The Barclays Corporate Banking survey shows that there is a reluctance to invest in emerging technologies which is holding manufacturers back from achieving their true potential.
While 43 percent of technologies such as the internet of things, machine learning and big data will boost profits, many manufacturers are still reluctant to invest in smart technology in their factories, despite more than half of them reporting that technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), IoT and big data have improved productivity.
The survey found that this reluctance will cost manufacturers £102 billion a year in lost revenue.
The survey revealed that 35 percent of manufacturers would be more likely to invest if they understood the tangible benefits of smart tech better, with 23 percent not clear what the return on investment would be.
Mike Rigby, head of manufacturing at Barclays, said: “British manufacturing is going through another industrial revolution, but confidence alone does not translate into success and benefit”, he said.
“With sterling currently weaker and a robust appetite from domestic and international markets for British goods, the industry is in a strong position to take advantage of the opportunities that investing in fourth industrial revolution technologies can bring.”
The research found that manufacturers could miss out on £102 billion worth of revenue due to lack of funding and 83 percent of those manufacturers are ‘confident about the UK’s ability to compete in the international marketplace over the next five years’.
According to those surveyed, skills shortage is biggest challenge to digital strategies, while an increase in cyber attacks was a concern raised.
