In context
In April 2024, the global robotics industry was expanding capacity to meet rising demand, with the US emerging as the second-largest robotics market. ABB's investment in its Auburn Hills facility underscored a trend of local-for-local production to address supply chain resilience and labor shortages.
What was reported
ABB opened its refitted US robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan, marking its third global robotics factory expansion in three years across China, Europe, and the Americas. The facility space increased by 30 percent, supporting ABB's strategy to strengthen its local footprint in the US and Americas.
The expansion includes a new Customer Experience Center to showcase digital and AI-powered automation, plus a training center expected to educate over 3,000 workers and students annually. It will support ABB's specialist hubs in Atlanta, Houston, and San Jose, focusing on packaging, life sciences, and AI research.
The $20 million investment will create 72 highly skilled jobs, supported by a $450,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant. ABB has invested $30 million in the US since 2019 across four locations, part of a broader $170 million investment in electrification and automation businesses nationwide.
Why it mattered
The expansion highlighted ABB's commitment to the US market and the growing role of robotics and AI in addressing labor shortages and localized supply chains. It also reflected a broader industry shift toward regional manufacturing hubs and workforce upskilling, essential for the future of industrial automation.
“America is now the world’s second largest robotics market, and our production facility will help ABB support existing customers as well as new growth sectors across the US and the Americas region.”
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2024-04-26 · “ABB opens refitted, ‘state-of-the-art’ US robotics facility”