Putting the customer first through action
Strengthening engineering capability for our industrial automation customers
We’re investing in expanded engineering, assembly and industrial control capabilities across the UK and Europe to support customers developing complex, high‑performance industrial automation solutions. These customer‑focused facilities enable closer collaboration, faster project execution and tailored system design across factory automation, mobile pneumatics, rail, and food and beverage applications.
Effective customer collaboration is central to our Industrial Automation sector. Already this year we’ve invested in engineering excellence and enhanced production facilities designed to strengthen how our customers engage with us - from early concept development through to delivery and optimization.
With growing customer demand for innovative and bespoke solutions, we’ve recently expanded our technical and engineering expertise at three of our sites across the UK and Europe.
This includes the opening of a UK-based center of engineering excellence in Lichfield, together with the expansion of our assembly facility in Žamberk, Czech Republic and opening of our brand-new ICC center in Alpen, Germany.
Engineering expansion in the UK
Our new technical engineering center in Lichfield, reinforces our commitment to supporting customers with enhanced engineering expertise, quicker project delivery, and deeper collaboration.
The center brings together a wide range of customer-focused engineering services under one roof and provides our Industrial Automation customers with direct access to experienced application engineers, technical consultations and advanced product and system testing capabilities.
The center supports our customers across the full project lifecycle, from early concept development through to validation, implementation and ongoing optimization on bespoke system design, pneumatic and fluid control customization, targeting applications across factory automation, mobile pneumatics, rail, food & beverage, and material handling.
Assembly capability growth at Žamberk
Meanwhile we’ve also significantly expanded our strategically important assembly facility in Žamberk in the Czech Republic.
Our investment here has seen the site grow from its original 300m² footprint to 1,000m² today, reflecting sustained growth and increasing customer requirements for high-value, customized automation assemblies.
The latest expansion will deliver faster project turnaround times and enhanced service levels to OEMs and end users operating in mobile pneumatics, rail, food and beverage processing and factory automation.
As a result, our customers can expect to benefit from shortened lead times, accelerated order completion, and improved project responsiveness. These are all critical factors in sectors where downtime, compliance and performance are paramount.
Opening our Industrial Control Centre in Alpen
Located at one of our strategic manufacturing sites in Germany, the Industrial Control Centre (ICC) in Alpen serves as a center of excellence for addressing complex customer application challenges using IIoT and industrial control technologies. Designed as an open, collaborative environment for both internal and external engagement, the ICC supports close cooperation across teams and with customers.
The facility features a flexible, 150m² showroom alongside a dedicated meeting room for eight to ten people, enabling detailed, collaboration to support complex requirements -both in person and online. Equipped with compressed air and high voltage power supplies, the space allows live demonstrations of a broad product portfolio, including configured demonstrations such as the Cleanline actuator and safety valves.
The adaptable setup supports customer meetings, training sessions, and technical events, with future use planned for in depth technical training with sales teams, application engineering teams, and customers. The on site engineering team also specializes in customized actuation and control system design, delivering a comprehensive service that aligns closely with the operational strengths of the wider manufacturing plant.
End-to-end engineering expertise under one roof
Our ongoing investment across all three sites combines deep application knowledge with integrated engineering capability, enabling a holistic partnership approach from project inception through to commissioning.
By bringing mechanical, pneumatic, electrical, electronic, and programmable control expertise together, we enable customers to streamline development cycles, reduce complexity and mitigate supply chain risk.
Our new customer facilities reinforce our strategic focus on collaborative locally based engineering partnerships, working closely with customers to understand operational challenges and developing tailored solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce total cost of ownership, and optimize performance.