Factorytalk, an Industry 4.0 software firm from Thailand, has opened its first UK office this month, in Daresbury near Warrington.
The company’s ‘industry 4.0’ and ‘pharma 4.0’ manufacturing software is designed to increase factory productivity, reduce costs, cut waste, and significantly reduce the time it takes to develop new products.
Data is collected from operators and smart sensors in the factory, then organised, error-proofed, and analysed for quality issues in real time to support ongoing improvements.
The firm said it chose the UK because of its Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC) which is being constructed in Scotland, the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Liverpool, and ‘Made Smarter’, which connects UK manufacturing industries to new digital tools and skills.
Now located at SciTech Daresbury, Factorytalk is looking to work with UK businesses who are considering introducing digital technology to improve their processes.
The company is first targeting digitalisation programmes for the UK’s pharmaceutical manufacturers, many of which have manufacturing operations in the North West, and smaller businesses who could also benefit from its software.
Factorytalk ’s newly hired UK MD, Neil Wetherall said: “It’s great to be setting up Factorytalk in the UK. We already support companies here and I look forward to building both the UK customer and our global services, with the UK office as a strategic hub to support local and international customers in Europe and America easier and more effectively.”
The firm is backed by the Liverpool City Region ‘Soft Start’ programme which helps companies investing in the UK, and is continuing to receive support from the Department of International Trade to help grow its UK operations, including exports.
Factorytalk said it chose Daresbury SciTech campus, due to its international reputation as a centre for science, innovation, and enterprise.
The firm’s future plans include a potential investment in the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Liverpool through the Digital Manufacturing Accelerator and the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre.