The Interview - Joe Metcalfe

LAC are a conveyor manufacturer and integrator of materials handling equipment.? We specialise in robotics, special equipment handling and software driven automation systems

1.?What are your best-known products/solutions/services?

Our conveyor range is the heart of our business however we partner with some key technology providers in the industry, such as Exotec and ABB for everything robotics. We also use Exotec for high-speed tote retrieval/picking systems and work with a range of pallet automation partners.? Our software is also a key part of our offering and is developing at a rapid pace with two major deployments next year already in the pipeline.

2.?Which industry sectors are your customers in and which ones are growing fastest?

There are not many sectors we don’t cover, however this year retail has not grown as quickly as previous years and the manufacturing sector has bucked the trend.? We see a lot of clients expanding existing facilities or building new ones as more business look to onshore their production.

3.?What are your most recent product etc innovations?

We co-developed an AI system with ABB for container unloading and palletising which was delivered in Q3 this year.? Our software capability has grown significantly this year and we have been doing a significant amount of interface development with partners to help them integrate a range of speciality packaging equipment.

4.??What are the major trends and developments affecting your category and your customers, and how are you responding?

Labour shortages continue to create havoc in the industry and it’s pushing automation to the top of board agendas.? Robotics is also starting to break into warehousing environments and it’s really shaking up the industry.? Our enquiries for robots have grown significantly over the last year and it’s great to see the technology evolve.

5.?Can you tell us about any recent customer contracts and how you helped the customer meet their challenges?

We have just won a fantastic project for a leading 3PL for picking parts for their ‘in field’ engineers.? It’s their first foray into serious automation and we were able to demonstrate the benefits of the solution and its suitability for their clients’ application.? The Exotec solution will go live in Q2 2024 and we will guarantee the performance of this solution for the life of the product.? For a 3PL this is a great insurance policy and we cannot wait for this system to be live in the UK.

6.? How does business in 2023 compare to previous years? What’s your strategy for succeeding in the current climate?

We have significantly increased our revenues in a tough climate and one of the things we are most proud of is the amount, and the quality of people that we have brought into the business this year.? We continue to attract the best talent and watching the team develop is one of the most satisfying parts of the job.? Strategy for success is, recruit the best and don’t let our people and clients down. Simple!

7.??What’s the latest news from your company?

We have just released our revamped product range available to end users and OEMs.? More products are in the pipeline for 2024.

8.??Can you tell us about any areas where you’re currently making technical advances eg safety, sustainability, environment?

Our controls business is making great in-roads into condition monitoring software that we hope is going to revolutionise how our clients detect, react and maintain their automation systems.? Maintenance is often an afterthought in this industry and we hope to change that by offering software that makes it much easier to manage.

9.? Are you investing in staff training and skills development?

All the time! We currently have various people on different management courses, and we also have focused on bringing in more apprentices and graduates because it’s very hard to find people in this industry.? One of the big problems is that you can’t really train for it formally so it’s up to organisations like ours to do a better job of developing people.

10.? What are your plans to grow the business this year?

More top class recruits, focus on software and our product range. However you cannot beat repeat business and referrals and you get them when you deliver on promises so we aim to do more of that!

11.? What are the biggest challenges your company is facing?

The climate isn’t ideal but we have managed to grow significantly this year due to some of our key accounts.? If we are to hit our planned growth, we will need more people moving forward so we are constantly on the look out for new talent.

12.? What sets your company apart from the competition?

Our culture. We are not very corporate which means, in my opinion, that we are reactive and we can make quick decisions.? We can also hit very agressive lead times because we manfacture in the UK.

13.? Which other countries do you operate in or export to?

This year the USA, Brazil, Poland, Czech Republic and Australia.

14.? How future-proof and flexible are your solutions?

We can future proof and build flexible solutions if they are required, it just depends on the application.? Exotec for example can be expanded rapidly without taking the existing system off-line. ?Add new pick stations in a weekend or new robots by instantly dropping them into the grid.? This is the future of automation!