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ABB this morning began building on the growth of its present North American robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The $20 million challenge is anticipated to be accomplished in November 2023 and can create 72 extremely expert new jobs within the space and is supported by a $450,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.
Adding to the $14 billion ABB has invested within the US since 2010, the newest funding in its robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility will profit clients within the Americas, significantly these in development sectors together with electrical autos, healthcare, packaging and logistics. With the growth set to extend the manufacturing facility’s manufacturing capability, it responds to the elevated demand for automation from 70% of U.S. companies seeking to convey manufacturing nearer to residence, as revealed by ABB Robotics’ survey of 1,610 executives within the U.S. and Europe in June 2022.
“Our investment is a significant step in accelerating ABB Robotics’ global leadership in developing and manufacturing cutting-edge robotic solutions in the U.S., for the Americas,” mentioned Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation. “As the global megatrends of labor shortages, uncertainty, the near and reshoring of production, and a desire to operate more sustainably accelerate, more businesses are turning to automation to build resilience while improving efficiency and flexibility. Our expanded facility will help us to better serve customers in the US and across the Americas, giving them access to innovative automated solutions.”
ABB Robotics moved into the 538,000-square-foot constructing in 1993 and opened the manufacturing plant in 2015. The growth and elevated use of automation within the manufacturing facility will create new jobs, supporting the ABB Robotics Packaging & Logistics Headquarters in Atlanta and the Robotics Lifesciences and Healthcare Hub positioned on the Texas Medical Center in Houston. ABB already has a workforce of roughly 350 workers at Auburn Hills.
“ABB’s $20 million investment creating 72 jobs will build on our economic momentum and help us continue leading the future of robotics and automation,” mentioned Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Thanks to companies like ABB Robotics and the support of our local partners, we can keep bringing jobs and investment to every region of our state, revitalizing communities, and building an economy of the future.”
ABB mentioned this funding will see the newest digital and automation applied sciences carried out to fabricate next-generation robots within the U.S., for the Americas, streamlining the supply course of and lowering lead instances. Close to 90% of robots delivered to clients within the U.S., Canada, Mexico and South America will quickly be made in Auburn Hills. The plant will use versatile, modular manufacturing cells which are digitally linked and networked, and served by clever autonomous cellular robots. AI-powered robotic techniques will tackle duties reminiscent of screw driving, assembling and materials dealing with, relieving folks from these duties and enabling extra rewarding work.
“The expanded facility will feature the most advanced technology available, with AI-enabled robots and smart digital manufacturing systems supporting the production and manufacture of state-of-the-art customer solutions,” mentioned John Bubnikovich, ABB United States robotics division president. “Almost each side of the positioning can be upgraded to counterpoint our efforts to draw, retain and nurture the very best automation expertise, whereas making a US manufacturing hub and headquarters befitting of a worldwide chief in automation.
As a world-leading robotics firm, ABB has made plenty of vital bulletins over the previous couple of months. In December 2022, it launched the SWIFTI CRB 1300 robotic arm and opened a robotics mega manufacturing facility in Shanghai. In October, ABB launched the IRB 1010, which is the corporate’s smallest industrial robotic ever.
And in September 2022 it launched its first vary of rebranded autonomous cellular robots (AMRs) following the acquisition of cellular robotic chief ASTI Mobile Robotics in 2021 for $190M. ASTI Mobile Robotics’ options at the moment are rebranded and built-in into ABB’s portfolio, grouped underneath the Flexley identify, indicating the flexibleness of operations that the AMRs provide. The first rebranded fashions to be launched, Flexley Tug and Flexley Mover, cowl functions together with towing, trolley transportation as much as 5,350 lbs (2000 kg), in addition to lifting and transporting racks, containers and pallets of 4,000 lbs (1,500 kg).