Looking forward: Building readiness, resilience and security into the UK’s critical infrastructure industries

Across the UK, we rely heavily on a host of critical industries for our health, livelihoods and security. The systems behind these industries — whether communications, water, food, transportation, emergency services, defence, or energy — are complex, often overlapping with each other, and facing rapidly growing demand and ever-evolving vulnerabilities.

We recently spoke with two members of the Actemium UK team based in Hampshire who have been supporting clients in the Water and Airport industries for many years: Donald Wibberley, Business Unit General Manager, and Ian Moyles, Senior Project Manager. Here they share their thoughts about the unique problems facing these industries and the ways Actemium is helping them to remain ready, resilient and secure.

The work your Actemium UK team does in Hampshire primarily centres around two critical industries: water and airports. These are two industries that have been in the news already this year. How vulnerable are they, do you think?

Ian Moyles (Senior Project Manager, Actemium Automation): This year we’ve seen how a fire at an electrical substation can not only leave thousands of homes without power, but can bring an airport to a standstill. It shows how one critical system impacts another — in this case power impacting transportation. And within each of those systems are numerous others. When an airport goes without power, numerous systems need to be restarted … everything from escalators to flight control systems. These are part of complex, highly integrated systems.

Donald Wibberley (Business Unit General Manager, Actemium Automation): In the water industry, the UK continues to deal with outcomes of an aging infrastructure and with security of supply. We read about increased rainfall that overwhelms storm drains. We witness urban growth over systems originally designed for rural use.

Ultimately, these are all industries that have significant social, environmental, safety, and economic impacts when they go down or don’t work, even if only for a short time.

What role does a company such as Actemium play in critical industries?

Donald: Behind all of these industries are control systems managing and monitoring everything. Across our company, we develop SCADA systems and other integrated control systems that assist in managing water systems and distribution, power grids, and transport systems. We cover the whole lifecycle of those types of projects. We consult with clients to determine their unique needs and help them solve problems. We then design, build, install, and commission these systems, and even train and maintain.

Ian: In the airport sector, for example, we’re working on a project to upgrade existing fuel systems to meet new regulatory requirements that will keep them compatible with other systems and cyber security needs.

Donald: We also help our customers build resilience and redundancy. They need the ability to swap systems around in case there are issues. In the wastewater industry, for example, we’re helping them build increased capacity into existing systems to avoid spillage into rivers — making the best use of what’s there as long as possible.

You mentioned helping to solve unique problems. What are the major challenges facing the two industry sectors your team supports?

Donald: In the water sector it comes down to a lack of money for investment over many years that is now catching up. The industry is dealing with systems that have been around for years. These have had to be adapted to keep pace with not only a growing population, but climate change, technological improvements, safety improvements, and all the related regulations. Often, assets are very old and being stretch to the literal breaking point, which is why we see overflows into the sea or rivers.

Such a massive amount of money is needed to bring everything up to the best it can be that it can’t simply be passed on to the end consumer — the government won’t allow such massive rate increases.

The needed investment is controlled by what are called AMPs — Asset Management Periods. These are five-year regulatory cycles set by the economic regulator for the industry, Ofwat. During these periods, the water companies are required to meet investment and performance targets.

So, water companies find themselves in a Catch-22: trying to keep what they have running, with rates negotiated with the government. Sometimes, as we’re seeing, this means it is taking a lot of plasters to keep the system going.

Ian: With airports, the challenge is infrastructure comprised of legacy systems and the needed investment in maintenance and upgrades, while attempting to meet new legislation. Here the issue isn’t as much about finding the needed investment, but about finding windows in which to complete the upgrades and to integrate the various systems involved. These are operations that run 24/7. We’ve all witnessed the immediate outcry when planes have to be delayed for safety reasons, let alone for upgrades to systems.

In our role on client projects, we have to find ways to organise shutdowns and downtime in the most minimally intrusive way. Sometimes that means we can only do our work in the winter or overnight, for example.

And, of course, security is a challenge, as are meeting the various government directives around protecting data and protecting assets from hacking. Definitely, all the designs we create have security considerations, which has been an area of growth over the last few years. These control systems are increasingly reliant on interconnected, digital technologies that must be safeguarded. But you are constantly dealing with hackers being able to get around the last fix, and so constant upgrades need to be scheduled in. These upgrades take time away from doing the other infrastructure work that is needed.

How do you deal with these challenges within the water projects you take on?

Donald: With the 5-year AMP cycles, the problem we have to deal with is the time we actually get to complete the work. Often projects don’t get off the ground for the first year and a half. Most of the work we need to do gets compressed into the back end of the cycle.

We try to work with our clients as much and as soon as possible at the planning stations in order to get the work started. But, that said, we know that even the best laid plans can be impacted, and so we put in the time and energy needed to get the work done on time, despite constricting timelines.

Are you feeling any impacts from recent geopolitical events, such as tariffs?

Donald: We are seeing some projects delayed while decisions get re-assessed. Companies set their project budgets last year, and now are thinking they may have to take on a project with less money because the capital is no longer there.

Because we have close relationships with our partners, if we become aware of price changes or technology changes, we pass that information on to our customers quickly so they can more efficiently re-assess their plans. We try to keep them ahead of the rest of the pack so they can make advance purchases of needed supplies, expertise, etc.

For one customer, we helped stockpile over £500k worth of much-needed kit over the past couple of years, so they would be able to meet their need at their planned budget.

We also know the value of having solutions that are flexible and modularised, and have the ability to integrate with each other more easily than they ever have in the past. We bring that expertise to the table.

You’ve mentioned legacy systems needing upgrades. Are you seeing gaps in the skills needed to complete that work?

Ian: From the supplier end, we are seeing a lack of system engineers. It’s an aging community that we see retiring, with fewer new people coming in to replace them.

Donald: That’s a general trend in engineering. Younger people are more attracted to the gaming industry for software development. So, it’s a different type of engineering these days.

Ian: The technology is changing as well. Some companies are looking to move towards platforms that are more universal. By having more universal platforms, we can then attract students with a gaming or artistic background who can programme in a similar language used in the automation world.

Donald: We’re also looking at AI, which is changing the world of engineering again, and is going to change the type of people we recruit. But we are in a bridge period between the need to understand old technologies, styles and systems, and the new systems and opportunities that are percolating away.

Are you actively pursuing AI as a tool in the work you are doing?

Donald: We are using it for the development of descriptive text and modular code. For example, we may need a paragraph about how a pump system works, and AI can help to make a clear, understandable description. And we’re also using it to develop modular bits of code we need to run a device, for example. You can then string these modular blocks of code together.

But we understand that we have to train the next generation to be able to put these blocks together. So, they’ve got to start with the basics. When they go to commission a project, they have to have a thorough understanding of how it all works and be able to spot the errors.

Ian: We’re ensuring that new grads get hands-on experience. They need to have actionable intelligence, with strong critical thinking skills.

How are you building your team for the future to ensure you can continue to meet your customers’ needs?

Donald: We have a commitment to have about 10% of our workforce be junior engineers with less than two years experience, and another 5% with less than 5 years experience. Senior engineers train and mentor junior engineers, but still need time to complete projects successfully. It’s a fine, delicate balance, but we are making it work.

We’ve been working in the water and airport industries for about 25 years now. With our airport clients, our expertise has been particularly focussed on meeting their oil & gas storage and distribution needs. We’ve got a good reputation in both industries as being solid, reliable providers. We’ve built strong, trusting relationships with our customers, which is the backbone of ensuring the success of a project.

Ian: It is about the people and the fact that we have the backing of a global company, and that extended expertise in areas that are growing in importance, such as cyber security and sustainability.

Donald: Personally, I am motivated to get involved in projects where I feel the work is benefitting society, whether that’s ensuring the rivers don’t overflow, or there is fresh water available to drink, or people can get to where they need to be safely. That’s what makes working in this industry so fulfilling, and we want to encourage young people with similar motivation to join us.

Want to hear more about our capabilities, or discuss a potential project? Get in touch with us at reachout@actemium.co.uk.