MANUFACTURING Manufacturers increasingly falling
into ‘the capacity trap’ warns PP C&A Machine builders and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMS) are falling into ‘the capacity trap’ according to a strategic outsourcing specialist.
P
P Control & Automation’s Andy Whittaker recently issued the stark warning, pointing out that the outdated ‘in-house’ approach is actually holding companies back and curtailing growth.
The director believes that management teams are missing telltale signs that internal production is stretched, such as delayed shipments, extra overtime and an increase in lead times.
He is now challenging machinery builders and OEMs to explore the possibility of outsourcing non-core manufacturing operations, freeing them up to focus on value added activities, new product development and building customer relationships. “We are seeing a growing number of new clients turning to us after being caught in ‘the capacity trap’, a point where internal production can no longer support the ambitions of the business, yet nobody wants to admit it,” comments Andy.
“Demand is growing, whilst the ability to fulfil it is shrinking. The shopfloor is full; the labour pool is tight and adding more of either feels unfeasible. Teams continue to firefight the symptoms, as the underlying issue persists. Put simply, the business has outgrown its in- house capability.”
He added: “Outsourcing isn’t about giving up control, it’s about regaining it in the areas that matter most. By partnering with a specialist manufacturing provider, OEMs can offload repeatable, resource-intensive tasks whilst retaining full ownership of engineering and IP. “It allows businesses to create space. And not just physical space on the shopfloor, but strategic space to focus on what moves the
needle.”
PP Control & Automation, which employs over 200 people at its facility in the West Midlands, helps build machines that robotically milk cows, provide everyday packaging solutions, protects phones from water damage and cuts parts that are used in F1 cars and airlines around the world. “A good outsourcing partner doesn’t just build parts, assemblies and machines - they build continuity.
“They allow you to clear backlogs, shorten lead times and deliver more consistently, without investing in extra headcount or floor space. And in doing so, they unlock the opportunity that’s been waiting behind the bottlenecks.”
He concludes: “Critically, this isn’t about replacing internal teams either. In fact, it’s about enabling them. When production pressure lifts, engineering can return to solving problems instead of managing workloads. Operations can plan proactively rather than reactively. Leadership can look forward, instead of down.
“That’s what growth-ready manufacturing looks like, and it rarely happens smoothly when everything is kept in-house.”
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2026 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
33
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42
