PPMA SHOW PPMA W STAND F70


hen we booked the PPMA Show in September last year, having been away for a decade, we weren’t sure what to expect. Would we experience the low foot traffic that’s


become a sad reality of so many exhibitions, or would we stand out against others vying for attention? Would our displays even work? Thankfully, none of these concerns were


realised. Armed with a near 100m2 stand that had been months in the making, a range of equipment and products showcasing our capabilities, and an expert team in tow, we were ready to face the thousands that walked through the doors of the NEC in Birmingham. Here’s what we learnt, and what we’re taking into this year.


1. MENIAL TASKS ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST STRAINS ON OPERATIONAL TEAMS Last year, we spoke to customers about how a combined storm of widening skills gaps and skilled workers being diverted to repetitive tasks is dragging productivity down and increasing workload. New to the stand this year, we’ll be showing


how Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) can automate heavy-load material handling, with a built-in load detection system that lets them pick up loads without human interaction. With free navigation, the vehicles move precisely around a warehouse or factory using fi xed machinery and walls as their map, with no need for physical fl oor markers. These AGVs do the heavy lifting for you, putting skilled workers back where they belong in innovation and troubleshooting, and freeing up resources to train newer team members in management and technical skills. We’ll be showing our 1250kg-capacity AGV, which moves heavy loads like pallets across the warehouse fl oor. Designed for scalability, its standardised set-up is ideal for companies dipping their toes into automation, whilst its contactless charging capabilities increase uptime.


2.. AUTOMATION IS KING, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS READY TO DEPLOY IT At SEW-EURODRIVE, we’ve spent decades backing the power of automation in speeding up manufacturing processes around the world, leading the way in building solutions that produce better outputs and cut costs in the long run.


But while our engineering and sales teams


are well-versed in the benefi ts automation offers, we know that change can come with trepidation, and busy manufacturers don’t have the capacity to spend hours researching whether the latest innovations will work for them. We used our stand as a platform for


kickstarting these conversations, with live demonstrations of equipment like our Maze Kinematic Delta Robot to show how operational


WHY SEW-EURODRIVE UK IS HEADING BACK TO THE PPMA SHOW AGAIN AFTER A BRILLIANT 2025


Andy Turner, Managing Director of SEW-EURODRIVE UK & Ireland, shares the learnings the SEW-EURODRIVE team is taking into this year’s PPMA Show


headaches can be fl ipped into well-oiled processes. The robot is returning this year, demonstrating how products can be sorted, stacked and packed, with high-speed performance and high-level precision. It’s a parallel robot, using multiple arms connected to a single platform, and its stainless-steel housing means it can face the harsh chemical washdowns in industries like food and pharmaceutical manufacturing. It also uses our pre-programmed MOVIKIT


robotics software module’s teach-in panel, which cuts out the need for complicated movement coding by letting operators manually position the robot and save target coordinates for pick-and-place tasks. Operators can even test motion paths before any physical movement takes place through our 3D simulation.


3. SUSTAINABILITY CONVERSATIONS AREN’T GOING AWAY ANY TIME SOON Think implementing sustainable systems is too expensive, just a trend, and won’t benefi t your manufacturing processes? Think again. Many of our conversations at last year’s PPMA Show focused on how sustainable practices are good for the planet, as well as your bottom line. Back on the stand for 2026 is the Hugo Beck


fl owpack R. Made in collaboration with global German packaging machinery leader Hugo


SEW-EURODRIVE www.sew-eurodrive.co.uk FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | JULY/AUGUST 2026 39


Beck, it’s a form-fi ll-seal paper packaging machine powered by SEW-EURODRIVE’s advanced drive technology, speedily packing up to 150 items a minute. Our challenge in development was to replace the pneumatic system in the existing fl ow pack model with effi cient electric actuators. The result is a 100 per cent electrically powered machine with up to 50 per cent higher output than before, helping manufacturers switch to recyclable paper, with the fl exibility to use fi lm when preservation needs require. If you’re interested in sharing what is and isn’t


working in your factory, our team would love to talk to you at stand A84 about how we’ve helped customers overcome hurdles, and how we could help you.


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