In today’s fast-paced manufacturing world, innovation is everywhere but getting those ideas from the lab to the shop floor - that’s a whole different challenge. This journey, known as technology transfer, is the unsung hero of industrial progress.
We recently sat down with Christopher Proudfoot and Ben Unett , volunteers from the IET Manufacturing Technical Network (TN), to talk about why technology transfer matters, and how we can make it work better for everyone.
From Research to Reality
Christopher Proudfoot knows this journey well. With a background in control engineering and a PhD from Oxford, he spent years at Unilever leading automation strategies across global factories.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been interested in technology transfer,” Chris said. “Transferring university-type technology through to the shop floor and making an impact.”
This bridging of worlds between theoretical innovation and practical application is essential for progress. But it’s not always straightforward.
“Technology doesn’t implement itself,” Chris noted. “It needs people with understanding and vision who can look at something and see how it could be used to shape or change a process.”
The SME Struggle: Big Ideas, Limited Resources
One of the biggest barriers to effective technology transfer is scale. Large organisations often have the resources to explore and adopt new technologies early. Smaller firms, however, face a different reality.
“Sustainability to many smaller businesses means staying in business,” Chris explained. “Not necessarily reducing waste.”
This pragmatic view extends to technology adoption. In a recent TN webinar on manufacturing technology transfer, Chris observed that many of the innovations being discussed, ideas such as line monitoring were things he had implemented decades ago.
“Some of the stuff discussed… I was doing in the early 1980s,” he said. “It’s trickling down, but slowly.”
This delay in adoption can leave SMEs at a disadvantage, unable to benefit from tools that could improve efficiency, reduce costs, or enhance sustainability.
Raising Awareness: The TN’s Role
That’s where the IET Manufacturing TN comes in and plays a vital role in addressing this gap. By hosting webinars, sharing case studies, and fostering dialogue across sectors, the TN helps raise awareness of emerging technologies and their practical applications.
“Most small businesses don’t know what they don’t know,” Chris explained. “They’re just trying to keep going.”
The TN’s aim is not just to showcase innovation, but to make it accessible. That means translating complex ideas into actionable insights and helping businesses see the value of new approaches.
Ben Unett echoed this sentiment, noting that even simple changes like reusing packaging or optimising cooling systems can make a big difference when supported by the right knowledge.
“With a bit of knowledge of the technology around you, you can quite easily help make a more sustainable future,” Ben said.
The Human Side of Tech Transfer
At its core, technology transfer isn’t just about machines, it’s about people. Chris and Ben both stressed the importance of mentoring, collaboration, and lifelong learning.
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” Chris said. “Getting as broad an experience when you’re younger helps as you progress.”
Ben, who has mentored younger engineers and completed the IET mentoring course, sees knowledge-sharing as a key part of his role.
“I wanted to give back some engineering knowledge from industry into the wider community,” he said. “There’s a whole load of information out there, it’s just making it accessible.”
That’s exactly what the TN is doing. Connecting professionals across disciplines and career stages, the TN fosters a culture of learning and innovation to spark new ideas and drive change.
Looking Ahead: Making Transfer Work
As manufacturing evolves with AI, quantum computing, and sustainability reshaping the landscape, the need for effective technology transfer is more urgent than ever.
It’s not enough to invent new tools. We need to make sure they reach the people who can use them to make a difference. That means supporting SMEs, investing in education, and building bridges between academia, industry, and community.
Chris summed it up perfectly:
“The real question is: how can we educate people about what they don’t know—and then give them the insight to use it within their processes?”
Technology transfer isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a human one. And with the right support, it can unlock a smarter, more sustainable future for manufacturing.
Our next information session is taking place on 27th January 2026 where you can hear from three expert speakers on how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the manufacturing landscape in areas such as predictive maintenance, quality control & inspection, supply chain management and production planning. We will explore ethical implications in the deployment of AI in manufacturing environments and will address the challenges and opportunities that exist. AI, Ethics and Manufacturing