Industry Collaboration Earns Four Partners Plastics Industry Awards Recognition

FANUC UK, Hi-Tech Automation, Sierra 57 Consult, and PlastikCity have been jointly shortlisted for Best Business Initiative of the Year at the Plastics Industry Awards 2026, recognising their collaboration on The Future of Precision Engineering event.

Held at FANUC UK’s Ansty Park headquarters from 27 to 29 January 2026, the event brought together 32 co-exhibitors, live manufacturing demonstrations and expert discussions to give UK manufacturers practical support with productivity, sustainability and workforce development.

The initiative combined the breadth of an industry exhibition with direct access to FANUC’s technical facilities and specialists. Free to attend, it gave visitors the opportunity to explore injection moulding, CNC machining, automation, and digital manufacturing without the cost and travel associated with attending major overseas exhibitions.

Each of the four partners contributed specialist expertise. FANUC provided the venue, technology and internal teams, while Hi-Tech Automation worked closely with FANUC engineers to deliver eight fully operational exhibits demonstrating practical manufacturing applications. Sierra 57 Consult brought its training expertise and industry relationships, building on its existing partnership with FANUC’s Academy. PlastikCity used its established industry network and specialist marketing expertise to drive awareness and attendance, connecting the event with plastics manufacturers across the UK.

Caroline Wood, Senior Marketing Executive at FANUC, commented: “We wanted to create an event that gave manufacturers time with the technology, access to specialist knowledge and opportunities to discuss the challenges facing their businesses. Working with Hi-Tech Automation, Sierra 57 Consult and PlastikCity allowed us to bring a broader range of expertise into the programme. This joint shortlisting recognises the work that went into making that collaboration valuable for visitors.”

Alongside the live exhibits, each day featured a different discussion theme: sustainability & energy, artificial intelligence & connectivity, and education & skills. Independent panel sessions brought manufacturers, industry specialists and other contributors together to share experience and explore practical responses to these issues.

The British Plastics Federation, Manufacturing Technologies Association and Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association also participated, providing further industry representation and insight.

Skills development was a central part of the initiative, with 150 apprentices from the Manufacturing Technology Centre attending to see manufacturing technologies in action and speak directly with industry experts.

Katherine Nowill, Marketing & Communications Manager at Sierra 57 Consult, said: “Giving people access to experienced engineers, working machinery and honest conversations about careers is an important part of developing the manufacturing workforce. The event brought education and skills into the same conversation as technology and investment. It was particularly encouraging to see apprentices exploring the opportunities available to them and learning directly from people working across the industry.”

Technical highlights included the European debut of the FANUC ROBOSHOT S350C injection moulding machine. With the machine arriving just ten days before the event, FANUC and Hi-Tech Automation developed its automation solution using 3D modelling ahead of delivery, enabling installation, integration and testing within a tight schedule.

Jess Clarke, Managing Director at PlastikCity, added: “Our industry has a huge amount of expertise, and events like this make it easier for manufacturers to access it. Visitors could see equipment running, speak to several suppliers and discuss production challenges in one visit. We’re proud to have worked with FANUC, Hi-Tech Automation and Sierra 57 Consult to bring the industry together, and to see that shared effort recognised by the awards.”

The winners will be announced at the Plastics Industry Awards ceremony on Friday 20 November 2026.

Read more news from FANUC here.

FANUC
+44 (0) 24 7605 3000
Website
Email