The UK manufacturing sector is at a critical juncture. Increasingly complex automation systems and the rapid evolution of industrial technology mean that managing obsolescence has become a fundamental strategic priority.
Manufacturers and OEMs alike are facing rising risks associated with outdated components, unsupported equipment and technological discontinuities that can disrupt production, inflate costs and reduce competitiveness.
A recent industry study highlights the severity of the issue. It found that 88 per cent of manufacturers recognise the urgent need for specialised expertise to handle obsolescence, yet 81 per cent are struggling to find suitable partners with the necessary skills. This growing expertise gap leaves many businesses exposed to costly reactive redesigns and unplanned downtime.
The report highlights that proactive obsolescence management can reduce redesign costs by up to 80 per cent compared with a reactive approach. This is not a challenge manufacturers can afford to ignore.
The risks extend beyond hardware. Industrial IoT (IIoT) devices and smart factory technologies, which have been rapidly adopted to drive efficiency and innovation, present additional layers of complexity. ByteSnap’s research on IIoT obsolescence risks underlines the vulnerability of connected devices.
With the majority of our customers, we partner with them to move legacy equipment with unique communication network/protocol that pre-dates modern communication technology. Using our proven methodology and experienced engineers, we adopt a phased approach, to upgrade their equipment to the latest IIoT technology for better diagnostics and increased uptime, with safety being a key factor for many upgrades.
Once they have IIoT-enabled equipment, many IIoT components face rapid obsolescence due to evolving communication standards, limited product lifecycles and cybersecurity demands. As IIoT becomes an integral part of manufacturing ecosystems, failing to address these obsolescence risks could compromise data integrity, operational reliability and overall system resilience.
At iconsys, we are acutely aware that obsolescence management requires more than technical fixes. It demands a strategic, end-to-end approach grounded in deep industry knowledge and cross-platform expertise, resulting in a strategic long-term roadmap, developed by our Services Division.
Our role as a technology and platform-independent systems integrator uniquely positions us to guide End Users through the complexities of obsolescence. We also partner with OEMs challenged with upgrading their products installed many years ago and those who are digitising their offerings using latest technologies.
Unlike single-vendor suppliers, iconsys partners with global leaders such as ABB, Siemens, Mitsubishi Electric, Schneider Electric, Danfoss, Nidec, Rockwell Automation and Omron. This allows us to offer unbiased, flexible solutions tailored to the specific operational requirements of each client.
Whether supporting metals, pulp and paper, automotive, energy transition, marine and ports, transportation infrastructure, consumer goods or construction materials sectors, our solutions are built with long-term sustainability and adaptability in mind.
Our approach starts with comprehensive lifecycle management. Through our site assessment offering, we continuously monitor and assess the risk profile of key components across control and automation systems, including programmable logic controllers (PLCs), drives, sensors and communication modules.
As part of this, spares management, software version control & patch management for updates to lower cybersecurity risk, and resource capability/availability is also mapped, giving a full picture of the operational risks faced by a business.
This results in a detailed roadmap to identify and manage these potential obsolescence risks well before they impact production, enabling manufacturers to plan alternative sourcing or redesigns with minimal disruption.
Crucially, we focus on integration and interoperability. As manufacturing systems become increasingly interconnected, the consequences of a single obsolete component can ripple across entire operations. We leverage our extensive experience in integrating diverse technologies to design systems that are modular, scalable and resilient to future obsolescence pressures.
By ensuring seamless communication across platforms and devices, we help clients maintain operational continuity even as individual components are phased out.
Cost mitigation is another key benefit of effective obsolescence management. The expense of redesigning complex industrial systems can reach hundreds of thousands of pounds. One study cited redesign costs exceeding £250,000 in certain complex systems when components became unavailable.
We aim to reduce these risks and costs by applying strategic foresight, sourcing alternatives early and applying advanced engineering techniques such as component replication or emulation where appropriate.
Beyond purely technical solutions, we also provide strategic consulting. We work closely with senior managers and directors to embed obsolescence considerations into wider operational risk frameworks, OpEx & CapEx planning as part of our Site Assessment offering. This ensures that obsolescence management becomes a key element of business continuity strategies rather than an (expensive) afterthought.
Our client partnerships extend beyond End Users to OEMs, where we assist in developing product lifecycles that anticipate future obsolescence challenges and simplify aftermarket support. This collaborative approach benefits the entire supply chain, improving service levels and reducing total cost of ownership.
The challenges posed by obsolescence are not static. They evolve alongside technology trends, market dynamics and regulatory requirements. For instance, the transition to Industry 4.0 and the adoption of IIoT and smart manufacturing technologies accelerates product lifecycle turnover and introduces new obsolescence variables such as software end-of-life and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
We remain at the forefront of these developments. We continuously invest in best-in-class engineers, knowledge, tools and partnerships that enable us to understand emerging obsolescence risks and devise innovative mitigation strategies. Our expertise encompasses legacy (including analogue) industrial control platforms as well as cutting-edge IIoT devices, ensuring a holistic view of system longevity.
In conclusion, the obsolescence expertise gap is a pressing and complex issue facing UK commercial and industrial businesses today. Left unaddressed, it risks production disruption, spiralling costs and competitive disadvantage. However, by partnering with a knowledgeable, independent systems integrator like ourselves, End Users and OEMs can transform this challenge into a manageable element of their operational strategy.
Through proactive lifecycle management, technology-agnostic solutions and strategic consulting, iconsys helps clients anticipate obsolescence, reduce risk and maintain production resilience. In a manufacturing landscape defined by rapid change and technological complexity, this expertise is essential to sustaining growth and securing future success.
Source: https://uk-manufacturing-online.co.uk/uk-manufacturing-faces-critical-expertise-gap-in-obsolescence-management/