HotSeat: Sam Carr, ROBOSHOT Sales Manager at FANUC UK

Sam Carr has managed sales of all-electric injection moulding machinery for FANUC UK since January 2025. A full turnkey supplier of CNC and moulding machinery, automation solutions and ancillary equipment, FANUC is world-renowned for its precision and quality.

In the latest PlastikMedia HotSeat, Sam reflects on the successes, challenges and lessons learned as he approaches his 15th anniversary in the UK plastics industry.

What trends do you think will shape the future of UK plastics?  How will FANUC respond?

Sustainability, energy efficiency and skills shortages are without doubt the most significant forces reshaping the UK plastics industry. We’ve seen manufacturers squeezed from multiple angles and they’re under growing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, trim cycle times and minimise wastage.

These trends were all bought to the audience at a recent ‘Future of the UK Plastics Industry’ panel discussion that I was part of at Interplas. There was clear agreement across the panel that manufacturers need support for investment, and we had a passionate conversation on the need to attract more young people into manufacturing and how to change the perceptions of the industry.

FANUC’s response to these pressures is practical and direct. Our automation solutions help manufacturers become more productive, whilst our intuitive and easy-to-use control systems support operators on the shop floor. On energy efficiency, our machines are built with low power consumption at their core, which is something that increasingly matters to customers watching both their costs and their carbon footprint. We’re also working earlier in the process with customers to identify where waste and inefficiencies that can be designed out before production even begins.

How has FANUC developed during your tenure?

During my time at FANUC, I’ve seen a clear shift from being perceived purely as a machine supplier, to becoming a full turnkey solution provider. Several customers of ours have invested in machinery cells complete with ancillary equipment and automation which has given them complete peace of mind. This in turn has developed confidence and trust knowing that they’re receiving a fully tested manufacturing cell which is ready to run once its deployed on the shop floor. We’ve also gone one step further in our commitment to quality & reliability by launching our FANUC Care 8 Year Warranty which is available on selected products in our range.

We’ve also become more consultative in our approach, working closely with customers as early as we can in the project to understand their real pain points and guide them to a positive outcome. Taking this approach has increased our pipeline and the number of new customers we have attracted in the last 18-24 months.

What do you credit as the key to your success?

That’s a great question and one that I think has multiple answers! One key skill that I have learnt in my career so far is to listen carefully to your customers, colleagues & suppliers. Sometimes it is easy to start selling or to put your point across to somebody, however without listening and understanding the other persons perspective, you can dominate a conversation unintentionally.

A supportive network in the industry and at home has also been a great help to me. The industry is full of great people and always helpful if you need support. I also have an extremely supportive wife who listens to me ramble on about work more often than she would like!

What has been the greatest challenge in your career?

Adapting. Having worked my way up in various companies in the industry, I have learnt that what may have worked in one role doesn’t necessarily translate to another.

A great example of this was when I moved into a leadership role managing a team of 15 people having never managed a team as big before. It was a quick and steep learning curve realising you’re now not just responsible for your own performance and outcomes, but for the development, motivation and overall wellbeing of a whole team! It was challenging, but honestly one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my career so far. I really enjoyed the responsibility of looking after people and helping them grow within a company.

In terms of the industry, we continue to accelerate at pace with new technology on machines, advances in biomaterials & seriously impressive tooling options which have evolved since I entered the industry fourteen years ago. As an industry we must continue to adapt, evolve and embrace these new technologies to remain competitive in what is a challenging economic climate right now.

What advice do you wish you’d had on entering the industry and does that differ from the advice you would give to an apprentice joining now?

After falling into the industry in 2012, I didn’t have much of an understanding of plastics or their place in the world. If I could go back, I’d tell myself to ask more questions earlier and not worry about looking like you don’t know everything, especially when nobody does at the start!

For apprentices joining today, my advice would be slightly different. With the rise of social media and the coverage of plastics in the mainstream media, they’ll likely arrive with a preconceived view of the industry.

My message to them would be to look beyond the headlines. This is an industry embracing digital tools, connectivity & automation in genuinely exciting ways, and the people entering now have a real opportunity to shape what comes next. We desperately need that fresh energy and perspective to bring new ideas to the table.

What hidden talents do you have?

It’s not a talent, although I am getting better! My wife bought me a dart board for my birthday last year and I have been obsessed ever since – the 180 still eludes me though! I do enjoy cooking a good crowd-pleasing roast on a Sunday but my biggest talent is running after my two boys, Hudson (4) & Remy (1), who keep me on my toes past 5pm…

Meet Sam Carr at FANUC forthcoming Open House – 3^rd/4^th November.

Read more news from FANUC here.

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