New research by the IDS-INDATA has highlighted the staggering financial and operational impact of unplanned manufacturing downtime across the UK and EU, with manufacturers predicted to lose over £80 billion this year.
Drawing on data from the past five years (2020 - 2024) across the UK and wider European manufacturing sectors, the findings highlight the urgent need for industries to adopt predictive maintenance to combat ageing infrastructure and supply chain disruption.
Multiple factors are contributing to unplanned downtime across key sectors. In areas like Automotive, tightly coordinated production schedules mean even minor disruptions can have a significant impact, with this area alone set for losses of up to £12 billion. Meanwhile, sectors that face strict regulatory and compliance procedures can experience longer and more costly delays. Ongoing labour and skills shortages also play a role, often slowing maintenance and issue resolution.
However, with a proactive approach, companies can extend the life span and reliability of their inspection machines, maintain accuracy, and protect their bottom line.
“Regular servicing, calibration, and preventative maintenance are key to ensuring measurement instruments provide reliable, repeatable results," says Patrick Curry, Service and Product Support Manager at Bowers Group. “Precision measurement tools, like any high-performance equipment, degrade over time. Environmental conditions, continuous use, and even minor mishandling can cause instruments to drift out of tolerance. And as we can see by this latest data, it’s costing businesses huge sums of money when they are not proactive in keeping machinery in full working order.”
"By implementing regular calibration and maintenance schedules, businesses can detect potential issues before they grow into disruptions. Our team works closely with clients to develop tailored maintenance plans, ensuring that equipment remains in optimal condition and production lines run smoothly. It also maximises the return on their investment in measurement equipment.”
For over a century, Bowers Group has been at the forefront of metrology, providing industry-leading measurement solutions. With a team of highly skilled service and calibration specialists, the company has helped businesses across sectors optimise their inspection processes and maintain peak performance.
Through comprehensive servicing, calibration, and preventative maintenance, Bowers Group ensures that measurement instruments consistently deliver reliable and repeatable results. These services help customers extend the lifespan of their equipment by preventing premature wear and failure, while regular calibration maintains measurement accuracy and reduces the risk of quality issues.
By identifying potential faults early, preventative maintenance reduces unplanned downtime. Ultimately, this proactive approach supports greater operational efficiency, helping businesses maintain productivity, and improve profitability.
Bowers Group also provides training sessions to help businesses ensure their teams are fully equipped to use its machinery with confidence. This not only supports day-to-day operations but also helps reduce disruption if experienced staff move on.
“We support our customers with practical training to make sure their equipment is used to its full potential. By helping businesses up-skill their teams, we’re playing a part in closing the skills gap and enabling operators to work more efficiently. Our user-friendly tools are designed to simplify everyday inspection tasks, so skilled staff can focus their time where it really counts.”
In a competitive market, precision matters. Ensuring your measurement equipment is calibrated and well-maintained and your processes are up to date isn’t just about compliance, it’s about protecting your reputation, improving efficiency, and saving costs in the long run.
To learn more about how Bowers Group can help extend the life of your inspection equipment, visit www.bowersgroup.co.uk/support