Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.80
March 18, 2023
…a long-term concern. A lot of manufacturing has been reshoring because of trade restrictions with China. We're expecting $1 trillion in business to come back to the U.S., which bodes well for 3PLs and service providers here. The real challenge is continued low vacancy rates in most major markets around the U.S. We're finalizing a facility in Portland with sub-3% vacancy. If you look at the Inland Empire [in Southeastern California], there's no space at all. Businesses have been waiting in line for months for a building to come up, and then they're paying insane amounts. Wagner is looking at…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.65
July 10, 2023
…with small and midsized manufacturers. He also spoke about reshoring. Is that something Markforged thinks a lot about – this trend of bringing production closer to where the products are actually getting designed and used? Burd: Absolutely. The closer the design loop and production loop, the more quickly and with more agility you can address and solve problems. In this case, it's a shortage of labor. [Manufacturers] are trying to automate traditionally manual processes and improve the efficiency of factors. And for these small and medium-sized businesses, they're having challenges hiring. They're looking to continue to grow as demand in…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.62
September 02, 2022
…are looking to improve productivity and increase efficiency. In addition, robotics is key to national competitiveness. With onshoring and reshoring of manufacturing back to the U.S., robots can help address supply chain issues. We want to build robots that are indispensable. Developers have to build robots that improve the ways people live so it's hard for them to imagine doing their jobs without robots. The promise of technology has largely been about the idea of time. There were thinkers who predicted a four-hour workweek by the turn of the century. No other technology can deliver that besides automation as a…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.51
May 19, 2023
…the company places on workforce development as North American reshoring accelerates,” it said. Festo Didactic and SICK partnered to create a curriculum and hardware package they said integrates into any robot platform. Source: Festo Festo Didactic will show new online learning portal—the Festo Learning Experience, or Festo LX. It focuses on the growing need for more individualized learning, said the company. Festo LX provides modular resources for technical training. These resources can be individually assembled into courses and entire learning paths. Varied formats, such as videos, animations, simulations, and text units can help participants remain engaged, said Festo Didactic. Existing…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.05
July 16, 2022
…all jobs lost during the pandemic. Some companies are reshoring manufacturing activities, reducing reliance on overseas partnerships. Manufacturers should also accept new ideas for securing and strengthening supply chains to avoid future challenges, should a similar pandemic or political tension occur. Enhanced factory digitization Digitization increases autonomy and efficiency on the factory floor. Industry 4.0 is all about the smart factory. Companies are focusing on on enhancing equipment connectivity through IoT sensors, customizing production and predicting market trends in advance. The use of robots for diverse production activities enhances modular production, warehouse management, quality inspection, and prototyping initiatives. The digital…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.12
April 04, 2023
…scale. Tightness in access to skilled labor (13%) and reshoring of production back to North America (11%) were considered less impactful. Click on image to enlarge. Source: Vecna Robotics The robots are coming, says Vecna “Given this data, we can see that automation has quickly become a critical strategic priority, and from the boardroom to the warehouse, leaders are looking to get robots and other warehouse technologies on the floor as soon as possible,” said Vecna Robotics. The company said it expects the following trends this year, based on the survey data: High-speed, secure Internet is the biggest technology obstacle…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.87
December 09, 2022
…for automation is not going away. Have trends like reshoring of manufacturing increased, and what do they mean for supply chains? Stephen Dryer, FORTNA. Source: LinkedIn Dryer: In the immediate term, customers can't follow a just-in-time model anymore. To rely on the warehouse or DC [distribution center] in a tight time frame means more storage capacity. The micro-fulfillment trend is putting capacity closer to population centers and having a fast way of processing orders to consumers. The shift from brick and mortar has changed dramatically since COVID. I recently bought a couch, and I went to a store to see…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.69
September 29, 2023
…application itself than a specific market. With labor shortages, reshoring is hitting a wall. If companies can't find people, we're able to offer continuing initiatives to help. Another place we’re seeing activity is around the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS Act. If we follow the money for infrastructure, battery technology, electric vehicles, and renewables, it's helping to make existing plants larger or to new greenfield facilities, particularly in the Southeast. This is an ideal opportunity to incorporate AMRs into your operations. What should companies new to robotics look for in their providers/partners? Peterson: It's critical to look for providers…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.36
June 02, 2023
…widely noted growth driver for robotics is nearshoring and reshoring in the wake of the massive supply disruptions experienced during the pandemic. The thinking is that more supply chains will mitigate risk by sourcing components or products within North America, and to keep this supply base cost competitive, increased use of robotics will be in order. A few key Automate trends On the exhibition hall floor, a few trends were apparent that should help the robotics market grow across multiple industries, including fulfillment centers and warehousing. These include: Bigger payload cobots, which blend the simplicity of smaller cobots with a…
