BARA (British Automation and Robot Association)

The British Automation and Robot Association, the UK trade body for robots and automation, run from Wallington in Surrey as part of Automate UK.

About BARA (British Automation and Robot Association)

BARA, the British Automation and Robot Association, is the UK's trade association for robots and automation in industry. It brings together robot makers and suppliers, businesses that use robots, system integrators who fit robots into factories, and universities. Its work includes a Robot Integrator Standard certification scheme for integrators and their staff, expert advice guides on robot types, programming and maintenance, subsidised training courses through Automate UK, a job listing service, events and a library of webinars. Its members' directory can be searched through the Machinery Finder.

BARA says it provides a voice for the robot and automation industries when dealing with government, industry, finance and academic bodies, and aims to promote industrial robots and automation in British industry and help develop them. It was founded in 1977 as the British Robot Association, was a founding member of the International Federation of Robotics in 1987 and took the name BARA in 1999. In 1981 it sponsored Automan, the UK's first automated manufacturing conference and exhibition, held in Brighton.

BARA is headquartered in Wallington, Surrey. In 2009 it joined what is now Automate UK, run by PPMA Limited, with an address at New Progress House, Stafford Road, Wallington. Automate UK has announced that BARA, the PPMA panel and the machine-vision body UKIVA are becoming committees and councils, with BARA becoming the Automate UK Robotics Council, so the name on the door may change. In 2023 and 2024 it helped host Automation UK exhibitions in Coventry.

BARA's council is made up of people from industry and education. Its chair is Oliver Selby, head of sales at FANUC UK, and its vice chair is Rosie Davies, managing director of Reeco Automation. Other members come from ABB Robotics UK and Ireland, KUKA Robotics UK and Ireland, SICK UK, RARUK Automation, the Manufacturing Technology Centre and Cranfield University. The council describes itself as leading from the front. We did not find named BARA staff, so most of the day-to-day work is likely done by the Automate UK team.

People who work for a trade body like this are mainly in membership, events, training, communications, standards and policy. The council shows the sort of careers the wider industry offers: sales, engineering, integration and teaching. If you like machines, factories and explaining technology to others, it is a way to see the whole robot industry from one place. The Automate UK site has the contact details and job listings.

What they do

• {'desc': 'A certification scheme for integrators and their employees, with a list of certified integrators.', 'title': 'Robot Integrator Standard'}
• {'desc': 'Expert guides on robots, plus subsidised technical and professional courses.', 'title': 'Advice and training'}
• {'desc': 'Events, webinars and a voice to government and academic bodies.', 'title': 'Events and voice for the industry'}

Key facts

• Founded 1977 as the British Robot Association; renamed BARA in 1999
• Part of Automate UK (PPMA Limited) since 2009, headquartered in Wallington, Surrey
• Chair Oliver Selby of FANUC UK; vice chair Rosie Davies of Reeco Automation
• Becoming the Automate UK Robotics Council

Website: www.automate-uk.com/our-associations/bara