure out all of the integration details. Within a few months we had a working IMR.”

Technical advice and support

As well as the strong technical foundation provided by the MiR250, the collaborative working relationship between Cellular Origins and RARUK Automation proved instrumental both during development and now, as the solution is deployed at scale. From technical advice and support to facilitating discussions with the manufacturer, Mobile Industrial Robots, as operations scale, RARUK Automation prides itself on being a local partner that streamlines and simplifies the automation process.

Reflecting on the partnership between the two companies, Steenson comments: “[RARUK Automation] brings that wealth of expertise: they’ve worked across multiple different industries, they’ve worked with mobile robotics for years. They’ve listened, they’ve understood and they’ve delivered time after time.”

A vision of scalable cell therapy manufacturing

Since its launch in May 2023, Constellation is the materialisation of Cellular Origins’ vision of scalable cell therapy manufacturing, with IMRs playing a central role in its flexible, automated ecosystem. The platform can achieve up to 30 times greater space efficiency, a 16-fold reduction in labour requirements and a 51% reduction in cost of goods compared with conventional manufacturing approaches, helping make advanced therapies more accessible and economically viable.

Crucially, by unlocking the cost-savings achieved through smart automation, Cellular Origins’ Constellation is improving access to life changing therapies – helping more patients receive the treatment they need.

Steenson concludes: “Success for Cellular Origins ultimately is in the treatment of the patients. Starting from the first dose through to tens-of-thousands and RARUK Automation enables us to do that as quickly as we possibly can.”

Visit the RARUK Automation website for more information

See all stories for RARUK Automation

“Physical AI fundamentally changes what robots can do, where they can operate and the value they can create,” said Marc Segura, President, ABB Robotics. “Robotic AI vision is the vital bridge between robot perception and physical actions, enabling robots to see, understand, and act in real time. Customers need a complete workflow to create, deploy and continuously improve it.

“OmniCore EyeMotion and AI Robot Trainer work together, in a continuous loop of data generation, AI model training, deployment and optimisation that advances AI-powered vision and makes physical AI a reality, across industries for both experts and newcomers to robotics.”

Designed for system integrators and automation partners, OmniCore EyeMotion powered by AI Robot Trainer simplifies the deployment and scaling of AI-powered vision applications across multiple customer sites and production lines, reducing dependence on AI specialists while accelerating commissioning and adaptation to production changes. Converting real shop floor images into deployable AI vision data, the tools connect image acquisition, AI model training, deployment and continuous improvement in a single industrial workflow, and convert perception directly to robot motion through automatic collision-free path planning.

The integrated solution reduces commissioning time by up to 90% and cycle time by up to 50% when combined with automatic collision-free path planning. A simple guided workflow and AI chatbot lead users through every step of the process, helping system integrators handle changing SKUs, lighting, layouts, and object variations. It combines synthetic and real-world image data with ABB Robotics’ industrial knowledge and is compatible with any brand of camera and sensor.

Together, AI Robot Trainer and OmniCore EyeMotion make advanced AI vision development accessible without specialised expertise, for vision applications from simple 2D pick and place to more complex 3D bin picking, quality inspection, sorting or assembly.

Visit the ABB Robotics website for more information

See all stories for ABB Robotics

The new centre serves as a dedicated customer experience, demonstration and collaboration hub, providing customers, partners and system integrators with the opportunity to explore Delta’s latest robotics technologies and intelligent automation solutions. Through live demonstrations and application showcases, visitors can experience how Delta’s integrated robotics ecosystem helps manufacturers increase productivity, improve flexibility and accelerate their smart manufacturing journey.

“The opening of our Automation & Robotics Centre marks another important milestone in Delta’s long-term commitment to innovation and customer collaboration in Europe,” said Michael Mayer-Rosa, Head of Intelligent Robot Systems at Delta Electronics EMEA. “By bringing our robotics technologies closer to customers, we can demonstrate how intelligent automation, advanced robotics and integrated manufacturing solutions enable companies to address today’s production challenges while preparing for the factories of tomorrow.”

The opening ceremony brought together customers, partners, industry representatives and Delta experts to celebrate the inauguration of the new facility. Guests participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, keynote presentations and guided tours of the centre, where they experienced live demonstrations of Delta’s robotics portfolio, including its D-Bot collaborative robot solutions, as well as integrated automation technologies designed for a wide range of industrial applications. Among the showcased applications were a collaborative palletizing solution, a material flow demonstration featuring the D-Bot DC20 and DC30 working together, and a robotic dry welding application, highlighting the flexibility and versatility of Delta’s collaborative robotics platform.

The event also featured a keynote presentation by Peter Fröschle, Managing Director of ARENA2036, who shared insights into the future of intelligent manufacturing and highlighted the importance of collaboration between industry, research and technology partners in driving innovation. ARENA2036 is a Stuttgart-based research campus and innovation platform that brings together industry and academia to shape the future of mobility and production. Delta Electronics joined the ARENA2036 network in 2025, further strengthening its collaboration with the regional innovation ecosystem.

Located in one of Europe’s leading industrial regions, the Delta Automation & Robotics Centre spans approximately 600 m2 and is supported by a local engineering team of around seven specialists. The facility serves as a platform for technology demonstrations, proof-of-concept development, customer workshops, technical training and application engineering, enabling closer collaboration with customers and partners throughout every stage of their automation journey.

The new centre further strengthens Delta’s position as a trusted partner for industrial automation by combining local engineering expertise with the company’s global innovation capabilities. It also reflects Delta’s continued investment in Germany as a strategic location for developing and demonstrating next-generation automation technologies that help manufacturers build more efficient, flexible and sustainable factories.

Visit the Delta website for more information

See all stories for Delta

Anchored by the PolyScope X robot operating system, Gen 7 has a fully reengineered control box, teach pendant and tool flange – all designed to make even the most demanding tasks and setups easier.

“The robots of the AI era must be advanced, not complicated,” said Jean-Pierre Hathout, President of the Teradyne Robotics Group, parent company of Universal Robots. “Built on what we have learned from over 20 years of cobot innovation and more than 100,000 industrial deployments worldwide, Gen 7 is an end-to-end redesign of our platform that reduces integration friction and dramatically expands application capabilities. It will enable our customers and partners across industries to confidently deploy advanced AI-powered applications in real-world operations.”

Gen 7 introduces a unified collection of new hardware and features:

New g-Series robot arms with AI-ready tool flange: The Gen 7 platform adds three new robot arms: UR10g-1750, UR17g-1300, and UR18g-950, named after their payload (kg) and reach (mm), joining the e-Series and UR Series lineup.

The new g-Series tool flange enables the vision and sensing needed for AI models to run in real time with the robot, delivering data, power, and safety directly to the tool flange. This eliminates cabling complexity and makes it easier to connect cameras and high-bandwidth sensors, which is critical to advanced automation and physical AI deployments.

Additionally, built-in force-torque sensing, impedance control and Real-Time Data Exchange (RTDE) give the robot a sense of touch for physical AI applications such as dexterous manipulation and force-sensitive assembly tasks.

CB7 Core controller: Offering 40% more compute power in a 30% smaller footprint than previous generations, the new controller enables multi-network communication for modern automation and physical AI architectures, connecting to PLCs, HMIs, MES platforms, IPCs, and vision systems, reducing the need for external switches. It is available at launch in a standalone control box version and a compact version for integration into an automation cabinet. CB7 is also compatible with e-Series and UR Series robot arms.

PolyScope X: Brings to Gen 7 modern programming tools, ISO 10218-1 safety functionality and cybersecurity compliance. With open APIs and ROS2 communication, PolyScope X enables programmers to build and deploy edge-AI applications utilising IPCs and external AI processing. With additional software packages, integrators can access further advanced robot functionality such as ProfiSafe, OPC-UA, or logic programmes, and easily access application software from third-party developers, such as Rocketfarm Pally or Inbolt 3D Vision Guidance.

TP7 Core teach pendant: Building upon the already exceptional UR user experience, the new teach pendant is more than 20% lighter and more ergonomic than previous generations, has multiple grip positions, configurable smart buttons, and a full HD display, plus a new virtual joystick. It is designed to stay comfortable through long shifts and to make programming feel intuitive rather than technical, so operators spend less time learning the interface and more time getting the job done.

New SP7 Smart Panel tool flange interface: A faster way to teach and programme directly at the tool flange. The SP7 Smart Panel has safety-compliant freedrive functionality, LED lights and three configurable input buttons capable of running PolyScope X Smart Skills. By letting operators work at the point of the task, the Smart Panel cuts setup and programming time where touch-to-teach or operator interaction is important, such as high-mix, low-volume production.

Safety and cybersecurity in focus: Gen 7′s advanced and collaborative safety functions provide a PLd, Category 3 (ISO 13849-1) certified architecture. All g-Series robots are TÜV certified to ISO10218-1 and UL1740, and Teradyne Robotics is certified to IEC 62443-4-1 ML3 for cybersecurity, confirming that secure development practices are built into every stage of the software lifecycle.

A showcase of the physical AI ecosystem

At IMTS, Gen 7 is on display alongside new developments from 20+ ecosystem partners – including demonstrations of Gen 7 functionality with Cognex, Schunk, Magswitch, Smooth Robotics, Psyonic, Robotiq and Inbolt. The demonstrations illustrate how the platform’s open architecture lets best-in-class physical AI, machine vision and gripping providers build applications directly on Universal Robots hardware and software.

“Universal Robots and Inbolt share the same conviction, that automation should be simple to deploy and simple to live with,” said Rudy Cohen, CEO of Inbolt. “With Gen 7 and PolyScope X, Inbolt’s vision now runs natively on the UR controller itself, available directly through UR. No external vision PC, no extra cabling. Manufacturers get parts localised without jigs or fixtures, and reach production in hours, not weeks.”

The booth demonstrations also reflect a mature ecosystem: Gen 7 is backed by UR+, a curated, rigorously tested portfolio of automation products, each validated by both the partner and UR before it reaches the market. This de-risks integration and lets customers deploy their robots more quickly and with confidence.

Visit the Universal Robots website for more information

See all stories for Universal Robots

As aerospace manufacturers prepare for significantly increased production rates on future aircraft programmes, the industry faces growing pressure to deliver larger volumes of complex composite structures while maintaining the highest standards of precision and quality. Loop Technology’s FibreLINE system – with the FANUC M-2000 robot at its heart – has been developed specifically to meet these challenges, offering a scalable and highly automated solution for the production of large composite aerostructures.

Founded in 1998, Dorset-based Loop Technology has established a strong reputation for delivering advanced manufacturing solutions across demanding industrial sectors. The development of FibreLINE originated from early involvement in composite wing development programmes and collaborative aerospace research initiatives, where the need for more efficient and scalable composite manufacturing processes became increasingly evident.

Addressing the challenges of composite production

Manufacturing primary aerospace composite structures requires exceptional positional accuracy, often to within ±1 mm, while handling large and complex components. Production environments must also accommodate the combination of delicate composite materials and heavy tooling, creating significant demands on automation systems.

Traditional gantry-based solutions can struggle to provide the flexibility, scalability and cost efficiency required for future aerospace production rates. To overcome these limitations, Loop Technology sought a robotic platform capable of combining high payload capacity with exceptional accuracy and repeatability.

One of the world’s highest-payload articulated industrial robots, the FANUC M-2000 offers exceptional rigidity and high payload capability, enabling FibreLINE to perform demanding manufacturing processes on large aerospace structures without compromising on accuracy. When combined with Loop Technology’s advanced vision systems, photogrammetry technologies and integrated motion control, the platform consistently achieves accuracy levels of around 1 mm across large-scale components.

The result is a manufacturing solution that combines strength, precision and flexibility, enabling aerospace manufacturers to automate complex processes that were previously difficult to scale economically.

Enabling high-rate aerospace manufacturing

The aerospace sector is increasingly focused on future single-aisle aircraft programmes that are expected to require production rates of up to 80 to 100 aircraft per month.

Meeting these ambitious targets using conventional composite manufacturing methods would typically require extensive factory floor space and multiple production machines. FibreLINE offers a significantly more efficient alternative.

A single FibreLINE system can achieve the equivalent output of between five and ten conventional manufacturing machines, helping manufacturers reduce factory footprint, capital investment and operational complexity while increasing throughput and productivity.

A new era for composite aerospace production

The collaboration between Loop Technology and FANUC demonstrates how advanced robotics is enabling a step change in aerospace manufacturing, helping manufacturers unlock new levels of efficiency and competitiveness.

By combining Loop Technology’s expertise in automation and composite production with the strength and performance of the FANUC M-2000 robot, manufacturers can achieve the scalability required for next-generation aircraft programmes while maintaining the precision and quality standards demanded by the aerospace industry.

Visit the FANUC website for more information

See all stories for FANUC

The system leverages Comau’s MyCo collaborative robot with a ROS2-based software architecture and integrates intelligent sensors and an advanced modular gripper to autonomously manage picking, handling, and palletising tasks across variable product flows.

Comau’s role within the MASTERLY project reflects its use of advanced AI-backed automation to address evolving production challenges, including increasing variability, supply chain disruptions, and the need for rapid reconfiguration. Indeed, the intelligent warehousing and logistics solution, developed in collaboration with the project’s ecosystem of technology partners, underscores the importance of scalable and versatile automation designed to improve workplace ergonomics, reduce physical strain and enhance operational flexibility within human-centric production environments.

The project parameters were driven by Decathlon’s operational requirements within the targeted fulfilment process, which has provided the foundation for implementing and validating several advanced functionalities. Key partners included Decathlon itself and STAM, a Genoa-based systems integrator, alongside the broader MASTERLY consortium.

In addition to the MyCo collaborative robot and intelligent gripper, engineered to manipulate objects varying in shape, weight, and material, the solution incorporates advanced sensors, vision-based object recognition, digital twin capabilities, and workflow orchestration tools. As a result, it can easily manage the rigid, soft, and porous materials commonly found in e-commerce fulfilment environments.

The system also grants real-time optimization and seamless interaction between operators and the automated processes, ensuring high flexibility while maintaining consistent throughput and operational reliability.

Furthermore, the knowledge gained and functionalities validated during the project will contribute to the continued evolution of Comau’s MyCo collaborative robotics platform and are expected to become part of its broader portfolio of advanced intralogistics capabilities.

“Comau’s role in the MASTERLY project is fully aligned with our commitment to advancing next-generation manufacturing by promoting reconfigurability, efficiency, and human-centric automation,” explains Alessandro Piscioneri, Head of Product and Solution Management – Advanced Automation Solutions at Comau.

“The project also highlights the strategic value of combining intelligent robotics, digital technologies and systems integration to create highly flexible logistics and fulfillment operations capable of adapting to rapidly changing production and market demands while maintaining operational continuity, scalability and ease of use. Comau’s growing strategic focus on intralogistics includes strengthening our capabilities through acquisitions, including Automha and Invent, which enable us to deliver increasingly integrated and intelligent solutions across the entire warehouse and production value chain.”

Visit the Comau website for more information

See all stories for Comau

Following the two-day event, FANUC’s Coventry HQ will also play host to the annual BARA Conference, taking place on Thursday 5 November.

Combining expert guidance with practical solutions, this year’s Open House will bring together expert-led seminars, panel debates, industry discussions and real-world case studies. In addition, an extensive exhibition running throughout the event will showcase the latest robotic technology from FANUC and more than 30 of its system integrator partners and suppliers, showing solutions spanning every corner of British manufacturing from engineering, food and packaging to pharma, plastics and toolmaking.

Solutions as flexible as your business

This year’s event will have a particular focus on supporting SMEs to realise their automation potential. Presentations and demonstrations will feature practical, easy-to-implement technology designed to deliver immediate value, as well as the ability to flex as a business evolves.

“Today’s intelligent automation solutions are fast, consistent and adaptable, as well as being extremely reliable,” says Andy Armstrong, FANUC UK’s Managing Director. “Unlike complicated robotic systems of the past, they’re simple to operate and can be easily integrated into existing lines, complementing older machinery to enhance working practices, increase efficiency and boost productivity. At our 2026 Open House event, we’ll be demonstrating just how far automation has evolved in the past few years, showcasing solutions that are user-friendly and cost-efficient. With the UK currently sitting outside the global top 10 in terms of manufacturing output, automation is no longer a ‘nice to have’ for British manufacturers – it’s a business necessity.”

Live robotic demonstrations

Alongside an exhibition of technology from over 30 of FANUC’s partner companies, visitors can also experience the latest in robotic innovation from FANUC itself. Live demonstrations at the Open House will include:

• ‘First step’ automation using CRX collaborative robots for tasks such as entry-level palletising and simple welding.
• All-electric injection moulding capabilities with the FANUC ROBOSHOT, plus reliable, consistent drilling tasks with the FANUC ROBODRILL.
• User-friendly CNC controls and scalable Power Motion display.

In-depth expert guidance

Finally, an impressive line-up of speakers from across the manufacturing and automation spectrum will share their insights and advice on how to select the right automation solution for your business. Panel discussions will include:

• Getting started with automation in manufacturing.
• Solving labour challenges, tackling cultural change and mindset, and implementing modern technology.
• Understanding real-world ROI: Taking the long-term view.
• CRA regulations and machinery developments: What you need to know.

“This year’s Open House is a must-attend for any UK SME, offering expert support and real-world automation solutions to improve product consistency, increase efficiency and alleviate staffing issues,” says Dan Fisher, FANUC UK’s Head of Sales. “We look forward to demonstrating the latest robotic technology that can really make a difference to every manufacturing business.”

Click here to register your interest in attending the free FANUC UK Open House event (3-4 November 2026, Ansty Park, Coventry).

Visit the FANUC website for more information

See all stories for FANUC

In his new role, Alex will lead Schneider Electric’s Industrial & Process Automation business across the UK and Ireland, helping customers across key industrial sectors modernise operations by combining software-defined automation, AI, robotics, electrification and digital intelligence. This enables organisations to use energy and resources more efficiently, accelerate decarbonisation initiatives, and build more resilient and competitive operations.

Having joined Schneider Electric in 2008, Alex brings extensive experience across Energy and Sustainability Services, Global Field Services, Digital Services and Segments & Strategic Accounts. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Segments & Strategic Accounts for Europe Operations and prior to that Vice President, EMEA, for Mining, Minerals and Metals.

Commenting on his appointment, Alex Richards shared: “Industry is entering a defining period in which the convergence of automation, digitalisation and electrification will be essential to driving productivity, resilience and long-term sustainability. Schneider Electric has the technology, expertise and partner ecosystem to help organisations translate this opportunity into practical progress.

“I am excited to lead our Industrial & Process Automation business and to work alongside customers and partners across the UK and Ireland. Together, we can accelerate industrial transformation, unlock greater efficiency and agility, and build more competitive and sustainable operations.”

David Hall, Zone President UK & Ireland at Schneider Electric, added: “Alex’s appointment will help us advance innovation and deliver meaningful automation, digitalisation and decarbonisation initiatives across the UK and Ireland, helping customers turn ambition into practical outcomes.”

Visit the Schneider Electric website for more information

See all stories for Schneider Electric