Understanding Downtime in Manufacturing: What it really means
In manufacturing, the term downtime refers to any period when production is stopped or operating below optimum capacity. Downtime falls into two broad categories: planned (for maintenance, upgrades, changeovers) and unplanned(equipment failure, operator error, supply chain disruption, control system fault).
While planned downtime can be accounted for, unplanned downtime is almost always disruptive, unexpected and expensive.
For many UK manufacturers, this means entire production lines, shifts or facilities being idle — not just for minutes, but hours. And when you factor in lost output, labour still on site, energy consumption, scrap or failed batches, and the ripple effect through the supply chain, it’s easy to see why this is a top operational risk.
How much does downtime cost in the UK?
For UK manufacturers, the stakes are especially high. In 2025 alone, unplanned downtime is projected to cost the UK manufacturing sector over £80 billion, a staggering figure that underscores the urgency of addressing this issue head-on.
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A recent UK survey found that unplanned downtime can average £1.36 million per hour in affected manufacturing operations.
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For the automotive sector (UK / Europe combined), each hour of downtime is estimated at £1.6 – £2.0 million.
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In the food-processing sector, while the cost per hour is lower, the frequency of disruption means significant annual losses — around £18,000 – £25,000 per hour.
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For highly regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, each hour of downtime can run £1 million to £5 million in the UK.
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Some smaller manufacturers report costs of downtime ranging from £1,700 to £7,500 per hour, depending on machine complexity and value.
To illustrate: if a packaging line (typical cost ~£10k-£30k per hour) stops for 2 hours during a high-demand period (say just before a holiday rollout), the cost could be £20k-£60k — and that’s before you count the knock-on effect of missed deliveries and customer dissatisfaction.
In contrast, a major automotive plant could lose £3 million to £4 million in just a couple of hours of stoppage.
If you manage refurbished industrial automation components (as you do at Hasuka Automation), this data is powerful for helping customers understand the ROI of investing in reliability, spare parts and refurbishment.
Typical causes of unplanned manufacturing downtime
Here’s a breakdown of frequent root-causes that you’ll help your customers identify and address:
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Equipment / machine failure – Ageing components, worn-out actuators, lacking maintenance.
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Control system malfunction – PLC/HMI faults, sensor failure, network/OT issues.
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Operator error / changeover delays – Incorrect setup, insufficient training, manual hand-over.
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Supply chain or logistics interruption – Missing part, material shortage, inbound delay.
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Power/utility issues or environmental constraints – Cooling failure, compressed air loss, CO₂ shortage (especially in food processing).
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Poor spare-parts availability – Especially where OEM no longer supports the machine.
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Legacy systems / obsolescence – Older machinery that’s harder to service, harder to integrate.
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Maintenance strategy gaps – Reactive rather than predictive or preventive.
Why is downtime so expensive?
As one helpful guide put it: many companies cannot calculate the true cost of downtime — though the cost might be £24,000 per hour and an investment to save 10 minutes of downtime could pay back in 25 days.
Several factors drive the high cost of downtime:
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Lost production / missed output – When the line stops, every minute is revenue lost.
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Labour still on site – Workers are paid for idle time or overtime may be needed later.
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Energy & utilities – Some equipment still consumes power; shutdown/start-up is costly.
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Scrap & rejects – Stoppages often lead to defective batches, wasted materials, lost yield.
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Restart / recovery time – Many lines don’t instantly resume full speed; there’s ramp-up time.
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Supply chain / customer commitments – Late deliveries may lead to penalties, lost contracts or reputational damage.
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Obsolete or incompatible parts – If the failure is due to a component no longer supported, delay multiplies cost.
Increasingly, cybersecurity threats such as ransomware attacks and vulnerabilities in operational technology systems are causing unexpected halts.
Reducing downtime: Proven strategies for UK manufacturers
Here are actionable tactics that align with Hasuka Automation’s capability in refurbishment, components and support.
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1. Adopt a Reliable Spare-Parts Strategy
Keeping critical components — such as actuators, sensors, pneumatics, and refurbished automation modules — in stock reduces downtime when a failure occurs.
Explore our full range of tested, high-quality components in the Refurbished Parts Collection to help your line recover faster.
2. Preventive and Predictive Maintenance
Encourage customers to move from “fix when broken” to condition-based monitoring, data-driven maintenance, and digital performance logs.
According to industry research, proactive maintenance is key to reducing the £80 billion-plus annual cost of downtime in UK manufacturing.
For more insights, see our Maintenance and Reliability Support Services — helping manufacturers extend equipment life and improve uptime.3. Training and Operator Involvement
Equip operators and maintenance staff to recognise early-warning signs such as vibration, temperature anomalies, or setup drift.
At Hasuka Automation, we can help integrate these practices into your existing maintenance plan through our Engineering Support Solutions.
Changeovers should be treated as planned events — not reactive fixes.
4. Upgrade or Retrofit Rather Than Full Replacement
When machines are ageing, refurbishment or using compatible refurbished components can extend their lifespan, boost reliability, and reduce downtime risk.
5. Rapid Fault Diagnosis and Support
The faster the root cause is identified, the sooner production resumes.
Hasuka Automation offers both on-site and remote diagnostic support for automation components and control systems.
6. Plan for Changeovers, Not Just Breakdowns
Many stoppages happen because changeovers are inefficient.
Apply lean principles, better tooling, and schedule downtime during low-demand periods to keep productivity consistent.7. Measure and Benchmark Downtime Costs
Help customers quantify their true cost per hour of downtime so they can justify investments in reliability and spare-parts readiness.
Downtime is no longer just a maintenance issue—it's a strategic business risk. With the right tools and mindset, manufacturers can shift from reactive firefighting to proactive resilience. From thousands of pounds per hour in some sectors to millions in others, the UK data makes clear: reliability is a business-critical function