5G technology in Worcestershire
Test, develop and commercialise Industry 4.0 applications to meet growing national and international demand
The UK is a leading country in the development of 5G technology with several 5G testbeds established and commercial deployments underway. Take advantage of opportunities in Worcestershire, home of the UK’s first industrial focused 5G testbed.
Use the region’s expertise, research centres and business support to design, develop, test and commercialise your Industry 4.0 technologies and solutions.
Location:
Worcestershire
Investment type:
Foreign direct investment
Sector:
(Technology, Smart city)
Take advantage of this opportunity to expand your business in the UK
Find out howSector and market opportunity
Worcestershire and the wider West Midlands is the ideal location to develop and commercialise 5G-based manufacturing applications.
The region is a national hub for a range of manufacturing disciplines eager to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies and processes. It offers the opportunity to test and prove new use-cases and AI applications in any sector on their proven private 5G networks.
Partner with smart connected manufacturing experts at nexGworx to ensure your applications are tested and refined before going to market.
Growth prospects
Government and industry commitments to 5G deployment means that there are clear opportunities and growth prospects for companies to develop and commercialise Industry 4.0 technology.
The UK is the ninth largest manufacturing nation by value of output. The total value of UK manufacturers’ product sales was £358.7 billion in 2020. The global Industry 4.0 market was valued at £60.94 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach £222.37 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 20.3% during the forecast period.
Location
Worcestershire is home to the UK’s first industrial focused 5G testbed and is an ideal location to develop, test and commercialise Industry 4.0 technologies. With its longstanding manufacturing strength and cutting-edge 5G leadership, the region has the relevant skills you need.
Benefit from the region’s expertise in its leading centres of excellence in advanced manufacturing and networks and security, and access a network of support from specialised centres offering a supportive business environment.
Connectivity
Worcestershire is close to Birmingham Airport, which provides excellent air links to major UK and international locations. It is also within 2 hours’ drive of Manchester and Heathrow airports.
Worcestershire’s road network is well-connected and there’s direct access to the majority of UK locations in under 4 hours.
There’s also rapid rail access to other major UK cities.
Local talent and skills
The West Midlands is the heart of UK manufacturing with 113,600 employed in 5,250 advanced manufacturing companies.
Over 23,500 students studying relevant subjects including physics, engineering and computer science.
There are 5 universities in the region that offer courses to support a steady pipeline with mobile communication and Industry 4.0 skills.
Region Spotlight
Midlands
The Midlands is at the forefront of technologies such as industrial digitisation, life sciences and alternative fuels. It's home to world-class assets and centres of innovative excellence. The region is ideally placed for the distribution of manufactured goods, reaching 92% of the UK population within 4 hours. Birmingham is at the heart of one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects, HS2, and hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Research and expertise
The area has access to a highly-developed network of leading centres of excellence in advanced manufacturing including the Manufacturing Technology Centre and Warwick Manufacturing Group.
The Thermal Energy Research Accelerator works with government, industry and the higher education sector to undertake innovative research to develop the next generation of energy leaders. Tap into the expertise from centres of excellence in networks and security, including prime contractors like QinetiQ.
Local and national government support
The government wants the majority of the UK population to be covered by a 5G signal by 2027.
The 5G Diversification Strategy is an ambitious plan to grow the UK’s telecoms supply chain while ensuring it is resilient to future trends and threats.
Locally, Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) recognises the value of wider digital connectivity and supports industry’s needs through a partnership approach with business, local government, the third sector and education working together with a common, shared purpose.
Specialised centres in the region provide a supportive business environment.
Success stories
nexGworx
Building on the platform of success created by Worcestershire 5G, nexGworx provides a ‘Testbed as a Service’ and expert strategic and technical guidance. These services support customers who are interested in exploring, testing and trialling processes, products and services over 5G and other connected technologies.
nexGworx helps UK advanced manufacturing industry and other sectors to harness the benefits of 5G connectivity and secure applications through smart factories, automated operations and productivity improvements.
Worcester Bosch
Worcester Bosch is a user of the 5G testbed and an early adopter of 5G capabilities. Use cases have demonstrated significant reduction in machine failures and downtime. Taking preventative measures to new levels detects issues with performance before they become failures.
This is an excellent example of how 5G capabilities can be used to improve manufacturing processes via Industry 4.0 technologies.
Heart of Worcestershire College Centre of Digital Engineering (CODE) Students
HOW College is partnered with the Worcestershire LEP working on the 5G testbed. Students of the HND program are collaborating to create a virtual reality museum for the Worcestershire LEP.
This will showcase innovations through time in the Worcestershire area.
Additional projects include development of video and voice services over a 5G network and an augmented reality app to display information for component help/assist technologies.
