At Automatica in Munich this week, automation buyers from across Europe will be able to see leading Danish robotics companies. The event, which expects 45,000 attendees, will serve as an opportunity for Danish automation to gain the approval of demanding German customers, according to the Danish robotics cluster.
Eight vendors are working on the export promotion at Automatica with the Odense Robotics cluster, the Innovation Centre Denmark, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Robotics and automation are among Denmark’s fastest-growing export industries, with a total exports surpassing €1.5 billion [$1.58 billion U.S.]—a figure expected to grow to close to €2 billion [$2.1 billion] by 2025,” stated Mikkel Christoffersen, CEO of Odense Robotics. “The reason why Danish robotic companies experience such strong exports is that they develop innovative solutions that customers simply can’t get from local suppliers.”
He added that the collaborative nature of Denmark's robotics sector is a key contributor to its product innovation and global competitiveness. Well-known Danish robotics providers include collaborative robot leader Universal Robots, mobile robot provider Mobile Industrial Robots, and gripper supplier OnRobot.
Robots offer solutions to industry challenges
Odense Robotics said its exhibit at Automatica will host the following Danish robotics companies addressing the needs of German manufacturing:
- Cobot Lift ApS said its systems can help prevent injuries related to heavy lifting and provide a new way to retain employees amid recruitment problems and an aging population.
- Enabled Robotics ApS said its mobile manipulator, which combines a collaborative robot arm and a mobile robot, can automate varied internal logistics tasks so that manufacturers can stay profitable and competitive.
- Fynbo Technology said its adaptable, flexible robots enable fast delivery of varied products in response to market demand and reduces downtime.
- Smooth Robotics, whose automation can alleviate a lack of skilled welders that has created delivery problems. It also addresses increasing demands for a healthy and attractive work environment.
- Spin Robotics ApS automates screw tasks and changes of parts. As manual tasks, these have been time-consuming and limited the ability of automotive and electronics manufacturers to scale production. The company added that its systems can meet quality demands in the screw process by offering complete documentation that can be accessed live and as historical data.
- STRECON A/S provides robots that allow employees with the necessary knowledge and experience to “instruct” them to precisely polish injection-molded parts. This enables employees to have more varied and less strenuous jobs, it said.
- Technicon said it offers the “the highest level of reliability, hygiene, and safety” along with fast scalability for the pharmaceuticals, biotech, and medical industry. It delivers advanced automation to global healthcare leaders such as Novo Nordisk, Radiometer and Christian Hansen.
- Trendlog.io ApS said it supports German companies implementing Industry 4.0. It claimed that it can deliver insights into production, improve sustainability, reduce waste, and cut costs through data collection and digitalization.
The Danish robotics pavilion will be at Stand 308 in Hall B4 at Automatica from June 21 to 24. Visitors can also meet seven more Danish robotic exhibitors on their own stands: Audite Robotics, Capra Robotics, FundingBox Research, JVL, Kassow Robots, Meili Robots, and Universal Robots.
In addition, the city of Odense is hosting a matchmaking event, the Odense Investor Summit, in Automatica’s Start-Up Arena.
Between 600 and 700 exhibitors will be showing their robotic systems in more than 66,000 sq. m. (710,000 sq. ft.) of floor space at Automatica.
Danish robotics sector shows strength
With a turnover of €2.8 billion representing a 12% increase on the previous year, Denmark’s robotics industry generated a strong growth in 2021. Odense Robotics provided more statistics in its “Insight Report 2022: Deploying Robotics in New Industries” (download PDF).
In terms of population, Germany is 14 times bigger than its neighbor country to the north. Nevertheless, cobots from Universal Robots rank among the most popular robot manufacturers on the German market, said HowToRobot.
Twenty-six percent of robot and automation suppliers in Germany supply Universal Robots, which ranks third among distributors. German vendor KUKA ranks first, followed by ABB in HowToRobot's analysis of the German robot market.
The annual global growth rate for sales of collaborative robots is 40%, according to Statzon.com.
More than 3 million robots are at work in the global manufacturing industry, reported the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The IFR noted that the potential to automate more tasks currently performed by people is “significant.” As a result, the Danish robotics cluster said it expects strong sales to continue in collaborative robots, where it claims innovation leadership.