{"id":25489,"date":"2025-11-13T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=25489"},"modified":"2025-11-11T14:21:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:21:16","slug":"this-small-business-is-forged-for-the-future-with-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/this-small-business-is-forged-for-the-future-with-ai\/","title":{"rendered":"This small business is forged for the future with AI"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/growth-customers\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Growth &amp; Customers<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThis small business is forged for the future with AI\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-11-13T09:00:00+00:00\">13 November, 2025<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"This small business is forged for the future with AI\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/this-small-business-is-forged-for-the-future-with-ai\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/jasminedine\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/09\/Jasmine-Dine-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Jasmine Dine\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/09\/Jasmine-Dine-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/09\/Jasmine-Dine.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Jasmine Dine<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Watsons Anodising has been giving metal its strength and shine since 1957.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Guided by steady hands and a craftsman\u2019s patience, Watsons takes plain sheets of metal and make them more resilient, so they don\u2019t rust or wear away. Then they add the extra details that give metal meaning: words, numbers, logos, and shapes, all formed with exacting care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The results travel far. Some become signs in public places, helping local walkers find their way through Sheffield\u2019s hidden river paths. Others find their place on machines in busy factories, where clear markings keep people safe at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The business stretches across three buildings in Barnsley\u2014part laboratory, part workshop, part factory\u2014where durability and detail are etched into every plate and panel that passes through with pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the decades, more tools have gathered around the heart of the workshop: one to ink, one to etch, one to carve and cut, while another joins pieces with bright sparks of welding light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For all its machinery, the heart of Watsons\u2019 work is still alive with the touch of its makers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neil Leach has watched Watsons widen its world: \u201cI\u2019ve been here 33 years now,\u201d he reflects. \u201cI started as a packer.\u201d From the darkroom to the office, he climbed every rung until the day came when ownership was offered to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To go from the factory floor to owning the business is the kind of rise that gives every working dream a heartbeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was sleepless nights at first,\u201d he says with a smile. \u201cBut I love what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That love met fresh ambition when he teamed up with Gareth Pedley. Gareth had joined from an accounting background\u2014but quickly fell for the place. He tells us how empowered he felt stepping into ownership: \u201cI got free rein to get my hands dirty, to change things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-does-it-take-to-modernise-a-legacy-manufacturer\" data-level=\"2\">What does it take to modernise a legacy manufacturer?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-does-early-ai-experimentation-help-entrepreneurs-prepare-for-the-future\" data-level=\"2\">How does early AI experimentation help entrepreneurs prepare for the future?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-watsons-anodising-keeps-its-edge\" data-level=\"2\">How Watsons Anodising keeps its edge<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-best-technology-keeps-the-human-touch\" data-level=\"2\">The best technology keeps the human touch<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"video-container-wrap -mode-full\"><div class=\"video-container\"><video\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sage-video video-js vjs-default-skin \"\n\t\t\t\twidth=\"640\"\n\t\t\t\theight=\"360\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-setup='{ \"controls\": true, \"aspectRatio\" : \"16:9\", \"poster\": \"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/XlSXuaRhggc\/maxresdefault.jpg\", \"techOrder\": [\"youtube\"], \"enablejsapi\": 1, \"origin\": \"https:\/\/www.sage.com\", \"sources\": [{ \"type\": \"video\/youtube\", \"src\": \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XlSXuaRhggc\"}], \"youtube\": { \"ytControls\": 0, \"cc_load_policy\": 3, \"modestbranding\": 1, \"hl\": \"en_GB\", \"playsinline\": 1 } }'\n\t\t\t\tcrossorigin=\"\"><\/video><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-does-it-take-to-modernise-a-legacy-manufacturer\"><strong>What does it take to modernise a legacy manufacturer?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Neil and Gareth became the new co-owners in 2024, taking on the company\u2019s legacy with equal parts reverence and restless energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They plan on moving into bigger premises, adding newer equipment, and winning larger contracts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Watsons is a business of positive paradoxes: old equipment kept alive through careful maintenance meets a hunger for the latest kit. Chemical baths that date back to industrial tradition, next to digital printers that place high-res logos on metal in seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like the metals they treat, Watsons has been toughened by pressure. A legacy business, recharged with new blood. Leaders who mix decades of experience with the hungry drive of a new generation. Proof that craft can survive change\u2014and even be remade by it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That same outlook shapes how they see technology. Where some see AI as disruption, Watsons see it as evolution\u2014another tool in a long line they love, built to make good work even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-early-ai-experimentation-help-entrepreneurs-prepare-for-the-future\"><strong>How does early AI experimentation help entrepreneurs prepare for the future?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gareth lights up when he talks about it. \u201cI became an early adopter of Sage Copilot because I love utilising tools and being a beta tester for new processes. Getting those quicker helps you get ahead of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Curiosity is part of the company\u2019s DNA\u2014from experimenting with new finishes to fine-tuning process flow\u2014and that same curiosity extends to other kinds of tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhenever there\u2019s a new Sage Copilot feature, I\u2019m all over it,\u201d Gareth tells us. \u201cWhat excites me is how this AI will keep developing\u2014I\u2019ve already seen the new things Sage has introduced over time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gareth and Neil enjoy experimenting. Like many small business owners, they\u2019ve never stopped asking how things work, and how they could work better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-hidden-power-of-small-automations\"><strong>The hidden power of small automations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSage Copilot increases my workflow productivity,\u201d Gareth continues with enthusiasm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI can pull up insights for my purchase invoices and instantly see what\u2019s due in the next seven days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A quiet adjustment with a big ripple, creating what every business owner craves: free time, the most elusive resource of all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The repetitive admin that used to break up a day in boredom now happens almost invisibly in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou upload them onto the system,\u201d Gareth says. \u201cIt\u2019ll look at the supplier, match it to your system, fill in the amount, date, net and VAT, and keep that copy of the invoice. Then you can just quickly check and submit\u2014which is brilliant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s seen how these little automations can build trust in the process and the confidence to let things run without you for a moment, so you can finally breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-happens-when-your-to-do-list-starts-doing-itself\"><strong>What happens when your to-do list starts doing itself<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The noise of chasing payments fades, leaving space for clearer thinking\u2014and bigger ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Sage Copilot payment reminder system sends out a reminder when each invoice is overdue,\u201d he says, relieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou can also set a second reminder, and then just leave it to do its thing in the background. You\u2019ll get a notification saying, \u2018Three reminders sent today\u2019\u2014so you can keep an eye on it as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s automation that works in rhythm with you. Automation that keeps things flowing, so you can focus on leading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Gareth and Neil, the priority isn\u2019t racing ahead, but moving forward with purpose, and saving time always helps with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve learned that you can\u2019t rush quality,\u201d Neil says. \u201cBut you also can\u2019t stand still. The trick is to move forward without losing what makes you good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-watsons-anodising-keeps-its-edge\"><strong>How Watsons Anodising keeps its edge<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Running a manufacturing firm today means constant adjustment\u2014to markets, prices, and people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou have to stay calm under pressure,\u201d Gareth says. It\u2019s how you keep adapting. \u201cIf your team see you adapt, they believe they can too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That sense of balanced leadership\u2014meeting the future with intrigue, not fear\u2014is what keeps the business calm when conditions aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In an industry built on precision, calm is a competitive edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re building on what\u2019s been done before us,\u201d Neil says. \u201cThat\u2019s the motivation\u2014to hand over something even stronger.\u201d It\u2019s a legacy built not just in metal, but in mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-steady-change-creates-sustainable-success\"><strong>Steady change creates sustainable success<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If there\u2019s one thing they\u2019ve learned, it\u2019s that small shifts stack up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou don\u2019t have to overhaul everything overnight,\u201d Gareth reminds us. \u201cYou just need to keep looking for better ways\u2014one process, one person, one idea at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It seems that the idea that incremental progress becomes lasting performance applies to just about everything in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an innovation story every growing business can relate to\u2014no single grand overhaul, but a series of smart shifts that compound into significance. Watsons Anodising may have started in a single workshop in 1957, but it\u2019s this same willingness to test, tweak, and adopt early that keeps them ticking today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Neil and Gareth, it\u2019s about refining, rather than replacing, what works. They see themselves as custodial caretakers of an ancient art and mentors to a new generation, keeping an old trade alive in a fast-moving world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-people-keep-progress-human\"><strong>People keep progress human<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask either of them what makes it worth it, and they\u2019ll tell you about the people. \u201cIt\u2019s seeing the lads on the shop floor proud of what they\u2019ve made,\u201d Neil beams. \u201cThat\u2019s what keeps you going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For all the talk of innovation and AI, it\u2019s still those everyday wins\u2014the shared satisfaction of success\u2014that make a business feel alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The patience and precision that make this crew good at working with metal also make them thoughtful about how they use other tools\u2014and they\u2019re using Sage Copilot insights to work smarter, faster, and with more freedom to focus on what matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s proof that tradition and technology don\u2019t compete. In the right hands, they collaborate\u2014one strengthening the other, just as Watsons Anodising has always done in the workshop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-best-technology-keeps-the-human-touch\"><strong>The best technology keeps the human touch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the industry ebbs and flows<ins>, <\/ins><del>&nbsp;\u2014 <\/del>with energy bills spiking, metal prices doubling, margins tightening<ins>, <\/ins><del>&nbsp;\u2014 <\/del>these leaders stay composed. They\u2019re a formidable firm with fingerprints everywhere<del> <\/del>\u2014<del> <\/del>on systems, structures, and everyday things built to last. Chances are, you\u2019ve walked past their work more times than you know.Top of Form<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AI will keep reshaping how businesses run, but these leaders don\u2019t flinch from it. They see it as the next evolution of the same skill Watsons Anodising has always practised<del> <\/del>\u2014<del> <\/del>using new tools to make their work stronger, smarter, and built to last.Bottom of Form<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Sage Copilot, they have more resources at the ready to create with. They\u2019re proving that the best technology doesn\u2019t remove the human touch; it amplifies it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Sage Copilot. Your dedicated\u00a0AI-powered\u00a0productivity assistant<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Step into a new business era with Sage Copilot, built on over 40 years of experience supporting British businesses like yours. Get work done faster with real insights, fewer errors and less admin.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-copilot\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tid=\"cta-id-23995\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-button-location=\"cta_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Explore Sage Copilot<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/08\/sage-copilot-CTA-high-res.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Man laughing while discussing Sage Copilot\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/08\/sage-copilot-CTA-high-res.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What happens when ancient craft meets AI? At Watsons Anodising\u2014a 67-year-old Barnsley manufacturer\u2014human experience and machine intelligence combine to future-proof a small UK business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1880,"featured_media":25502,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,11],"tags":[672],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[671,109],"coauthors":[674],"class_list":["post-25489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","category-technology-innovation","tag-customer-stories","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Jasmine Dine","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/10\/Untitled-design-6-w.jpg","imagine_tags":{"671":"Customer Stories","109":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1880"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25489"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25489\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/25502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25489"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=25489"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=25489"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=25489"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=25489"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=25489"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=25489"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=25489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}