CONTROL & AUTOMATION
STRONG GROWTH TREND
FANUC UK
INDUSTRIAL ROBOT MARKET STAYS ON GROWTH
PATH - FANUC EXPECTS AUTOMATION WILL
SUPPORT THE OVERALL ECONOMY
While fears of recession, trade frictions
and Brexit seem to be slowing down the
economy in Europe, for the Industrial Robot
market the overall picture stays bright. In
some parts of Europe a strong growth trend
is continuing. “In the first half of our current
fiscal year our order volume in all Europe
rose by a double digit percentage number
and we expect the expansion to continue
although it might slow down a bit,” says
Shinichi Tanzawa, President & CEO of the
FANUC Europe Corporation.
FANUC is one of the leading companies
in factory automation, having installed
more than 550,000 robots, 4 million CNC
controllers and 19 million servo motors
worldwide. The company has 263 locations
serving 108 countries and employs more
than 7,000 people. In Europe FANUC has 22
entities with around 1,400 employees.
According to a recent report by the
International Federation of Robotics (IFR) the
number of Industrial Robots shipped into the
European market might have gone up by 7
percent in 2018. For the years 2019 to 2021
the IFR predicts an average annual growth
rate of 10 percent. While at least in the short
term a double digit growth has recently
become more uncertain because of fears
about a slowing down in the world economy,
the overall trend for industrial robots stays
positive.
“In the past couple of years the Industrial
Robot market in Europe has been growing
at a very high speed,” says Tanzawa. “It is only
natural that we might now see a short term
consolidation in some regions.” Still the main
drivers of automation are intact. A lack of
skilled workers, an increase of labour costs
and the development of ever more capable
industrial robots.
Among the most promising trends
throughout the European continent are
collaborative robots (Cobots). While big
international manufacturers have already
been experimenting for some years with
collaborative robots in their production, now
the technology becomes more widespread
within different industries. “We increasingly
see more demand coming from small and
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mid-size companies, even from companies
who have not been using robots in their
production in the past,” says Tanzawa.
While a handful of robot makers are
competing in the market of Cobots, FANUC
prides itself of having the widest and most
reliable range of collaborative robot models
on offer – ranging from the small CR-4iA
that can handle loads of up to 4 kg and for
example be used for small electrical parts
transfer and assembly up to the CR-35iA that
can lift loads of up to 35 kg and assist workers
in heavy lifting tasks without the need of
special safety equipment like protective
fences. “The interest in collaborative robots is
strong all over Europe,” Tanzawa explains.
FANUC itself takes pride in owning one of
the most automated production sites in
the world. The company uses robots for
various tasks at its Headquarters in Japan.
Automation has helped the company to
achieve a high efficiency and grow alongside
with its customers in the manufacturing
industry all over the world. “We expect
Robotization to support the growth of the
European economies further,” says Tanzawa.
But while automation has helped to partly
cover the shortage of skilled workers, now
that lack of specialists is starting to hold back
the process of automation itself. Tanzawa:
“In most European countries that we cover
we see a lack of robot programmers and
engineers. That is hampering companies from
automating their production sites at the pace
they would like to.”
FANUC and WorldSkills promote the
development of skilled workers with first
international championship for robot
programmers planned
To overcome this shortage and to help the
economies in Europe grow by improving
the efficiency of production, the education
in schools and universities will play a big
role”, says Tanzawa. To help promote these
important skills, FANUC has embarked on a
Global Partnership with WorldSkills.