ETL Fluids’ Journey with Made Smarter

A North Yorkshire manufacturer of industrial filtration systems has dramatically improved production times after introducing automation to a key process, with support from Made Smarter.

ETL Fluid Experts (ETL) secured almost £15,000 towards an automated wire processing centre, helping eliminate a major bottleneck in the production of wiring looms. 

The success has accelerated the company’s digital transformation journey as it explores further automation investments and develops its leadership capability through Made Smarter’s Digital Manufacturing Leadership course. 

The Challenge

From its base in Knaresborough ETL’s team of 32 makes industrial filtration systems, coolant handling and recycling equipment for a range of sectors. 

Facing supply chain disruption, rising energy costs and increasing sustainability pressures, ETL is focused on improving efficiency while maintaining its ISO 14001 standards. 

To respond to these challenges, the business has focused on upgrading its IT infrastructure, alongside a number of digital transformation and decarbonisation initiatives. 

A significant production bottleneck was the manufacture of wiring looms for its filtration systems. Electricians manually measured, cut, stripped and terminated every wire required for assembly, a process that could take six to eight hours per production batch. The work was time-consuming, repetitive and difficult to scale, while quality could vary depending on operator input.

The Solution

ETL worked closely with Made Smarter and undertook a Digital Roadmap to review the company’s existing systems, processes and people. 

Iain Kilner, IT and Special Projects Manager, said: “While technology is my specialist area, I don’t profess to know everything about everything, so it was reassuring to have another pair of eyes confirm that what we’d done adhered to industry standards and that we were heading in the right direction.” 

The resulting digital roadmap identified several opportunities where technology investment could deliver measurable operational benefits, including wiring production and future automation projects such as laser etching.  

ETL subsequently secured almost £15,000 towards a £29,000 investment in an automated wire processing centre (WPC). The system automates multiple stages of the wire preparation process, including selecting the correct wire length, gauge and colour before automatically stripping insulation, fitting ferrules and crimping connectors. 

The process follows a structured workflow that ensures each stage is completed correctly before progressing to the next. 

Iain explained: “The machine basically manages the process for you. It spits out the correct coloured wire at the correct length and gauge. You then put it into the machine, it strips the end off, puts the ferrule on, crimps it and pulls it out.” 

Building on the success of the automation project, ETL invested in a cloud-based MRP system to integrate finance, production planning and operations. The platform improves visibility, reduces duplication and provides a foundation for future AI-enabled activities. The project was supported through additional regional funding. 

The Benefits

The impact of the wire processing system was immediate. Tasks that previously required up to eight hours of manual labour can now be completed in around 30 minutes, dramatically accelerating the production of wiring looms.  

The machine processed approximately 20,000 wires in its first year of operation, highlighting the scale of its contribution to the business. 

Iain said: “The productivity gains are huge. It’s sped up exponentially the length of time it takes us to produce these wiring looms.” 

Automation has also improved quality and consistency. By standardising wire lengths, stripping, ferrule placement and crimping, the system delivers more reliable results and reduces the need for testing and rework. 

The additional capacity has enabled ETL to make better use of its skilled workforce. Rather than spending hours measuring, cutting and terminating cables, electricians can focus on higher-value assembly and testing activities. 

Iain said: “When we first applied for the grant, the electricians were saying, ‘Why are we getting this? Is it going to take our jobs?’ But actually it’s taken away some of the strain and the low-value, repetitive work and allowed them to focus on assembly, testing and higher-skilled tasks.” 

Through its involvement with Made Smarter, ETL has gained access to new ideas, technologies and best practice. Working with Made Smarter Business Relationship Managers Mike Pennington and Les Selby has provided access to workshops, webinars and events covering areas such as cyber security, digital technology and carbon reduction, helping the business identify new opportunities for improvement. 

Iain said: “Every webinar and every presentation I go to, whether it’s about cyber security, carbon reduction or digital technology, influences how we think about the future. I always come away with something. Even if it’s one small nugget, there’s always an action point on the back of it.” 

The Future

Building on the success of the wire processing project, ETL is exploring further automation opportunities across the factory, including laser etching and marking systems. 

The company is also continuing its skills development journey through Made Smarter’s Digital Manufacturing Leadership programme, which Iain will begin in November. 

Iain said: “Digital transformation is a continuous process. Once you start looking at these things, you identify more opportunities to improve the business. What I love about Made Smarter is that all the information they give is really valid, really useful, and keeps you moving.” 

To learn more about how Made Smarter can help your business innovate and grow, visit www.madesmarter.uk/yorkshire