LCR4.0 generates over £121m in GVA as it drives innovation and economic growth for SMEs in the LCR and beyond

LCR4.0 was an ERDF-funded initiative (European Regional Development Fund), driving the growth of the manufacturing industry across the Liverpool City Region through the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. The initiative was a successful collaboration between businesses, academia, and local government and created an ecosystem of innovation that will enable SMEs and start-ups to embrace the digital revolution, now and into the future.

Approach

The LCR4.0 initiative was launched in 2016 in order support the rapidly evolving manufacturing industry, which is being transformed by Industry 4.0 technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence. This collaborative project was led by the Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC) and the University of Liverpool, leading partners Sensor City, Liverpool John Moores University, the Science and Technology Facilities Council, and the Growth Platform for Liverpool City Region.

The original project objectives were to assist manufacturers in identifying their challenges and obstacles and addressing these with Industry 4.0 technologies, leading to innovative digital solutions to enhance productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness.

Solution

In addition to providing tailor-made recommendations to manufacturers, the team also sought to bridge the technology skills gap by hosting local knowledge exchange workshops. They explored methods to help industry understand and adopt new technology, encouraging innovation internally and externally through industrial application and a unique paradigm shift.

Since launching, the LCR4.0 projects have supported hundreds of companies including Heap and Partners Ltd, Beverston Engineering, SamsonVT, Inovus Medical, DriverNet and many more. Collaborating with GenLabs, a manufacturer of industrial ovens, the team developed a simulation of the factory floor, which allowed for efficient testing and boosted confidence in the layout leading to a 20% increase in performance efficiency while reducing risk in the process.

Collaboratively, the LCR4.0 projects were also responsible for several large-scale events across the region including the Creative Arts Digital Sandpit. This brough together an array of creative individuals and groups to learn more about how Industry 4.0 technologies can be implemented for streamlining operations, generating new lines of revenue, and becoming more inclusive as a sector.

Lead partners, the (VEC) launched the UK’s first Digital Heritage Symposium, bringing local museums and heritage foundations with decision- makers and technology providers to St George’s Hall for collective learning of how these technologies can help in the preservation of heritage assets in addition to helping us to learn more about heritage sites and our history. The symposium was well received and with ongoing conversations and planning the VEC was recognised by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), leading to the development of a National Centre for Digital Heritage and Research at the Sci-Tech Daresbury campus that will enable long-term support and exploration for improving this sector.

By embracing Industry 4.0 technologies, manufacturers in the region have improved their product quality, reduced costs and increased their speed to market enabling them to compete more effectively in the future in addition to helping attract new investment and talent to the area.