Cobotics: the future of French industrial SMEs
In the midst of reconfiguration, SMEs have decided to ensure the sustainability of their production despite the presence of the virus. To do this, they invest in robotics and cobotics.
The robotization of companies in France
The health crisis linked to the Coronavirus is pushing companies to produce differently. In an industry that is already changing rapidly since globalization, Covid-19 is accelerating the change in French companies that are now forced to use technology to keep their doors open.
Currently, companies have to implement social distancing measures on the shop floor, manage labor shortages (sick or quarantined employees), and deal with disruptions in their supply system. Indeed, it is now vital for all SMEs to relocate the entire supply chain and production. In search of immediate solutions, industrial companies are turning to the use of robots or cobots (collaborative robots).
The figures of the IFR (International Federation of Robotics) are very revealing since more than 3 million industrial robots are in activity on sites all over the world. Moreover, France has the highest increase in Europe with 42,000 active robots. The sale of cobots has increased by more than 11% this year in our country.
The obstacles to automation in French SMEs
However, there are still many obstacles to automation in French companies. Indeed, all SMEs do not necessarily have the time to evaluate the available solutions. Nor do they have the availability to deploy these solutions or to train employees.
Indeed, automation also requires hiring qualified personnel. And it’s a significant financial investment that can be risky for small industrial companies. And while the government offers support for accelerated robotization of businesses, this remains an unattainable project for some.
Cobotics to ensure the future of our company
In this context of health crisis and facing an uncertain future, collaborative robotics remains an effective solution. That’s why it is currently in constant increase. Today, many SMEs are no longer afraid to invest in automation by purchasing complex industrial robots or cobots.
The cobots are more flexible than robots and work through human-machine collaboration. They therefore need an operator, which means that human employment is not at risk.