Heyside Plastics has strengthened its automation capability and accelerated its digital roadmap after bringing in specialist robotics expertise through Made Smarter’s Digital Internship Programme.
HEYSIDE PLASTICS
The recycled plastics specialist based in Oldham worked with Enoch Adediran, a robotics and automation student at the University of Salford, to explore how automation and digital technologies could be deployed across its production operations. The three-month paid placement gave the manufacturer access to specialist digital skills at a critical time, helping to address a vital capability gap while accelerating plans to modernise processes and improve operational efficiency.
Garreth Brown, Business Executive at Heyside Plastics, said: “Bringing in Enoch has helped us to fill a vital skills gap in the business and fast-track our digital roadmap. Enoch has been a revelation and the value he has already brought to the business in such a short time is immense.” During the internship, Enoch worked across live production environments, gaining hands-on experience in plastics manufacturing while applying automation thinking and digital tools to real operational challenges.
Enoch, 28, said: “The internship allowed me to gain valuable hands-on experience in plastics manufacturing and to see how automation can be applied in a real production environment. The placement has helped me develop my skills further in areas such as 3D modelling and network architecture, while also giving me insight into how digital technologies can be used to improve manufacturing processes in practice.”
The internship was delivered through Made Smarter North West, the government-backed adoption programme supporting SME manufacturers with digital transformation. The initiative enables businesses to test new technologies in a practical, low-risk way while giving students and graduates paid experience inside live industrial environments.
Over the past year, Made Smarter North West’s latest cohort of 18 interns have worked directly on factory floors and in engineering teams, applying a wide range of digital technologies to real production challenges. These include robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, data and analytics, CNC and CAD-to-CNC workflows, virtual reality and digital twins, system integration and wider workflow digitisation.
Donna Edwards, Programme Director for Made Smarter North West, said: “These digital internships are delivering exactly what manufacturers need, practical digital skills and fresh thinking, while giving students and graduates paid, hands-on experience on real industrial projects, and a direct stepping stone into employment.”
Since its inception in 2019, Made Smarter has supported over 2,500 manufacturers across the North West, providing access to expert digital advice, technology adoption roadmaps, skills development opportunities, and funded technology projects.