ABB spending $20M to expand U.S. robotics factory

Take heed to this text

ABB this morning began development on the growth of its present North American robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The $20 million venture 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 Enterprise Improvement Program performance-based grant.

Including to the $14 billion ABB has invested within the US since 2010, the most recent funding in its robotics headquarters and manufacturing unit will profit prospects within the Americas, notably these in progress sectors together with electrical autos, healthcare, packaging and logistics. With the growth set to extend the manufacturing unit’s manufacturing capability, it responds to the elevated demand for automation from 70% of U.S. companies trying to convey manufacturing nearer to dwelling, as revealed by ABB Robotics’ survey of 1,610 executives within the U.S. and Europe in June 2022.

“Our funding is a big step in accelerating ABB Robotics’ international management in growing and manufacturing cutting-edge robotic options within the U.S., for the Americas,” stated Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation. “As the worldwide megatrends of labor shortages, uncertainty, the close to and reshoring of manufacturing, and a need to function extra sustainably speed up, extra companies are turning to automation to construct resilience whereas bettering effectivity and adaptability. Our expanded facility will assist us to raised serve prospects within the US and throughout the Americas, giving them entry to revolutionary automated options.”

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 unit will create new jobs, supporting the ABB Robotics Packaging & Logistics Headquarters in Atlanta and the Robotics Lifesciences and Healthcare Hub situated on the Texas Medical Heart in Houston. ABB already has a workforce of roughly 350 workers at Auburn Hills.

“ABB’s $20 million funding creating 72 jobs will construct on our financial momentum and assist us proceed main the way forward for robotics and automation,” stated Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Due to firms like ABB Robotics and the help of our native companions, we will preserve bringing jobs and funding to each area of our state, revitalizing communities, and constructing an financial system of the long run.”

ABB stated this funding will see the most recent digital and automation applied sciences applied to fabricate next-generation robots within the U.S., for the Americas, streamlining the supply course of and lowering lead instances. Near 90% of robots delivered to prospects 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 can be digitally linked and networked, and served by clever autonomous cell robots. AI-powered robotic programs will tackle duties similar to screw driving, assembling and materials dealing with, relieving individuals from these duties and enabling extra rewarding work.

“The expanded facility will characteristic essentially the most superior expertise out there, with AI-enabled robots and good digital manufacturing programs supporting the manufacturing and manufacture of state-of-the-art buyer options,” stated John Bubnikovich, ABB United States robotics division president. “Nearly each facet of the location shall be upgraded to counterpoint our efforts to draw, retain and nurture the most effective 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 a lot of necessary bulletins over the previous couple of months. In December 2022, it launched the SWIFTI CRB 1300 robotic arm and opened a robotics mega factory 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 cell robots (AMRs) following the acquisition of mobile robot leader ASTI Mobile Robotics in 2021 for $190M. ASTI Cell Robotics’ options at the moment are rebranded and built-in into ABB’s portfolio, grouped below the Flexley title, indicating the pliability of operations that the AMRs provide. The primary 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).