24th August 2023
Established as part of the UK government’s Agritech Strategy to develop, fund, and commercialise new precision agricultural technologies, Agri-EPI Centre is doing amazing work to bridge the gap between the people creating innovative new agricultural technologies, and those who benefit from them.
PP Control & Automation has just been announced as its newest network member, and will be using the organisation’s events, podcasts, and networking opportunities to communicate the benefits of a strategic outsourcing partnership. Contract manufacturing and assembly solutions for exciting new agricultural tech and what that means for the sector’s ambitious innovators is central to a new mandate developed in response to entering the market.
Below is PP Control & Automation’s 5-point mandate for advancing agritech through strategic partnerships and collaboration.
Garry Myatt, Sales Director, PP Control & Automation
In an era of rapid technological advancement and increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices, the agritech sector has emerged as a pivotal industry for driving global food security and environmental stewardship. As a strategic outsourcing provider with a proven track record, our mission is to collaboratively empower machine and equipment manufacturers, innovators and disruptors in the agritech sector to achieve unparalleled success. This mandate outlines the reasons for our commitment and the value we bring to these organisations.
The agritech industry stands at the crossroads of innovation and necessity. With a global population projected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, the imperative for sustainable food production has never been more pronounced. Agritech represents the confluence of agriculture, technology, and environmental stewardship. From precision farming and automated machinery to data-driven decision-making, this sector offers solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
At the heart of agritech advancement lie machine builders and OEMs, the architects of cutting-edge agricultural machinery. Their creations, from smart tractors to automated irrigation systems, are transforming traditional farming into a data-driven, efficient, and environmentally friendly endeavour. These innovators bear the responsibility of shaping the sector’s future by engineering solutions that boost crop yields, conserve resources, and reduce waste.
With a legacy of successful collaborations spanning various industries, we bring a wealth of expertise to the agritech sector. Our strategic outsourcing solutions have consistently streamlined production processes, enhanced product quality, and optimised supply chains. Drawing on over 55 years’ experience, we are poised to provide agritech machine builders and OEMs with specialised knowledge and resources tailored to their unique challenges and opportunities.
Collaborating with us offers a multitude of benefits that directly address the complex demands of the agritech landscape:
4.1) Expertise: Our team of experts possesses in-depth knowledge of manufacturing, engineering, and technology integration, tailored to the intricacies of agritech machinery.
4.2) Cost Efficiency: Through economies of scale, efficient resource allocation, and supply chain optimisation, we drive total cost reductions compared to in-house manufacture of non-core competencies.
4.3) Focus on Innovation: By outsourcing non-core functions, machine builders and OEMs can dedicate more time and resources to innovation, R&D, and driving product excellence and sales.
4.4) Flexibility: The dynamic nature of the agritech sector requires adaptable production capabilities. We offer the flexibility to swiftly adjust production volumes in response to market fluctuations.
4.5) Quality Assurance: Our commitment to quality aligns with industry regulations and customer expectations, ensuring the delivery of high-performance, reliable machinery, and within any geographic legislation, such as UL 508a for the North American market.
Looking ahead, our vision for the agritech sector is one of harmonious coexistence between technology and nature. We envision a landscape where every acre is optimised, every data point maximised, and every harvest sustainable. Through strategic partnerships and collaboration, we aim to catalyse the growth of agritech, fostering a future where global agricultural challenges are met with innovative solutions that benefit farmers, consumers, and the planet.
By offering strategic outsourcing solutions tailored to the unique needs of machine builders and OEMs, we empower them to shape the future of agriculture and contribute to a more sustainable, technologically advanced world. Together, we’re not just building machinery – we’re cultivating a better future for all.
Agri-EPI Centre is one of four Agri-Tech Centres bridging the gap between industry and academia across the agri-food sector in the UK and globally.
As the go-to enabler, it works with businesses, scientists, and engineers to turn their ideas into new products and services that will generate economic growth and help tackle the global issues of sustainability and feeding the world.
The Centre’s network of partners encompasses farmers and food suppliers, engineers and technologists, investors, the UK Government, scientific institutions, academia, the broader agri-food industry, as well as startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By engaging with the Centre, individuals and entities gain access to resources like project and grant management services, technology-focused business incubation, and specialised technical knowledge. Additionally, the Centre fosters the creation of novel international connections, pivotal industry alliances, and collaborative ventures.
Its executive team is formed of three passionate advocates for novel agricultural technology and innovation. Dave Ross (CEO), Trish Toop (CTO), and Rose Judeh-Elwell (Director of Business Development) accumulate national and international expertise with extensive experience in the sector.
Every story so far from the Shock of the New campaign will be updated below as they’re published.
“The shock of the new” highlights the dynamic relationship between innovation and the human response to change. It acknowledges that whilst change can be challenging, it can also lead to profound advancements and opportunities for societal and sustainable development.
The fourth industrial revolution has a new engine and manufacturing is on the cusp of its most transformative era since the invention of the assembly line.
Recent history has been defined by turbulence and supply chains have become the front line of disruption. These shocks have acted as both a warning and a wake-up call.
At the heart of the green transformation lies a somewhat critical element: skills. Shock of the New reacts to the 2024 Global Green Skills Report.
The Shock of the New campaign returns, as Tony Hague states that if the UK continues to outsource its green technology production overseas, it risks squandering a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
Over 70 pages, collecting every story from the Shock of the New campaign. Includes bonus content and available for instant free download.
What if by understanding what works across other regions, successful approaches can be combined to build a collaboration blueprint for UK manufacturers to call their own.
In an era where environmental concerns are at the forefront of global discourse, the UK manufacturing sector finds itself at a crossroads. To flourish, there is a compelling argument that it must undergo a profound transformation towards sustainability.
The Greentech landscape and opportunity for innovation and investment is driving the sustainability agenda and encompasses a wide range of new technologies.
There are various types of machines and devices that contribute to the circular economy by enabling resource conservation, waste reduction, recycling, and the reuse of materials. The demand increase in these varieties has been more progressive in recent years.
When adopting new technologies and exploring emerging industries, there is often a disruptive element involved. They can challenge established norms, disrupt traditional industries, and require individuals and organisations to adapt to new ways of doing things.
Ian Knight, Chief Information Officer at PP Control & Automation (PP C&A) challenges the prevailing, often vague narrative around AI adoption and reframes the conversation around a more practical starting point: operational constraints.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept for manufacturers. It is already being explored across quotation, production planning, engineering, quality, supply chain and customer service functions. Yet, for many organisations, the gap between experimentation and meaningful operational impact remains difficult to close.
A leading aquaculture specialist – that is changing the way fish are vaccinated safely – has signed a major manufacturing deal.
On paper, defined discipline-specific suppliers can look organised. However, every additional supplier introduces another handoff, and every handoff creates another point where time, quality, communication and accountability can be lost.
Very rarely does growth not surface because an OEM lacks ambition. Shortcomings arise because operating models built to support such ambition don’t evolve quickly enough.
Recent weeks have brought two important industry moments into sharp focus, concluding that demand for AI and automation is rising, but investment, skills, and long-term thinking must follow.
For decades, one question has sat at the heart of operational strategy for machine builders and OEMs: make or buy? It’s a familiar debate and it isn’t the wrong question by any means, but perhaps it is an incomplete one.
In most machine building businesses, change is still treated as an exception. A late-stage drawing revision, component substitution, or wiring tweak discovered during build. Each one is handled, resolved, and signed off. And then everyone moves on. But what if that’s the wrong way to think about it? What if change isn’t the disruption to the system but the system itself?
