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Survey shows strong robotics use in packaging

A first-ever survey of robotics usage among Packaging World readers shows a recent surge in purchasing that promises to continue in the near future.

Pw 1740 Robot Arm1
Robotics Industry Association

Reflecting on strong 2010 sales, which totaled 13,174 robots and sales of $845.6 million, RIA president Jeff Burnstein said, “It was a great year for the robotics industry, not just in North America, but worldwide. The demand for robotics took off once the ‘Great Recession’ ended, as companies resumed investments in technology that improves productivity, quality, flexibility, and time to market, key benefits of robotics.”

In 2010, RIA noted, non-automotive orders jumped 46%, fueled in part by food and consumer goods (+47%) and life sciences/pharmaceuticals/biomedical/medical devices (+26%). But how does this play out on the plant floor of Packaging World’s readers?

Each year, PW presents a Special Report on robotics in the packaging industry that typically takes the form of case history stories of new and unique applications among consumer packaged goods companies (see packworld.com/article-30176 for 2010 report). This year, PW decided to put some facts and figures behind the stories of robotics use in the packaging industry, launching a first-ever survey of our readers on this topic.

The response was tremendous. More than 900 participants answered our survey, which asked questions about current and future robotics usage, drivers for automation, and perceived challenges for non-users of robotics, among other issues. On the following pages, we share the results of this survey.

Very strong support for robotics

According to our Robotics in Packaging survey, the CPG market is (almost) evenly split right now among users (49.5%) and non-users (50.5%) of robotics in packaging operations. But this number looks like it could change radically within the next five years, with 46.7% of those companies currently without robotics saying that they plan on making a purchase within the next five years.

Furthermore, of those companies planning on making an initial purchase of robotics for their packaging operations by 2016, 30.1% say they plan to make the investment within the next year; 28.4% within the next two years; 18% within the next three years; and 23.5% within the next three to five years. That’s good news for suppliers of robotics equipment, who can plan on seeing continued sales coming from packaging operations.

Incidentally, the majority of those responding to our survey represented those industries identified by RIA as being the biggest growth areas for robotics. The largest segment of respondents identified themselves as being in the food industry, at 23.8%, with the next largest segment, at 11.4%, identifying themselves as being involved in healthcare (pharmaceutical or medical device), and 10.1% in consumer products. Other industries represented included beverage (8.2%), industrial products (6.4%), personal care products (4%), and contract packaging (2.8%), among others.

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