Toby Mankertz, Manufacturing Industry Director at Columbus, joins the Future Bytes podcast to explore how strategic readiness unlocks value from automation and AI in manufacturing.
Before diving into automation and AI, manufacturers must ensure their operations are ready. In a recent episode of AI podcast Future Bytes, host Magnus Oxenwaldt speaks with Toby Mankertz, Manufacturing Industry Director for Strategy & Growth at Columbus UK. They discuss the possibilities of automation and AI in manufacturing and, most importantly, the strategic groundwork that must be in place before any initiatives begin.
Applying technology where it matters
With over 25 years’ experience across the manufacturing sector, from steel and motorsport to aerospace, energy, waste, and even search and rescue, Mankertz has seen a wide range of challenges first-hand.
His passion is helping manufacturers apply technology in ways that directly support production. “The ultimate goal for any manufacturer is to produce the goods, fulfil the sales, and bring revenue into the organisation,” says Mankertz.
“Everything else should support that value stream. If we can apply technology sensibly, cost-effectively, and in a way that helps manufacturers achieve their objectives, that brings me joy because it means we’re adding real value.”
Bursting the AI bubble
When Oxenwaldt asks how manufacturers can gain real value from AI, Mankertz stresses that the opportunities are vast and are ‘only limited by imagination’. He also points to industry analysis from the likes of Gartner that predict “lights out” manufacturing in the future, where factories can run 24/7 with minimal human input.
But before AI can deliver results, businesses need to be ready. According to Mankertz, many organisations believe their processes are in order; however, shortcuts and workarounds exist. Unless these are identified and fixed, he says, technology may end up reinforcing inefficiency rather than solving it.
Data is another critical factor. “Is it reliable, accessible, and relevant, or is it simply a case of garbage in, garbage out?” says Mankertz. The same applies to KPIs: activity isn’t the same as purpose. Organisations need the right KPIs to track meaningful outcomes.
“It’s like taking a toy off a child on Christmas Day! Businesses often say ‘we want AI now’ but the reality is, they’re not ready yet.”
Mankertz admits that reining in expectations can be difficult, but his approach is simple: “We start by asking where the business value is. By taking time to ask the right questions upfront, organisations can slow down at the beginning, so they’re able to speed up later.”
The biggest fear with AI
Oxenwaldt asks what worries manufacturers most when it comes to AI.
“It’s not fulfilling their production goals. It’s as simple as that,” says Mankertz. “When we suggest improvements in a certain area, their first concern is: will this affect my ability to produce?”
Mankertz draws on a previous customer example, where he and his team eased concerns by demonstrating AI opportunities in a non-production environment first. This allowed the manufacturer to see how AI could enhance, rather than disrupt, their production capability.
“The last thing we want is to do anything that stops a production line from running. Instead, we look for where we can take cost out of the business, or tackle the issues that cause downtime, delays, or wasted effort. What we often find is that the biggest challenge for manufacturers is adopting this mindset.”
Start with the quick wins
“What’s unique for manufacturing is that they need a robust process to be convinced it works because, as you say, their production line isn’t a playground,” adds Oxenwaldt.
Mankertz agrees, emphasising the importance of starting small and focusing on use cases that may not directly affect production itself, but still impact the people working in it.
“It might be something as simple as making time recording more efficient. By starting with these relatively low-cost, quick wins, you can show that AI works in practice. A small proof of concept not only tests readiness for AI but also builds trust — not just in Columbus, but in the technology, the partnership, and even in the organisation’s own production processes.”
People buy from people
As the conversation turns to the future, Oxenwaldt asks Mankertz what digital transformation might look like for manufacturers in the years ahead.
Mankertz points to the rapid pace of change and highlights emerging technologies such as agentic AI. Yet, despite the excitement, he believes there will always be a place for humans in manufacturing.
“I ultimately believe that people buy from people. Of course, there will come a time when fewer humans are needed on the shop floor. You just need to look at how car manufacturing has changed over the last 50 years. But the role of people will remain: imagining what’s possible and orchestrating technology to make it happen.”
To listen to the full podcast episode and learn more about the work Columbus does to support manufacturers, visit this page.
Toby Mankertz, Manufacturing Industry Director for Strategy & Growth, Columbus
Toby is a Microsoft certified Principal Consultant with more than 25 years of experience delivering successful engineering and IT projects globally, always with a focus on outcomes. Toby is highly experienced in end-to-end Business Transformation delivery, particularly for IT business systems. He also has 20+ years of experience using Lean, Six-sigma, Prince 2 and Agile methodologies.
Reach out to Toby at toby.mankertz@columbusglobal.com.
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