A roof tile manufacturer using artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up its operations has reported time savings on some processes by more than 50%.
Russell Roof Tiles has spent hundreds of hours over the past 12 months by using AI to develop tools to improve manufacturing processes, product quality and customer service across its two Burton upon Trent sites.
One element of month-end financial reporting, has been reduced to an approximately three-minute task, down from 60 to 90 minutes.
The technology also includes a digital quality monitoring system that has replaced paper-based checks, giving production teams and machine operators real-time visibility of performance.
It also allows operators to update stock figures as soon as a production run finishes, rather than waiting eight to 10 hours for the information to be entered manually.
The changes mean operators can make adjustments during their shifts, helping improve accuracy, reduce waste and minimise machinery downtime.
AI tools are also being used to search and analyse information held in the company’s enterprise resource planning system, helping staff identify priority orders and respond more quickly to customer queries about deliveries.
Chris Bailey, Group IT Director at Russell Roof Tiles, said the technology was helping teams work more efficiently and make faster decisions while maintaining product quality.
He said: “Our quality manufacturing will always depend on the knowledge and experience of our fantastic staff. We are demonstrating how AI can complement that expertise.”
Chris has been invited to speak about the company’s use of AI and its digital transformation at the SyteLine User Network’s 37th annual conference in New Orleans in March 2027.
The manufacturer has also recently supported a home renovation project for BBC television programme DIY SOS, donating 1,400 tiles and fittings to help complete a roof within a tight eight-day deadline.
Russell Roof Tiles supplied its Bute3 product for the transformation of a home in Preston, where a family was preparing to bring their teenage son home after almost three years in hospital following life-saving brain surgery.
The company worked with S Whelan Roofing and Building after the contractor’s previous supplier let it down shortly before the project.
Russell Roof Tiles said the Bute3 tile’s installation process helped the team complete the roof within the programme’s deadline, despite earlier complications.
The product combines three traditional plain tiles in a standard interlocking format. The company spent five years designing and developing it and says it can be installed 33 per cent faster than other small-format products with thinner leading edges.
Gordon McKinnon, Sales Executive for the North West, said: “We are delighted to have been a part of such an incredible project which has made a real difference for the family involved.”
