Sewtec Automation

What they do

Sewtec Automation builds bespoke industrial automation systems for manufacturers across food and drink, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, personal care, pet food, tobacco, confectionery and third-party logistics. Their work spans the full project lifecycle: invention, design, manufacture, installation and ongoing support. They call this their Six System approach, a proprietary through-life project management process that takes a project from initial requirements assessment through to commissioning.

The company operates from Automation House on Silkwood Business Park in Wakefield — a 75,000 sq ft design and manufacturing facility. All design and engineering work is done in-house. Their stated figures are notable: over 7,000 automation systems invented, 170-plus employees, more than 40 years of experience, and annual revenue above £30 million. Roughly 70% of what they produce is exported.

Applications cover a wide range: assembly platforms, cutting technology, packaging automation, product handling, product test and inspection, robotics, tea bag machines, track and trace, and modernisation of existing lines. For clinical trials specifically, they offer PACE — a dedicated automation platform. Sectors served include beverages, coffee, confectionery, food, medical, personal care and cosmetics, pet food, pharmaceuticals, tobacco and 3PL warehouse operations.

Their product range includes a Bottle Inspection Machine, Case Closer/Sealer, Case Erector (end feed and side feed variants), Pallet Loader, Palletising System, Picker Cell and Robotic Top Loader. Each carries a standard one-year warranty, with extensions available through Sewtec Care. The machines are built with Industry 4.0 connectivity and open software architecture, and their modular design means they can run standalone or integrate into an existing line.

Sewtec also notes a global presence, with agents and partners mapped across multiple countries. The website references a virtual tour of their facility, available to prospective customers.

What sets them apart

Sewtec's positioning is built around tackling engineering problems that, in their own words, "others will not, or cannot, tackle." That claim is backed by a track record spanning four decades and a customer base that includes some of the largest brands in food, drink and pharmaceuticals — though specific customer names are not disclosed publicly on the site.

The company is now part of a wider group, though the site does not name the parent organisation in the fetched text. The phrase "Sewtec Automation is now part of" appears repeatedly without completing the sentence in the available source material.

On the people side, Sewtec runs structured training programmes including a Foundation Leadership scheme, a Future Leaders Development Programme and executive coaching, alongside apprenticeships, graduate placements and summer placements. They work with local schools, colleges and universities to develop engineering talent in the region. The careers page lists benefits including a Westfield Health plan, flexible working hours, a cycle to work scheme and an annual company bonus.

For a business of its size and sector, the combination of in-house design, manufacture and global installation capability under one roof in West Yorkshire is relatively uncommon. Most comparable firms either design or manufacture, and outsource the rest. Sewtec does the lot.

What they offer

• Bottle Inspection Machine — automated inline inspection for bottled products.
• Case Erector (End Feed & Side Feed) — two variants for erecting cases at different feed orientations.
• Case Closer/Sealer — automated sealing of erected and filled cases.
• Pallet Loader / Palletising System — end-of-line palletising for packaged goods.
• Picker Cell & Robotic Top Loader — robotic pick-and-place systems for product handling and top-loading applications.
• PACE for Clinical Trials — dedicated automation platform for clinical trial packaging and logistics.