Collaborative robots have stopped being a novelty on UK shop floors. Manufacturers use them for the repetitive, physically demanding or inconsistent jobs nobody wants to staff: machine tending, packing, sanding, testing.
Unlike a traditional industrial robot bolted into a guarded cell, a cobot can often work in a tight footprint, right next to a person. That makes it a genuinely different proposition for manufacturers short on floor space or juggling products that change every few weeks.
But picking a cobot integrator isn’t the same as picking a robot arm. The right partner depends on your application, payload, cycle time, tooling, vision needs, safety setup and how deeply the robot has to talk to your existing machinery.
There’s a growing number of UK companies building cobot systems, from specialist collaborative robotics shops to broader automation integrators who happen to do cobots well. We’ve pulled together 10 with established track records that manufacturers researching suppliers may want to look at.
Listed in no particular order. This isn’t a ranking, and being on the list isn’t an endorsement from Automation World. How we chose these
Quick comparison
The 10 at a glance
| # | Company | Based | Robot platforms | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Cobots Online | North East England | Universal Robots | SME cobot specialist, mobile CoboTend |
| 02 | Olympus Technologies | Huddersfield | Universal Robots | Metalwork cells, UR software (URCaps) |
| 03 | SP Automation & Robotics | Scotland | Cobots plus MiR mobile robots | Turnkey lines with in-house engineering |
| 04 | VIKASO | Buckinghamshire | Universal Robots, Omron | Fast deployment, vision and safety |
| 05 | Reeco Automation | Wales | OMRON, FANUC | Cobot packing and palletising |
| 06 | Absolute Robotics | Bristol | Techman, OMRON | Cobot testing and inspection |
| 07 | Incotech | West Midlands | Brand-agnostic (UR, ABB, KUKA, FANUC…) | Vision-led QC, brand-neutral advice |
| 08 | RARUK Automation | Shefford, Bedfordshire | Universal Robots (Platinum distributor) | UR training centre, wide portfolio |
| 09 | RoboMotion | Shropshire | UR, ABB, KUKA, FANUC | Bespoke cells, in-house fabrication |
| 10 | Astech Projects | Runcorn, Cheshire | 6-axis arm on MiR mobile base | Lab and regulated environments |
The integrators
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Showing 10 of 10 · Numbers are for reference only, not a ranking.
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01Cobots Online
- UR Certified System Integrator
- 60+ systems delivered
- Mobile cobots
Cobots Online is a North East specialist that does one thing: collaborative robots for manufacturers and SMEs.
The company became a Certified System Integrator for Universal Robots in 2023, only the second company in the UK to hit that bar. It’s since delivered more than 60 cobot systems across the country, covering machine tending, palletising, pick and place, inspection, screwdriving, sanding, grinding, welding, dispensing and assembly.
It also builds its own kit, including CoboTend, a mobile cobot that moves between machines rather than sitting fixed at one station (useful if you’ve got more jobs than robots).
Particularly relevant for: SMEs and growing manufacturers wanting flexible cobot solutions for machine tending, assembly, packaging or inspection.
Listed in the Automation World directory View Cobots Online profile -
02Olympus Technologies
- UR's first UK CSI
- URCap developer
- Press-brake tending
Olympus Technologies works out of Huddersfield and has been one of Universal Robots’ UK partners for longer than most. It holds the title of UR’s 1st Certified Systems Integrator in the country, and it’s still the only UR-certified URCap developer in the UK, meaning it writes custom software plug-ins for the robots, not just applications around them.
Its manufacturing work leans towards metal: welding, machine tending, press-brake tending, alongside end-of-line jobs like case packing and palletising.
Vision systems, dispensing and bespoke grippers round out the offering. If a robot needs to become part of a production process rather than sit as a standalone island, this is the kind of integrator worth a call.
Particularly relevant for: Metal manufacturers and machine shops looking at welding, machine tending, press-brake tending or palletising.
Listed in the Automation World directory View Olympus Technologies profile -
03SP Automation & Robotics
- Turnkey projects
- MiR mobile robots
- Bespoke tooling
SP Automation & Robotics is a broader systems integrator where cobots are one part of a much bigger engineering offering. In-house mechanical, controls, software and manufacturing engineers cover automotive, electronics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, plastics and packaging.
That means SP’s cobot work rarely looks like a standard product. It’s usually a collaborative robot stitched into a larger automated line, sometimes alongside MiR mobile robots, with bespoke end-of-arm tooling built for the specific job rather than pulled off a shelf.
If your cobot needs to talk to existing production equipment or controls that another supplier might shy away from, SP’s wider engineering bench is the reason to consider them.
Particularly relevant for: Manufacturers wanting cobot integration as part of a larger turnkey project, especially in automotive, electronics, medical, pharmaceutical, food or packaging.
Listed in the Automation World directory View SP Automation & Robotics profile -
04VIKASO
- Specialist cobot integrator
- AI vision
- Safety systems
VIKASO is a specialist cobot integrator built around fast, flexible deployment. Mechanical design, electrical design, PLC programming, safety systems, vision, CAD and simulation all sit under one roof alongside the cobot programming itself.
Partnerships covering end-effectors, safety systems and AI-based vision give VIKASO room to build applications beyond a basic arm-and-gripper install.
Particularly relevant for: Manufacturers wanting a specialist cobot integrator, particularly where bespoke mechanical engineering, vision or complex safety integration is involved.
Listed in the Automation World directory View VIKASO profile -
05Reeco Automation
- Palletising
- Case packing
- AMRs
Reeco Automation covers robotics, cobots and end-of-line automation, with palletising and packaging as a strong base without being the whole story.
Cobot-enabled case packing, palletising, bowl feeding and other handling work sit alongside autonomous mobile robots and wider end-of-line kit. Reeco builds some of its own automation and tooling, and also integrates OMRON and FANUC robot platforms where the job calls for it.
Particularly relevant for: Manufacturers looking at cobot-based packaging, palletising or handling, particularly where a proof-of-concept trial matters.
Listed in the Automation World directory View Reeco Automation profile -
06Absolute Robotics
- Testing & inspection
- Custom tooling
- Vision
Absolute Robotics, part of the Absolute Automation Group, works with Techman and OMRON collaborative robots and covers the full job: system design, tooling, installation, commissioning, training and ongoing support.
Its work leans heavily into testing and inspection applications, areas that often get less attention than pick and place or assembly but tend to be where manufacturers feel the most pain. Manual testing is repetitive, easy to get wrong when someone’s on hour seven of a shift, and hard to scale without just hiring more people.
The company builds custom tooling and vision setups to fit specific test rigs and product variants, rather than expecting a manufacturer to redesign their process around a standard cell. That’s a meaningful distinction if your production line already has fixed test equipment you don’t want to replace.
Particularly relevant for: Electronics and other manufacturers needing cobot-based testing, inspection, pick and place or bespoke tooling.
Listed in the Automation World directory View Absolute Robotics profile -
07Incotech
- Brand-agnostic
- Vision QC
- Risk assessment
Incotech provides robotic and cobot integration covering assembly, testing, pick and place and inspection, and it isn’t tied to one robot brand. Universal Robots, ABB, KUKA, FANUC, Techman, AUBO, Yaskawa and Stäubli all appear in its portfolio.
Rather than just dropping in a robot, Incotech does the surrounding work: system design, installation, risk assessment, optimisation. Its vision system experience is particularly useful for quality-control applications like part presence checking, defect detection, sorting, counting and barcode reading.
Brand-agnostic integrators like this are worth considering if you’re not already committed to a particular robot manufacturer and want someone to recommend the right one for the job.
Particularly relevant for: Manufacturers needing cobots for assembly, testing, inspection or pick-and-place, especially where vision is involved.
Listed in the Automation World directory View Incotech profile -
08RARUK Automation
- UR Authorised Training Centre
- Sanding & polishing
- AMRs
RARUK Automation has been distributing Universal Robots equipment since the early days and has grown from Gold to Platinum UR distributor status along the way. In 2020 it opened the UK’s first Universal Robots Authorised Training Centre at its Shefford headquarters, and it still runs Core and Advanced UR training courses from there today.
Its cobot applications span machine tending, pick and place, end-of-line palletising, sanding, polishing and screwdriving. Beyond cobots, RARUK’s portfolio stretches into industrial robots, AMRs, warehouse automation and feeding systems.
For a manufacturer wanting to build in-house robotics skills alongside buying the kit, the training centre is a genuine differentiator, not just a marketing line.
Particularly relevant for: Manufacturers wanting established cobot expertise, especially those considering Universal Robots or a wider automation programme.
Listed in the Automation World directory View RARUK Automation profile -
09RoboMotion
- Bespoke systems
- In-house fabrication
- Feasibility studies
RoboMotion is a Shropshire-based robotics company with experience across cutting, drilling, gluing, packing, painting, picking, placing, printing, sorting, trimming and welding. That’s a long list, and it reflects a company that works across both conventional industrial robots and cobots rather than specialising narrowly.
In-house design and fabrication means it can build bespoke systems when nothing off-the-shelf fits, and its robot portfolio spans Universal Robots alongside ABB, KUKA and FANUC.
Particularly relevant for: Manufacturers wanting a bespoke robotics solution, particularly where a feasibility study or integration with existing equipment is needed.
Listed in the Automation World directory View RoboMotion profile -
10Astech Projects
- Laboratory automation
- Drug delivery testing
- Est. 1995
Astech Projects is an outlier on this list in a good way. Founded in 1995 and based in Runcorn, Cheshire, it’s part of the Schauenburg International group and specialises in laboratory automation, drug delivery testing and other regulated manufacturing environments, not general factory floor work.
Its Robotic Lab Assistant platform mounts a 6-axis arm on a mobile base (compatible with MiR100 through MiR1000) so a cobot can roam a lab, connecting manual and automated processes without ripping out existing hardware. Applications run from automated liquid dispensing to inhaler and drug delivery testing.
Astech’s cobot work is more specialised than most of the general manufacturing integrators here, but for pharmaceutical, medical device or laboratory settings, that specialisation is exactly the point.
Particularly relevant for: Pharmaceutical, medical, laboratory and specialist manufacturing applications where cobots need to fit into existing processes, software and controlled environments.
Listed in the Automation World directory View Astech Projects profile
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See every UK Collaborative Robots (Cobots) supplier Filter 17 suppliers by application, sector and region in the directory. Browse Collaborative Robots (Cobots) suppliersFree planning tools
Do the numbers before you call anyone
- Automation ROI Calculator Estimate payback on a cobot cell from your labour and shift pattern. Work out ROI →
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Buyer’s guide
What should you look for in a UK cobot integrator?
The 10 companies above cover quite different corners of the market. Some are cobot specialists through and through. Others are broad automation businesses where cobots are one line item on a much bigger menu.
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Start with the task, not the robot
Before you even think about which arm to buy, define what you want it to do.
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A cobot isn't automatically the right robot
Cobots earn their keep where flexibility, a small footprint and working near people matter.
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Look at the whole cell, not just the arm
The robot is one part of a working cobot cell.
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Ask about cycle time in your application, not the datasheet
A robot manufacturer's headline specs won't tell you how fast your particular job will run.
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Plan for the next product, not just this one
Part of the appeal of cobots is that they can be redeployed.
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Ask what happens after go-live
A cobot installation doesn't end when the robot gets commissioned.
Finding a cobot integrator in the UK
The companies above show how varied the UK cobot market has become. Some specialise almost entirely in collaborative robotics. Others fold cobots into a wider offer that spans industrial robots, machine vision, packaging automation and controls engineering.
There isn’t one universally best cobot integrator. The right choice depends on what you’re automating, the production environment, required throughput, available space and how much of the surrounding process needs to be pulled into the solution.
If you’re still researching, Automation World’s UK automation directory lets you compare suppliers by capability, application and industry.
About this list
We selected these 10 companies because they have publicly documented experience integrating collaborative robots into UK manufacturing environments. They’re listed in no particular order, this isn’t a ranking, and inclusion doesn’t represent an endorsement from Automation World.
The information here is based on publicly available supplier information and is meant as a starting point. Capabilities and experience vary between suppliers, so it’s worth discussing your specific application directly with any integrator before deciding.
Automation World also maintains a wider UK directory of robotics and automation companies if you want to look beyond this list.
Frequently asked questions
A cobot integrator designs and builds automated systems around collaborative robots. That covers selecting the robot, designing tooling, programming, adding vision or other equipment, running the safety assessment, and installing and commissioning the finished system. Buying just the robot and skipping this step is how a lot of automation projects stall out.
The manufacturer builds the arm. The integrator builds everything around it that actually makes it useful on your floor, from the gripper to the safety fencing to the software that ties it into your line. Most manufacturers who buy direct from a robot brand still end up hiring an integrator anyway.
Yes, and they already are, in machine tending, assembly, inspection, welding, packaging, palletising and pick and place. Whether one suits your specific job comes down to payload, speed, reach, safety requirements and how your production environment is set up. Don’t take “yes” as a universal answer without checking the specifics.
There’s no single price tag. Cost depends on the robot, tooling, safety equipment, vision, fixtures, conveyors and how much integration work is required. A basic pick-and-place cobot is a much smaller job than a fully integrated production cell, so start from what the application needs rather than a target robot price and work backwards.
Often, yes. Cobots get integrated with CNC machines, conveyors, PLCs, inspection equipment and packaging machinery fairly routinely. How straightforward that is depends heavily on the age and control architecture of what you already have. Older kit with proprietary controls tends to be the sticking point.
Not necessarily, that’s part of the point of a cobot. But “cobot” doesn’t mean “no guarding required” by default. A proper risk assessment covering the robot, tooling, workpiece, speed and surrounding equipment is still needed, and a good integrator will insist on one rather than skip it to close the sale.
Smaller manufacturers are arguably the bigger growth area right now. Several of the integrators above, Cobots Online in particular, are built specifically around SMEs taking their first step into automation without committing to a large fixed cell. If anything, cobots exist because the industrial robot model priced smaller manufacturers out.
Start by defining the application you want to automate, then look for an integrator with demonstrated experience in that specific process rather than a general robotics CV. Automation World’s UK automation directory is a reasonable starting point for comparing companies by capability, application and industry.
