Showing, Not Telling – Sharing Smart Manufacturing Lessons

When my brother and I took over British Rototherm around 15 years ago, the factory had great potential, but the environment needed a complete overhaul.

The business itself was long-established – more than 170 years old. What followed was a journey of transformation, starting with lean methodologies and now moving firmly into automation, AI and data-led processes.

Initially, we focused on the fundamentals – getting rid of waste in our systems, standardising processes and creating a more stable foundation for improvement. A key turning point came when we took part in a Welsh Government-supported programme with Toyota. Their guidance brought our productivity to levels we’d never previously imagined and set us up to pursue the next phase of innovation.

In the last 18 to 24 months we’ve made huge strides in our digital journey. We now have robots moving materials across our shop floor and cobots working alongside our team in areas like welding and assembly. We’ve also welcomed our first AI ‘employees’ – tools we’ve integrated into our workforce and even added to our organisation chart. They’re not infallible, and they need training just like any new team member. But the gains we’ve seen in productivity over this short period are greater than anything I’ve witnessed during our time running the business.

All of this is underpinned by culture. We made a deliberate decision to put people first. The most powerful untapped resource in any business isn’t a new machine or software platform – it’s the people already working in the building. At Rototherm, we’ve built a culture where staff are encouraged not just to do their jobs, but to improve them. And when it comes to new technology, we involve them from the start.

Take our welding cobot as an example. Instead of letting the engineers in the office choose the tech, we turned to Dan, one of our welders, and asked him and his team to go robot shopping. They went out, visited suppliers, tested different options and came back with the right solution for their needs. Now they’re the ones programming and maintaining our welding robots – and they love them, because the technology makes their job easier. That kind of buy-in only happens when people are empowered to lead change.

We also open our doors to others. Anyone is welcome to visit British Rototherm to see what we’ve done and how we’ve done it. When we were starting out, other businesses did the same for us, and we benefited hugely. Sharing knowledge like this is critical if we want to move forward together as an industry. Over the past few years I’ve noticed a real shift in Wales – companies are more willing to collaborate and share ideas. The days of keeping everything behind closed doors are starting to fade.

There are some brilliant businesses across Wales, from large corporates to five-person workshops, and many are doing remarkable things. What’s important now is that more manufacturers – particularly SMEs – take that first step. Join a business group, speak to your local council, go and visit another company and see what’s possible. PowerPoint slides are fine, but seeing change in action is what really inspires people.

We’re working with organisations like Manufacturing Wales and Make UK because we’ve found real value in those networks. They’ve been a source of support, insight and encouragement. And I believe there’s an opportunity now to create something even more ambitious – a fully operational AI and automation manufacturing site that can act as an exemplar. A place where businesses can come, regardless of where they are on their digital journey, and get hands-on with the tools and techniques that are driving real results.

It’s something we’re aiming to build at Rototherm, in partnership with AMRC and the Welsh Government. I want visitors to walk through our doors and see what AI and automation look like in real terms – in sales, operations, despatch – not just as concepts in a brochure. I’ve seen similar examples outside Wales, but we need them here. And if one doesn’t exist, then we’ll create it.

There’s a lot of noise out there about digital transformation, but very little practical guidance. Our aim is to cut through that and offer something tangible – something that shows what’s possible, even for businesses starting with limited resources. You don’t have to spend millions. You can make progress with hundreds. The key is taking that first step – and if we can help other manufacturers take it, then that’s a win for everyone.

Oliver Conger talks about this and more in the Wales Tech Week podcast episode Making It Smarter: Innovation in Manufacturing. Listen to the podcast here.

Wales Tech Week takes place at ICC Wales, Newport from November 24 to November 26 2025. Find out more here:  https://www.walestechweek.com/