A new report on robotics and innovation shows that the UK has slipped from 2nd to 5th place in the Global Innovation Index. Britain now has just 112 industrial robots per 10,000 workers which is barely half the EU average and ranks only 24th in the global Robotics Density Index, setting the UK behind.
For a country seeking to boost productivity and global competitiveness, this is a wake-up call. Other governments have successfully closed similar innovation gaps by combining targeted SME funding with investment in digital and technical skills, accelerating automation adoption while creating new opportunities for workers.
Denis Niezgoda (pictured, below), Chief Commercial Officer, International at Locus Robotics told us what he thinks this report means for the UK’s industrial competitiveness:
“Until earlier this year, the UK had no national robotics strategy, which puts the country behind global peers like Germany, the USA, Japan and South Korea. Those countries have paired clear digital transformation roadmaps with SME funding, worker training, and tax incentives, and the results speak for themselves – faster automation adoption and higher productivity.
“SMEs are the backbone of the UK economy, yet between 20,000 and 27,000 SMEs still operate with virtually zero automation in their manufacturing environments. That should be a wake-up call.
“The challenge isn’t only financial; it’s cultural. Many SMEs lack exposure to the breadth of automation possibilities and the change management support needed to embrace them. Historically, automation meant huge upfront capital investment that only larger firms could justify. But with Robotics-as-a-Service models pioneered by companies like Locus Robotics, the barrier to entry is lower than ever. Businesses can treat automation like a mobile phone contract, scaling it up or down as their needs change, without being locked into rigid systems.
If the UK is serious about boosting productivity, it needs a dual approach: targeted government support for SMEs, and a strong focus on training and digital skills so employees can confidently work alongside robotics. That’s how the UK can make automation a driver of growth and put the UK industry back on the front foot globally.”
