A recent report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North American companies ordered 44,196 robots in 2022 which represented an increase of 11% over 2021 which set a new record in order volume. While orders in many industries slowed over the course of the past three years, more than 50% of these sales from 2021 came from the automotive industry. The investment in these automation machines comes at a time when many OEMs are pledging an increase in production of electric vehicles.
Yet while a majority of sales are being made to automotive manufacturers, there were still steady increases in sales from a number of industries, including: electronics & semiconductors, agriculture, construction and even retail. Multiple issues exist for manufacturers in regards to production, which include the procurement of materials as well as labor challenges. Automation technologies hold the promise to help alleviate these issues, keeping plants efficient by maintaining a standard level of production. However, there is still one challenge faced by all companies looking to add industrial robotics to their factory floor that is rarely addressed.
The key challenge that is rarely addressed when companies are making their decision on whether or not to purchase an industrial robot is: how will they get delivered? Getting industrial robots to your dock requires the expertise of a specialized carrier who has the capabilities of shipping such fragile freight. There is nothing worse to the manufacturer of one of these machines being shipped to the customer, only to find it arrived damaged due to the negligence of the carrier. This in turn causes a domino effect.
For starters, there is returning the machine and submitting a claim to the carrier for damages. Then the manufacturer has to take the machine back and make repairs or produce a new unit before it can be sold. This will prove challenging in the best of times, however electronics are suffering from high demand and low supply, which magnifies these challenges. Finally, the result of this process (which could easily take weeks, if not months) will result in the greatest damage of all: loss of trust between industrial robot manufacturers and their customers. Don’t allow your business to fall victim to a neglectful carrier, work with an experienced carrier that is capable of handling your unique freight and will get it to its destination on time and undamaged.
Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of getting your industrial robots to their destination on time and undamaged. We’re here to help you in coordinating your delivery, whether that be for pickup or dropoff and we’ll work with you and your customers on a schedule that works best for your businesses. Our experienced freight handlers will handle your shipments with care and experience, ensuring that every shipment will arrive undamaged while our friendly drivers will get it there on time with a smile on their face. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!
