Embedism was founded in 2019 by Chay Strawbridge and Nathan Ruttley to support hardware and physical product businesses through the entire product development lifecycle.
The business brings together a range of engineering disciplines under one roof, including product design, electronics, firmware and manufacturing.
Originally established as a product design consultancy, Embedism expanded into micro-manufacturing in 2024, producing small batches of products for clients ranging from children’s toys and electronic control equipment to sports equipment for elite athletes.
The aim was to bridge the gap between product design and mass manufacturing, providing clients with the expertise and support they need to turn ideas into physical products.
But as the manufacturing side of the business grew, so did the complexity of managing it.
Embedism’s small-batch manufacturing model creates a high-mix production environment, with different products requiring different processes, skills and quality controls.
The team was increasingly managing complex assembly work, with some products requiring significant training and demanding quality control requirements. Keeping track of resources, work in progress and quality checks across multiple production lines was becoming increasingly difficult.
The challenge was not simply producing the products. Embedism needed greater visibility of what was happening across its manufacturing operation and a way to bring that information together.
“The big realisation that we needed support from Made Smarter was really that we needed to have visibility of what the production status is across multiple different lines all at the same time, to have all that data in one place.”
Embedism joined the Made Smarter London programme and worked with a Technology Adoption Specialist on a digital roadmapping session.
The specialist spent time understanding the business before identifying opportunities to improve its manufacturing processes. For Nathan, the depth of insight was particularly valuable.
“I was so surprised that he came with this real deep understanding of what it was that we were trying to do. It wasn't cookie cutter. He understood what the challenges were for us and spotted some new ones, as well as opportunities where we could focus our efforts and make a significant difference.”
The business also used grant funding to replace a legacy laser cutter with a more modern, internet-connected machine with remote monitoring capabilities. It also invested in a laser scanning tool, helping the team validate finished products against CAD designs, particularly where manual work was involved.
Alongside the technology investment, members of the team took part in leadership and AI-focused courses through Brunel University of London and King's Business School, giving them the opportunity to consider the business from wider operational, financial and marketing perspectives.
The impact of the programme has been both practical and commercial.
Before joining Made Smarter, manufacturing accounted for around 20% of Embedism’s revenue. Within nine months to a year, that had increased to around 30%, while its largest client had shifted from the design side of the business to a purely manufacturing client.
For Embedism, this diversification is an important step towards building a more resilient business, with an ambition to eventually achieve an even balance between design and manufacturing.
The programme has also changed the way the team thinks about data and digital technology.
Rather than collecting data for its own sake, Embedism is identifying the points in its processes where information can provide genuine value, such as highlighting potential quality issues early. Bringing this information into dashboards has given the team greater visibility of production.
It has also helped create a greater sense of achievement among the manufacturing team, while giving those directly involved in assembly a stronger voice in improving production processes.
For Embedism, the most significant long-term benefit may not be a particular piece of equipment or software, but a change in mindset.
“It’s that change in the way of thinking, which I think is really going to be the long-term benefit for the business. Thinking about things in the more systems-led and digital-first way.”
The business is now looking at bringing more sub-component manufacturing in-house. This would simplify parts of its supply chain while allowing Embedism to capture more of the value created through manufacturing.
For Nathan, the combination of funding, expert advice and an independent perspective has been particularly valuable.
“Getting the unbiased view of an expert who has seen many other manufacturing firms and how they operate is invaluable.”
With greater visibility across its operations and a more structured approach to digital transformation, Embedism is building the systems and capabilities it needs to continue growing its manufacturing operation while becoming a more resilient and diverse business.
