new robot installations on record is particularly encouraging . But , from a UK perspective , the IFR results were more sobering . At 2,054 , the number of new robot installations was down 7 % year-on-year , giving the UK an average manufacturing robot density of 111 robots for every 10,000 employees , which the report notes is ‘ very low for a Western European country ’. This figure is well below the global average of 141 and considerably under the top performing nation of the Republic of Korea ( 1,000 ) and the European frontrunner , Germany ( 397 ). In fact , the UK is currently languishing at 24th in the world robot density rankings , making us the only G7 country to sit outside the top 20 .
Boosting productivity The UK ’ s position as a leading manufacturing nation is unquestionable ; but we could increase our productivity levels significantly if we used more
automation . To put it into context , many countries have a manufacturing industry that accounts for a similar 10 % GDP as the UK ( the USA , the Netherlands , Denmark and Sweden , for example ); but their productivity rates are higher than ours as a result of their greater investment in automation . Astonishingly , a German worker is around 30 % an hour more productive than a UK worker – put simply , we cannot expect to continue competing on the international stage unless we automate .
Labour crisis The need to automate has become even more imperative in the last few years in the face of a series of unprecedented global and national crises , which have impacted UK manufacturers ’ ability to recruit staff . Already facing a labour shortfall , a perfect storm of Brexit and the Covid pandemic prompted an exodus of European labour from our shores , contributing to the 97,000 vacancies in
About Fanuc
The FANUC Corporation is one of the worldwide leaders in factory automation for CNC control systems , robots and production machinery ( ROBODRILL , ROBOCUT and ROBOSHOT ).
the manufacturing sector reported in January 2022 ( a year-on-year increase of 113 %) . As well as this ‘ cost of leaving ’ crisis , the country is also facing a cost of living crisis , which has seen manufacturers grapple with rising bills for energy , transport and raw materials .
Recruiting hard-to-find manual labour while managing increasing costs is a difficult balancing act , but it can be alleviated through automation . By using robots to do the dull , dirty and dangerous tasks , automation enables manufacturers to make better use of their human employees , upskilling them to boost recruitment and retention rates while increasing productivity .
A bright future The outlook , therefore , is brighter than it may currently appear . In 2015 , robot density in the UK was just 71 robots per 10,000 employees – the current figure of 111 demonstrates a 56 % increase , and this is reflected here at FANUC UK in our healthy order book going into 2023 .
IFR World Robotics Industrial Robots 2022 report reveals that countries far closer to home such as Slovenia , Slovakia , Finland and Hungary are now outpacing the UK when it comes the adoption of robotics .
The UK already boasts world class engineers , world class machine tool builders , world class integrators and a world class workforce . To retain our reputation as a nation of world class manufacturers , we now need to support firms to implement world class automation technology ..
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