SPARK team travelled to Sunderland for the North East Automotive Expo 2025, the region’s leading automotive event, where manufacturers, suppliers and innovators come together to share ideas and showcase the future of the sector.
The exhibition isn’t only about demonstrating our robots, it is more about conversations, listening to the challenges businesses face every day and exploring how technology can make a real difference.
What We Heard from the Sector
Through discussions with professionals in the automotive sector, our team learnt lots about the difficulties they experience.
A warehouse manager revealed the difficulty of covering night shifts, as finding cleaners is challenging. Another manager highlighted the rising cost of agency staff. They are impressed by our innovative robotics on how well they operate without the concerns of managing staff.
Behind these discussions, a clear set of challenges emerged: labour shortages, pressure on budgets, safety risks from oil spills and debris in busy areas, and the growing need to meet sustainability targets with smarter, more measurable use of resources.
Maintaining cleanliness has been a challenge for warehouses. With the emerging robotics technology, we can now automate cleaning operations without the concern of labour management.
How Cleaning Robots Can Help
- Robots take on repetitive cleaning tasks, allowing staff to focus on higher-value work.
- Automation reduces the need for agency staff and overtime, cutting operational costs significantly.
- Advanced sensors keep people and forklifts safe while ensuring thorough and consistent cleaning.
- Water recycling, energy optimisation and built-in usage reports help businesses meet ESG commitments.
Looking Ahead
Robotics is no longer a concept for the future, it is already reshaping daily operations across the automotive sector.
At SPARK, our mission is to make workplaces smarter, safer and greener. The NEAA Expo gave us the chance to hear directly from the people driving the industry forward and to share how robotics can support them in achieving their goals.
We left Sunderland encouraged and inspired, ready to continue working alongside the teams powering the UK’s automotive sector. The future of automotive is here, and it is being built together.