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Embracing the IoT in Welsh Manufacturing

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In this week's exclusive column, Oliver explores the benefits of incorporating the IoT within his own company, and wider Welsh Manufacturing. 


You cannot go for long without hearing about how the Internet of Things (IoT) will transform our lives forever.

The IoT refers to the connectivity between physical devices and the cloud, in order to utilise the data and improve the systems and processes that we work to. However there is a lack of information about how such changes could affect your company, especially for Welsh manufacturers working with legacy systems, machinery and processes similar to Rototherm.

We have been designing and manufacturing sensors for 170 years, so thought that the next step towards implementing this new technology would be to connect some of our products to the cloud, providing our customers with valuable data.

Oliver Conger, British Rototherm - IoT

Trying to find the right partner solution to work with and connect our sensors soon became a mine field as they offered everything, but either did not work or became incredibly expensive, making it of no value.

Instead, we decided to learn about the processes/technology ourselves in order to create, test and improve products using real data. This led us to develop our first “SMART” product – a tank level monitoring system that transmits the data to our secure online data portal letting customers monitor their sites remotely 24/7.

Our first prototype was not beautiful, but it worked. It was simple and it provided a solution to  our customers. We then worked closely with our first customers and took away every bit of feedback to develop a second generation which was launched after 6 months. Our continuous improvement mind-set did not stop there and we are currently developing the third generation to be launched by the end of the year.

So how did this help us understand the IoT and apply it to manufacturing? It all started with leadership and culture. We decided to embrace new technology and processes, as we are firm believers that a highly digital world will create plenty of opportunities for the manufacturing sector.

Companies need to invest the time to understand what new technologies and the IoT can do for their businesses. Could you enhance your current solutions to add value to your customers? After a 2-year challenge, our new IoT improvement lets customers manage their tank inventory in minutes as opposed to days.

Recently our efforts were rewarded, being announced as winners in the South Wales Business Awards 2019 for the category of “Technological & Innovative Business of the Year” for this particular project, and “Business of the Year 2019”.

So my advice is that if you really want to reap the benefits of new technologies and the IoT in your Welsh manufacturing business, then think outside the box, try something new and learn. Challenging your business to evolve with updated technology can only strengthen its position in a rapidly changing and evolving sector.




More About Oliver Conger

Oliver Conger is the Owner and Managing Director of Rototherm Group. He acquired the 170 year-old manufacturer with his siblings in 2011 having previously worked for a large Japanese multinational. The company has been transformed under the new leadership with focus on building a fun, lean culture, investing in research and development and new technology.

Oliver also sits on the Regional Advisory Board for Make UK and is passionate about British Engineering and Lean Manufacturing. He is a qualified Mechanical Engineer.

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