North West Regional College has successfully partnered with Clonmel based Contax Automation and InterTradeIreland’s Innovation Boost programme to develop a flexible robotic automation cell designed for various manufacturing uses.
The cross-border collaborative project saw Innovation Boost Project Manager Philip Clifford and NWRC i4.0 Centre Manager Cathal Ferry create a robotic automation cell that could be easily adapted for various manufacturing applications such as product handling, quality inspection, welding, and soldering. They also wanted to significantly reduce the typical deployment time for automation solutions—from several months to just a few weeks—by creating a standardised platform available as either a basic system for customer configuration or a fully integrated turnkey solution.
Cathal Ferry, NWRC i4.0 Centre Manager explained: ‘’We were contacted by InterTradeIreland Innovation Boost Consultant Joe Kelleher about an exciting innovation project with Contax Automation. We began discussing the project with David Murray, Managing Director at Contax which led to us submitting an application. With the support of Innovation Boost Consultant Joe Kelleher, we undertook the 18-month project. The role was advertised, and we gained an excellent candidate in Philip Clifford who adapted to the challenges of the role. This project is a great example of how support from InterTradeIreland empowered industry and education to work together to drive innovation and deliver real-world impact. By combining Contax Automation’s industry knowledge with our technical skills in robotics and automation, we developed a flexible system that can help manufacturers save time and costs. Philip Clifford played a key part in making sure the solution met both technical and business needs. It’s a great example of what strong collaboration can achieve.”
David Murray, Managing Director Contax added: ‘’This innovation project marks a significant step forward for Contax as we move beyond bespoke systems towards a scalable automation solution that can serve a wide range of industries. By developing a flexible, modular robotic cell, we’ve dramatically reduced deployment times—from months to weeks—without compromising on performance or quality. Our collaboration with NWRC through the InterTradeIreland Innovation Boost programme has been instrumental in this success. The expertise provided by NWRC’s Industry 4.0 Centre, along with the leadership of our Innovation Boost Project Manager, Philip Clifford, enabled us to turn a complex concept into a market-ready solution. We’re now in a stronger position to compete across Ireland, the UK, and Europe with a product that meets the growing demand for rapid, cost-effective automation.”
Joanne Deighan, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Manager at InterTradeIreland, said: "This successful collaboration between Contax Automation and NWRC epitomises the benefits of InterTradeIreland's Innovation Boost programme, and how it connects academia and industry across the island to develop innovative, real-world solutions that increase efficiency and performance.
"Innovation is a key driver of economic growth, and through Innovation Boost, businesses across the island can avail of funding and support to help develop or improve products or services that are tailored to market needs.
“If you are an SME that wants to integrate innovative products, services or processes into your business, apply today on the InterTradeIreland website.”
For more information about Contax Production Automation visit https://contaxautomation.ie/ and for further details on how the BSC can help your business email businesssupport@nwrc.ac.uk or to find out more about the Innovation Boost programme see https://intertradeireland.com/innovation/innovation-boost
