Consultancy launched to accelerate the adoption of robots

A new robotics and cleantech consultancy has been launched to aid the adoption of advanced robotics by industry. The Synovate Consultancy has close ties with academic institutions and experience in the field of deploying robots for utility companies.

As part of Harrogate-based Synthotech, the Synovate consultancy team will initially work with the construction and utility sectors. Its experts include a range of engineers, project managers and robotics designers.

Synovate has pioneered the development and deployment of robots in the utilities sector in the UK and worldwide. It invested over £1.2m and spent two years developing the next generation of robots that can sense water and gas leaks from within pipelines.

Commenting on the launch, Simon Langdale, engineering director at Synovate, said: "Many companies understand the efficiencies and environmental benefits that can be unlocked by using robots for complex and time-consuming tasks. Our consultancy team has a huge amount of experience in designing solutions for a wide range of uses. As technology advances, it is vital to ensure that experienced support is available to accelerate the development of robots that can help companies operate more effectively and safely to benefit the environment."

Synovate works with experts at the Universities of Sheffield, Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds to develop industrial robotic technology as part of the Pipebots scheme.

As part of Synthotech group, the company operates across the gas, water and telecommunications sectors, providing engineering products and robotics. The Synthotech Group employs 38 people in the UK and hit a milestone of £5m in revenue in 2022.

Earlier this year, Synovate joined the Singapore Deep-Tech Alliance to accelerate its export plans in the region. The Singapore Deep-Tech Alliance (SDTA) is a technology venture builder with an emphasis on sustainability. It is collaborating with Innovate UK to introduce the ‘Innovate UK Global Incubator Program’ in Singapore.

Mark Tindley, Synthotech's managing director, concluded: "We are driven by innovation, and it's propelling our global growth from the UK. Our cutting-edge technology is enhancing the efficiency of utility firms, safeguarding the environment, and generating substantial cost efficiencies. Our new consultancy service will bring a wealth of hands-on experience to any robotics project."