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"The Fiction: Robots Replace People
The Fact: Robots Allow for Maximum People Productivity".

For several years now, especially with unemployment rates stubbornly above 8%, the cry of many economists, job seekers, and patriots is the same: When are manufacturing jobs coming back to America? The Material Handling Industry of America recently reported that, "U.S. manufacturing has been one of the few bright spots of the recovery, restoring 489,000 jobs since the beginning of 2010."

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Perceived Benefits of Outsourcing are Fading Fast
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) released a report recently noting that manufacturing is migrating back to the U.S. In the report, Harold L. Sirkin, a BCG senior partner said, "Companies are realizing that the economics of manufacturing are swinging in favor of the U.S., for goods to be sold both at home and to major export markets." BCG partner Michael Zinser shared, "This survey shows that companies are coming to the conclusion surprisingly fast that the U.S. is becoming more competitive when the total costs of manufacturing are accounted for."

Preserving Jobs
According to Pittsburgh-based Seegrid Corp., the leading in Robotic Industrial Trucks manufacturer, industrial robots are creating more jobs in warehousing and manufacturing facilities. The company has recognized the economic change in manufacturing. There is a strong increased demand for driverless industrial robots to transport goods horizontally without wire, tape, laser or other costly automated guided vehicle (AGVs) systems. These industrial robots are manufactured in America and support American manufacturing and warehousing companies- keeping America at the forefront of innovation and technology.

David Heilman, CAO at Seegrid, said, "Our customers are growing and innovating by using robots to increase facility productivity and efficiency to become more profitable, thus expanding their operations and adding more jobs. Robots are the high-tech tool companies are using to increase profits and grow their business."

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American Packaging Corp. (APC), for example, recently expanded its facility in Columbus, WI. With this expansion, company executives recognized they either needed to add labor or automate. There was a need to safely transport printed materials across the 100,000 square foot expansion and adding labor was just not an option. Instead, APC added Seegrid's Robotic Industrial Trucks and reassigned the labor needed to transport the product to more value-added functions.

Robotics and Education: Repairing the Workforce

The new generation of workforce expects high-technology in their life and workplace. Unlike just one generation past, the mindset of young workers today has changed. The attitudes about technology, including robots is far from science fiction, and many workers under forty actually prefer companies that utilize robots and computers. Robotic education has grown quickly through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) celebrates the achievement in STEM education through robotics tournaments. Seegrid recently supported STEM education by awarding a Pittsburgh high school student a robotics education scholarship at a FIRST competition. Several Seegrid employees are mentors as well as coaches for FIRST. "Seegrid is committed to investing in our young people and will continue to innovate and provide products that create jobs," Heilman suggested.

Too often there is an erroneous assumption that robots decrease jobs; in fact when optimizing workflow processes by increasing productivity and reducing costs, real economic and operational advantages are the outcome driving growth and hiring opportunities. Robots replacing people is a myth; robots empower employees to perform the most productive function in a company. Robots are why American manufacturing jobs are growing today.

Seegrid Corp
Pittsburgh, PA - USA
Email: sales@segrid.com
Web: www.seegrid.com
Tel: +1 412-379-4500