Yaskawa Set to Expand Miamisburg Site to Meet Automation Industry Demand

Yaskawa Motoman, the Robotics Division of Yaskawa America, is a North American developer and supplier of automated robotics hardware and software solutions for industrial systems. Recently, the daughter company announced its plans to expand its Miamisburg headquarters based in Ohio. Yaskawa Motoman intends to maximize operational capacity to meet customer demand within the automation industry.

 

To meet the growing demand for automated robotic solutions, Yaskawa aims to increase its operational capacity by expanding its Miamisburg site. Image used courtesy of Pixabay

 

Industrial Automation Market Growth

The industrial automation market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.8 percent between 2022 and 2029, rising from USD 205.86 billion to USD 395.09 billion, says Fortune Business Insights. This translates to a near doubling in demand for automation over the 7-year period.

Advanced technological developments in robotics, including the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and 5G communications, are honing the capabilities of industrial automation systems. These technologies, while still relatively new to many industries, are key for improving data collection, transmission, and conducting analyses that support insight generation for maximizing productivity. Remote monitoring, real-time analysis, and predictive maintenance are also possible through the integration of 5G, IIoT, and AI.

 

Yaskawa Motoman’s AR900 Arc Welding robot. Image used courtesy of Yaskawa Motoman

 

Companies worldwide, whether they are within eCommerce, logistics, energy, automotive, or chemical processing sectors, are all looking to onboard advanced industrial automation solutions to tackle the labor shortage for much-needed skilled positions such as professional welders. According to Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, around 2.4 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. could remain vacant between 2018 and 2028 because of the scarcity of skilled talent. Additionally, over 2.6 million baby boomers are predicted to leave the manufacturing workforce in the coming decade.

Autonomous mobile robots, collaborative robots, and industrial robots are just some of the automated robotics solutions that can help alleviate the problem of the skills gap and labor shortage. These technologies can reduce labor costs for industrial facilities, help fill the labor shortage gap, and free up workers of repetitive, heavy-duty, or unsafe tasks to execute higher-value tasks. This can improve worker safety, boost facility productivity, and provide time for worker training to level up existing skills to make way for the fourth industrial revolution.

 

Robot welding an automotive component. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock

 

Meeting the Demand for Automation

Yaskawa Motoman plans to add 185,000 square feet to its existing headquarters in Miamisburg, doubling the size of its current production area. Since the construction of the company’s existing headquarters in 2011, Yaskawa Motoman secured more land to support its future growth. The expansion of the company’s headquarters is set to add 70 jobs to its existing 400-strong workforce.

The company intends to minimize lead times and provide its customers with advanced automated robotics solutions that can help improve operational efficiency and keep up with production demand.

The city of Miamisburg in southern Montgomery County and Jobs Ohio are both providing grants to help neutralize construction costs for the Miamisburg headquarters expansion plans. Construction is expected to commence in June 2023 and end in June 2024.