Photo taken on Sept. 12, 2019 shows a robot during the groundbreaking ceremony of ABB Robotics Factory of the Future in Shanghai, east China. Swiss tech giant ABB began construction of its new 67,000-square-meter robotics manufacturing and research facility in Shanghai on Thursday. With an investment of 150 million U.S. dollars, the facility is expected to be put into use in 2021. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
SHANGHAI, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Swiss tech giant ABB began construction of its new 67,000-square meter robotics manufacturing and research facility in Kangqiao, Shanghai on Thursday.
With an investment of 150 million U.S. dollars, the facility is expected to be put into use in 2021.
It is designed to be the most advanced, automated and flexible factory in the robotics industry worldwide, utilizing the latest manufacturing processes –– a cutting-edge center where robots make robots.
The facility will also host a world-class research and development center, which will accelerate innovations in robotics and artificial intelligence. The center will serve as an open innovation hub where ABB closely collaborates with its customers to co-develop automation solutions tailored to individual needs.
ABB’s robotics solutions serve a diverse customer base in Asia, supporting automotive manufacturers, particularly in e-mobility, as well as manufacturers in the electronics, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, logistics automation and general industries, amongst many others.
ABB predicts that global robot sales will grow from 80 billion U.S. dollars today to 130 billion U.S. dollars in 2025. China is the world’s largest robotics market and one of three robots sold globally in 2017 went to China.
Production in the highly automated facility will be based on cells of automation, with robots moving from station to station, enabling greater customization and more flexibility than in traditional, linear production systems.
"Since the project announcement last October, we have been provided with tremendous support from the local government," said Peter Voser, Chairman and CEO of ABB. "The establishment of the new factory is another milestone in ABB’s development in China and will further strengthen our leadership in the world’s largest robotics market."
ABB has invested more than 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in China since 1992, with over 18,000 employees in total. China has become the company's second-largest market.
