Why it matters now: With the United Kingdom's industrial automation market valued at USD 8.75 billion in 2024 and projected to climb at a compound annual growth rate exceeding 7%, leadership inside the sector's principal trade body has never carried more weight. Automate UK — the not-for-profit organisation representing PLC manufacturers, robotics suppliers, machine vision specialists, and systems integrators across processing and packaging — has appointed Dan Thombs as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Peter Williamson. The move signals a strategic realignment at a moment when automation adoption is being framed as central to Britain's manufacturing productivity agenda.
Analyst Insight: The leadership change at Automate UK coincides with a broader inflection point. The UK factory automation and industrial control systems market is being reshaped by three converging forces — post-Brexit supply-chain reconfiguration, acute labour shortages in manufacturing, and the accelerated adoption of Industrial Ethernet (now commanding 43.25% of the UK industrial communication network market). Whoever leads the sector's representative body must navigate these currents while remaining vendor-neutral.
The Leadership Transition at Automate UK
Dan Thombs steps into the CEO role with a clear mandate: to expand the organisation's reach and deepen its relevance to both suppliers and end users of automation technology. Peter Williamson, who has completed his term as CEO, transitions into the newly created position of Policy Director — a move that suggests Automate UK intends to sharpen its advocacy function while injecting fresh strategic energy at the top.
In his first public remarks as CEO, Thombs struck an ambitious tone, stating there is "a whole world of possibility around what this organisation can and should do to advance the industry." The phrasing is notable: it positions Automate UK not merely as a trade association but as an engine of sectoral transformation.
Market Trend: Trade associations globally are pivoting from passive representation to active market-making. Automate UK's structural separation of the CEO and Policy Director functions mirrors what leading European automation bodies have pursued — dedicated policy advocacy paired with commercially astute membership development. Expect this model to become a blueprint for other national automation trade groups.
The End-User Membership Pivot
Among the most consequential announcements accompanying the leadership change is Automate UK's plan to launch a dedicated end-user membership programme. Historically, the organisation has primarily served the supplier side — PLC vendors, robotics OEMs, and systems integrators. The new programme aims to bring manufacturers directly into the automation community, giving plant operators and production directors a formal seat at the table.
This is a strategic recalibration with significant downstream implications. By incorporating end-user voices, Automate UK can more effectively bridge the gap between technology providers and the factories deploying their solutions — a gap that industry surveys consistently identify as a barrier to faster automation adoption in UK manufacturing.
UK Industrial Automation: The Numbers That Matter
To understand the stakes of this leadership transition, the market data tells a compelling story. The UK and Ireland industrial automation market is entering what analysts describe as a transformative phase, driven by labour shortages, energy volatility, and government-backed manufacturing innovation programmes.
UK Industrial Automation Market Data (Click to Expand)
-
Market Size (2024): USD 8.75 billion (UK only)
-
UK & Ireland Combined (2025E): USD 12.2 billion
-
Projected Value (2032): USD 19.9 billion
-
CAGR (2025–2032): 7.2%
-
Largest End-User Segment: Automotive & Transportation (28.33% market share in 2025)
-
Fastest-Growing Segment: Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences (13.77% CAGR through 2031)
-
Leading Communication Protocol: Industrial Ethernet (43.25% market share)
-
Emerging Protocol: Private 5G/LTE (12.73% CAGR through 2031)
Sources: Fortune Business Insights, Mordor Intelligence, Persistence Market Research, Technavio.
Analyst Insight: The pharmaceutical and life sciences vertical — now growing at nearly 14% CAGR in UK factory automation — represents a particularly fertile opportunity for PLC and industrial control system vendors. Stringent regulatory environments in pharma demand high-reliability automation architectures, exactly the domain where programmable logic controllers and distributed control systems hold entrenched advantages over general-purpose computing approaches.
What This Means for PLC Manufacturers and Integrators
For the PLC supply chain — from component manufacturers to system integrators — Automate UK's evolution under Thombs carries practical significance. As a neutral body with no commercial interest of its own, the organisation is positioned to facilitate pre-competitive collaboration on standards, workforce development, and regulatory engagement that individual vendors cannot credibly lead alone.
Three areas deserve particular attention from industry stakeholders:
-
Standards harmonisation: As Industrial Ethernet continues its march toward dominance and private 5G emerges, Automate UK's convening power can help the UK automation community speak with one voice in global standards bodies.
-
Workforce pipeline: The automation skills gap remains acute. A trade body with strong end-user participation is better equipped to shape apprenticeship programmes and university curricula aligned with real factory-floor needs.
-
Policy influence: With Peter Williamson's transition to Policy Director, Automate UK is signalling that regulatory and government engagement — from energy policy to capital allowance regimes for automation investment — will receive dedicated, senior-level attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dan Thombs?
Dan Thombs is the newly appointed CEO of Automate UK, the leading trade association for the UK industrial automation sector. He succeeds Peter Williamson and brings a mandate to expand the organisation's membership base and deepen industry engagement, particularly with end users of automation technology.
What is Automate UK?
Automate UK — formerly known as the PPMA (Processing and Packaging Machinery Association) — is a not-for-profit trade body representing automation suppliers and end users across processing, packaging, robotics, and machine vision. It serves as a neutral, trusted partner to the industry with no vested commercial interest of its own.
What is the new end-user membership programme?
Automate UK plans to introduce a dedicated membership tier for manufacturers and end users of automation technology. The programme aims to bring factory operators closer to the automation supplier community, giving production leaders a stronger voice in industry discussions and standards development.
How large is the UK industrial automation market?
The UK industrial automation market was valued at approximately USD 8.75 billion in 2024. The combined UK and Ireland market is projected to reach USD 12.2 billion in 2025 and grow to USD 19.9 billion by 2032, expanding at a CAGR of 7.2%.
This article draws on Automate UK's official announcement and independent market intelligence from Fortune Business Insights, Mordor Intelligence, Persistence Market Research, and Technavio.
