Industrialized construction: automation and traceability are gaining ground in the face of skills shortages

Producing more with less skilled staff, multiplying product variants and providing actionable information throughout the building's lifecycle: manufacturers of materials and equipment must simultaneously respond to several transformations in the construction sector.

Line automation, vision control, industrial equipment connectivity, and 2D code identification can provide part of the solution. These tools aim to reduce errors, improve traceability, and reserve human intervention for operations requiring expertise, arbitration, or adaptation.

A persistent skills shortage in the United Kingdom

The shortage of skilled labor is affecting both construction and manufacturing. The situation is exacerbated by the gradual departure of experienced employees, with the risk of losing technical knowledge accumulated over several decades.

In the UK, more than 140.000 construction jobs are currently vacant, according to Places for People. The organization also estimates that more than a third of workers in the sector could retire by 2035.

The Construction Industry Training Board predicts that the English sector will need to recruit an additional 36.340 workers per year between 2026 and 2030 to meet the expected growth in activity, i.e. more than 181.700 people over five years.

Manufacturers face similar challenges. A survey conducted between June and July 2024 by The Manufacturer, in partnership with Barclays Corporate Banking, indicates that 97,5% of manufacturers surveyed consider the recruitment and retention of skilled employees to be a key factor in their growth. For 75% of respondents, the skills shortage is even the primary obstacle to business development.

This study shows, however, that automation is not the sole solution. While 44% of respondents believe that the skills shortage has accelerated their transition to smarter production, 47% do not see this effect. Furthermore, the deployment of new technologies requires training employees in their use.

Automating production changeovers and quality control

Construction product manufacturers no longer work solely on long, standardized production runs. Plasterboard, cement, aggregates, and other materials are now offered in multiple variations, with shorter production runs and more frequent changes in product references.

In this context, automated marking and coding systems can leverage production data to select the appropriate reference, limit manual inputs and reduce errors during batch changes.

The addition of automated inspection devices allows for monitoring product conformity throughout the manufacturing process. A vision system can, for example, verify the presence and legibility of a marking, detect a defect, alert an operator, or reject a non-conforming part.

These systems do not replace human analysis when a situation requires a diagnosis or decision. However, they do allow for the automated processing of repetitive checks and faster reporting of anomalies that could lead to rejects or production line interruptions.

Connecting production to management systems

The effectiveness of automation also depends on the flow of data between different pieces of equipment. The use of open standards can facilitate exchanges between production lines, coding systems, inspection tools, and the company's integrated management software, commonly referred to as ERP.

Manufacturing orders, part number changes, and quality control checks can thus be coordinated within a single workflow, with fewer manual interventions. Centralized dashboards then allow for performance monitoring, bottleneck identification, and analysis of the causes of downtime or non-conformity.

For construction companies and installers, this organization can result in more consistent quality, better visibility on product availability, and greater predictability of deliveries.

The European regulation strengthens the digitization of product information

Traceability is also becoming a regulatory issue. European Regulation 2024/3110 on construction products, which is gradually replacing the old Regulation 305/2011, provides for the implementation of a digital passport system for construction products.

This framework aims to make information on product performance, compliance, safety, and environmental characteristics accessible in a structured format. Its implementation will be phased in according to the schedule and implementing measures outlined in the European legislation.

2D codes associated with identification standards such as GS1 Digital Link can serve as an access point to this data. They do not constitute the digital passport on their own and are not mandated as the sole solution by the regulation, but they can help link a physical product to its digital information.

This continuity creates a "digital link" between the factory, the construction site, and the building's operation. A component can be associated with its characteristics, technical documents, location within the structure, and information gathered during its installation and testing.

Such traceability can facilitate checks, maintenance operations, and the preparation of final project documentation. It can also help less experienced teams access instructions, safety guidelines, and implementation procedures more easily.

Prefabrication requires precise identification of the components

Automation also supports the development of modular and prefabricated construction. Off-site manufacturing of components or complete modules allows for the transfer of some operations to controlled industrial environments.

This organizational structure can reduce the need for specialized labor on the construction site, improve the repeatability of operations, and shorten certain timeframes. However, it requires rigorous preparation, precise coordination between stakeholders, and constant monitoring of components.

In a pre-assembled module, an incorrect part, a misreferenced cable, or non-compliant equipment can affect the entire system. Therefore, each element must be identifiable and traceable to its final destination within the structure.

2D codes can support this organization by tracking components during their manufacturing, assembly, delivery, and installation. However, their effectiveness depends on the quality of the associated data and its interoperability between the various stakeholders.

A market projection included in the source document, but whose reference is not specified, estimates that the global modular construction market could approach $164 billion by 2030.

Capitalizing on know-how without devaluing the work

Beyond productivity, data from automated systems can help preserve operational knowledge. Recording settings, incidents, checks, and corrective actions allows for the formalization of practices previously transmitted primarily through experience.

This information can then be used to inform procedures, training materials, or decision-making tools. Artificial intelligence can also be used to analyze production data, identify recurring anomalies, or match project requirements with available product specifications.

However, this automation requires reliable, structured data based on shared standards. It also necessitates maintaining human oversight, particularly when the decision impacts compliance, safety, or the final quality of the work.