TotalControlPro: Helping to embrace changes in the Manufacturing sector

The UK Manufacturing sector struggles to maintain its leading-edge advantage and businesses are always looking for new ways to improve efficiencies, productivity and profitability.  Industry 4.0 has been created as a way to digitise the production and productivity of a business however many businesses struggle to identify what steps they need to take to capitalise on these efficiencies.

TotalControlPro is immersed in the area of Industry 4.0 and provide cloud-based manufacturing tracking and control technologies to the manufacturing sector. By providing real-time visibility of the business, the software gave companies the right information to enable them to manage their production facility with ease.

The business embraces the changes Industry 4.0 provided but needed support to help articulate the benefits to the wider SME industry in a way that maximises impact for the SMEs to really make a difference.

KTN worked with the management team at TotalControlPro providing valuable insights into how the manufacturing marketplace works and the challenges businesses operating in this space have.  Working closely with the KTN team, TotalControlPro were introduced to Loughborough University where they were able to work with experts to expand their product from a bar code tracking system to a sensor agnostic and RFID tracking system.  This enabled them to deliver a much more robust product, positioned correctly for the market they were targeting and maximising on the market opportunity.

KTN were also were instrumental in introducing TotalControlPro to key industry connections which enabled a wealth of conversations that opened new doors and new routes to market, for example introducing the possibility of using the technology to have companies track and improve their performance.   They have been introduced to potential customers, promotional opportunities at key industry events and invited to speak at industry conferences on the area of Industry 4.0 and recent investment in the company through Innovate UK grants has enabled the business to explore new business opportunities and new markets.

One of the opportunities made available to the business came through their involvement in the UK Women in Innovation Awards following Dolores Sanders, director of TotalControlPro, meeting with the 2016 award winner, Pauline Doors on the KTN stand at the Industry 4.0 showcase.  Dolores said, “I was inspired by the work that Pauline was doing and how the award had helped raise her business profile.  Working closely with the team at KTN, I refined our innovation to ensure it met the award criteria and was delighted with our successful outcome. Being the Chair of the Women in Technology lunch helps demonstrate how KTN has supported our business from a Start-up (when we met them) to becoming one of the industry leaders.”  Through the Women in Innovation award, the business is now using the data collected from manufacturers to create a collaboration platform to create best practice and speed up the adoption of digital processes.

With the recent investment via an Innovate UK loan and private equity match funding, TotalControlPro are now focusing on maximising the collaborations they have made recently to scale and grow the business, focusing on UK SME manufacturing and expanding their online deployment programme internationally.

• KTN helped the business find university partners to tailor their products for the manufacturing industry
• KTN helped the business grow its employee numbers from 3 to 10
• KTN introduced Total Control Pro to international collaboration which has significantly expanded their partnership network and commercial opportunities in global markets such as Australia, America, South Africa and Canada.