New research* from IDS-INDATA ( https://idsindata.co.uk/ ) shows the staggering financial and operational impact of unplanned manufacturing downtime across the UK and EU. In fact, in 2025, UK and European manufacturers will lose more than £80 billion due to downtime.
The findings highlight the urgent need for industries to adopt predictive maintenance and digital transformation strategies to combat ageing infrastructure, cyber vulnerabilities and supply chain disruption.
A multi-billion pound crisis unplanned downtime costs industries billions annually, with some sectors facing high losses. IDS-INDATA’s research reveals that aging machinery, outdated operational technology (OT), and cyber threats are among the top contributors to downtime.
The Automotive industry alone could see projected losses of up to ÂŁ12 billion in 2025, while the highly regulated Pharmaceutical industry faces between ÂŁ500 million and ÂŁ1 billion in losses due to extended shutdowns.
“Manufacturers are grappling with aging infrastructure that not only leads to mechanical failures but also increases vulnerability to cyber attacks,” said Ryan Cooke, Chief Information Security Officer at IDS-INDATA. “Without a proactive approach to predictive maintenance and digital resilience, these disruptions will continue to escalate.”Â
What’s driving downtime across key sectors? The study highlights industry-specific challenges exacerbating downtime:
- Aging machinery & infrastructure: Sectors such as Food Processing, Textiles, and Packaging rely on legacy equipment prone to mechanical failures, hygiene risks, and inefficiency.
- Cybersecurity risks: Highlight integrated industries like Automotive and Electronics depend on just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing and interconnected systems, making them prime targets for cyber threats and supply chain crises.
- Regulatory & compliance bottlenecks: Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals face extended shutdowns due to stringent safety and compliance protocols, which often delay restarts.
- Labour shortages & skill gaps: Across all sectors, workforce shortages contribute to slower response times for maintenance and issue resolution.
Sector breakdown: The true cost of downtime: IDS-INDATA’S research identifies the scale of disruption by sector:
Manufacturing Downtime Analysis by SectorÂ
| Sector | Average downtime frequency | Average duration per incident | Cost per hour of downtime | Total projected downtime cost (2025) | Peak downtime periods | Why is the sector vulnerable? |
| Automotive | 20–25 incidents/month | 3–4 hours | £1.6M–£2M | £10–12 billion (UK/EU) | August (retooling), supply chain crises | Highly integrated, JIT, cyberattack risk |
| Food Processing | Multiple minor stoppages/week (~442 hrs/year) | 1–3 hours | £18k–£25k | £4–5 billion (UK) | Year-end, pre-holiday, CO₂ supply events | Machinery age, hygiene sensitivity, supply delays |
| Heavy Equipment | ~23 hrs/month (2–3 major events/year) | 5+ hours | £150k–£300k | £50–60 billion (EU-wide) | Summer shutdowns, energy crises | Energy-intensive, long restart time, legacy OT |
| Pharmaceutical | ~225–400 hrs/year | 8+ hours | £1M–£5M | £500M–£1B (UK) | December holidays, quality issues | High regulation, batch loss risk, validation downtime |
| Chemicals | ~400–600 hrs/year (continuous process lines) | 4–8 hours (can be longer for reactors) | £250k–£1M | £8–10 billion (EU) | Planned maintenance in summer, winter freeze risk | 24/7 process, strict controls, explosive potential |
| Electronics | Frequent minor stops; highly sensitive cleanrooms | 1–4 hours (some incidents longer due to cleanroom reset) | £100k–£500k | £6–8 billion (EU) | Q4 demand rush, cleanroom maintenance cycles | Precision-dependent, small faults = full stoppage |
| Textiles | ~180–300 hrs/year (dependent on automation) | 1–2 hours | £10k–£50k | £2–3 billion (UK/EU) | End-of-season shifts, equipment changeovers | Often, older systems, cost-driven maintenance |
| Aerospace | Few major events/year (highly controlled lines) | 4–6 hours (some downtime includes inspection delays) | £250k–£1M | £2–4 billion (UK) | Q1/Q3 audits, long-lead maintenance windows | Complex QA, long value chains, compliance bottlenecks |
| Packaging | High frequency; short disruptions weekly | 30 mins – 2 hours | £10k–£30k | £3–5 billion (UK) | Pre-holiday surges, year-end planned overhauls | High throughput, quick-fail systems, margin pressure |
Sector Comparisons: Who’s Suffering the Most?
- Automotive vs. Electronics: While Automotive manufacturers see the highest frequency of downtime (20–25 incidents per month), Electronics firms are extremely vulnerable due to precision-dependent processes, where even minor faults can lead to full production stoppages.
- Food Processing vs. Pharmaceuticals: Food manufacturers experience multiple minor stoppages weekly, resulting in around 442 hours of downtime annually. In contrast, Pharmaceutical companies suffer fewer but longer-lasting outages (225–400 hours per year), with each incident significantly costlier.
- Chemicals vs. Aerospace: Continuous processing in the Chemicals sector results in high downtime figures (400–600 hours annually), whereas Aerospace, with its highly controlled production lines, faces fewer major events but significant delays due to compliance bottlenecks and long-lead maintenance windows.
Expert Insight from IDS-INDATA
IDS-INDATA’s findings clarify that manufacturers must act now to mitigate downtime risks. The company advocate for AI-driven predictive maintenance solutions, real-time monitoring, and data analytics to enhance resilience.
Regarding the findings, Â Ryan Cooke, Chief Information Security Officer at IDS-INDATA, adds:
“These figures highlight the critical need for manufacturers to invest in predictive maintenance and digital resilience. Downtime is not just an inconvenience – it’s a multi-billion-pound problem impacting supply chains, production efficiency, and profitability.Â
Sectors that rely on highly integrated systems, such as Automotive and Pharmaceuticals, must prioritise real-time monitoring and contingency planning to mitigate these costly disruptions.
By embracing digital transformation, manufacturers can anticipate failures before they happen, protect against cyber threats, and ensure operational efficiency.”Â
