MTC Robotics & Automation conference strengthens UK drive for productivity and innovation
Author Priyanka Ghosh, Senior Research Engineer - Laser Processing
Author
Priyanka Ghosh
Senior Research Engineer - Laser Processing
Dr Priyanka Ghosh is an award‑winning research engineer specialising in advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence. Originally from Assam, India, she moved to the UK to complete her MSc and PhD at Loughborough University. She is now a Senior Research Engineer at the Manufacturing Technology Centre and a Visiting Fellow at London South Bank University.
Her work focuses on applying AI to laser‑based manufacturing across aerospace, energy, and sustainability sectors. Recognised with multiple national awards, Priyanka is also an active industry leader and STEM ambassador, championing inclusive innovation and supporting the next generation of engineers.
Business challenge
Product Innovation
Process Innovation
Digital Transformation
Growth & Scaling
Supply Chain Transformation
Sustainability & Net Zero
Skills & Training
Sector
Manufacturing
Technology or capability
Automation & Robotics
MTC welcomed more than 575 attendees to its fifth annual Robotics & Automation conference, Powering your future, bringing together industry leaders, technology developers, vendors, integrators and manufacturing users to explore how robotics and automation can improve productivity, accelerate innovation and strengthen UK competitiveness.
Held over two days in Coventry, the conference connected the future of robotics innovation with the practical steps needed to accelerate adoption across industry.
Day one focused on the technologies, partnerships and ecosystem conditions needed to build UK robotics capability, including the role of AI-enabled automation and emerging technologies in creating long-term industrial value.
Day two shifted the focus to real-world deployment, helping manufacturers understand how to overcome barriers, scale automation with confidence and unlock measurable productivity gains. Opening the conference, Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, underlined the importance of advanced manufacturing and automation in driving regional and national growth, reinforcing the West Midlands’ role as a centre for industrial innovation.
Day two keynote speaker Kevin Bampton, CEO of the British Occupational Hygiene Society, explored the protective and enabling role of robotics in creating safer, healthier and more inclusive workplaces. His session highlighted how automation can help reduce risk while enabling people with reduced mobility or capacity to participate more fully and productively in work.
Across the programme, attendees engaged with more than 40 exhibitors, technology providers and peers to explore applied use cases, emerging technologies and practical routes from early-stage exploration to deployment.
Improving productivity is one of the UK’s biggest industrial challenges, and robotics and automation are central to addressing it. What we are seeing is a shift from interest to action - businesses are looking for practical ways to adopt these technologies and realise value quickly. Bringing together industry, technology and expertise in one place helps accelerate that journey and turn ambition into measurable impact.
Mike Wilson, Chief Automation Officer at MTC
To learn more about how MTC can support your automation journey please visit our Robotics & Automation web page or contact the team at automation@the-mtc.org
Why representation matters more than ever
Being recognised through awards such as Top 50 Women in Engineering or TechWomen 100 is something I’m incredibly grateful for – but for me, these recognitions represent something bigger.
They show that there isn’t one “type” of engineer.
They show that success doesn’t require a traditional path.
And most importantly, they show that people from all backgrounds belong in manufacturing.
If someone sees my journey and thinks, “maybe I can do that too,” then that recognition has real meaning.
Advice for women considering a career in manufacturing
If you’re thinking about a career in engineering or manufacturing, I would say this:
- Be curious – your ability to question and explore is your greatest strength
- Don’t be afraid to be the first – you might also be opening the door for others
- Find your community – no one succeeds alone
- Embrace failure – it’s part of the process, not the end of it
- Focus on impact – engineering is about solving real-world challenges
And above all:
Don’t try to minimise what makes you different – lean into it.
The future of manufacturing is inclusive
Manufacturing is evolving rapidly.
With advances in AI, robotics and advanced materials, we are entering a new era of innovation. But technology alone won’t define the future – people will.
If we want to solve the complex challenges ahead, we need diverse voices, perspectives and experiences shaping those solutions.
Women are already playing a critical role in that future. And I truly believe we’re only just getting started.