Robotics giant ABB Ltd. officially opened its expanded manufacturing and training center at its North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., on Wednesday. The $20 million expansion, which adds 30% more floor space, is part of a previously announced plan to invest $170 million in ABB’s electrification and automation businesses across the U.S.
The addition includes a customer experience center, training space, more flexible production and modernized employee workspaces. In addition to current products, the added capacity will support ABB’s new midsize robot arm and OmniCore controller, which is said to provide a 20% energy savings and best-in-class motion.
ABB says the expansion is driven by growing demand for automation and artificial intelligence across sectors to help lower costs and counter ongoing workforce shortages. The auto is still the largest user of robots, but it now accounts for about 40% of the Auburn Hills’ facilities sales vs. as much as 80% or more in the past. Logistics and warehousing is the next largest—and fastest growing—segment, followed by medical.
“Robotics and AI are essential tools for companies in addressing critical labor shortages, localized supply chains and the need to operate more sustainably,” Sami Atiya, president of ABB’s Robotics and Discrete Automation Business Area, said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The advances in AI-driven software and hardware make our robots more accessible to a wider range of businesses, enabling them to increase resilience and become more competitive.”
Currently, about 10% of ABB’s new robots are AI-enabled. But the ratio is expected to grow rapidly in coming years, according to John Bubnikovich, president of ABB’s Robotics Division in the U.S. This is especially true for unstructured applications in which robots must adapt to changing conditions. ABB bolstered its AI capabilities earlier this year with its acquisition of Swiss start-up Sevensense Robotics AG, a provider of AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). This follows a minority investment ABB made in the company in 2021.
The expanded facility reflects ABB’s commitment to long-term growth in the U.S., which is forecast to follow global growth rates for robotics of 8% CAGR. About 90% of the robots that ABB delivers to North and South America are manufactured in Auburn Hills.
“ABB’s $20 million investment in Auburn Hills will create more than 70 good-paying, high-skill jobs and build on Michigan’s advanced manufacturing leadership,” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer added, noting that the expansion will help tighten supply chains and reduce production delays. “Around the world, ABB’s technology supports the production of electric vehicles, medical devices, electronics and even pastries.”
The Auburn Hills site will support three other ABB specialist centers in the U.S., including a Packaging and Logistics hub in Atlanta, Georgia; a Life Sciences and Healthcare hub at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas; and AI Research Lab in San Jose, Calif. The facility is expected to train about 5,000 people a year—most of whom are customer employees.
Connect With Us
