Companies, Shifting Production, Expand to Accommodate Robots
Home for Robots
Brendan Bannon for The New York Times
MARTHA C. WHITE | The New York Times
Even a robot needs a home.
That is what companies across the country are realizing as they shift more production to robotics. Many are expanding their commercial footprint with a new addition or in some cases, excavating for a lower floor to accommodate the recent influx of extremely heavy live-in machines.
This fall, Weber-Stephen Products completed a 50,000-square-foot expansion at its factory in Huntley, Ill., to accommodate its new robotic equipment. “That’s really the primary way we’re staying competitive with Asian manufacturers,” Mike Kempster, the company’s global chief marketing officer, said.
“We’ve seen all types — robotic welders, robotic wire makers and clip makers. You’re seeing them being integrated into the system to increase volume, increase consistency and quality,” he said. “There’s an awful lot of technology and equipment being purchased in these spaces to be competitive globally.”