Editor’s Note: Cobots Driving Innovation and Growth
Q4 2016
PwC’s Industry 4.0 survey of 2,000 participants from nine major industrial sectors and 26 countries also takes a look at digitization of industrial manufacturing. Among its findings, robotics, cobotics, 3D printing, and nanotechnology have direct relevance for many industrial manufacturing applications, while other technologies — such as augmented reality — can enable manufacturers to give customers real-time information and training at point of use.
The implications of these findings are explored in this issue of Area Development magazine. Stephen Gray, president and CEO of Gray Construction, explains how advanced technologies and robotics are shaping the future of manufacturing making factories more efficient and productive than ever. However, because of the complexity of many of today’s processes, human workers are complemented — not replaced — by their robotic counterparts, says Gray.
Stephen Thompson, senior economic office at Ontario’s Ministry of International Trade concurs. Advancements in the robotics industry are reshaping the way humans and machines interact. These “cobots” augment the complex and intelligent work done solely by humans, Thompson notes. Additionally, a human-machine study conducted by MIT researchers at a BMW factory has shown that teams made of humans and robots collaborating efficiently can be more productive than teams made of either humans or robots alone.
Consequently, the ability to source skilled labor is still a primary concern for growing companies. In fact, availability of skilled labor was the number-one site factor considered by those responding to Area Development’s annual Corporate Survey. This factor, along with all the top-10 location factors, is explored in a special report in this issue.
We will delve more into the concerns of workforce availability and skills when we produce our Workforce supplement at year’s end. Highly regarded consultants to industry will discuss workforce trends driving location strategies, how to assess a community’s labor force, attracting the millennials, upskilling your current workforce, and more. Ultimately, it’s the skilled workers who will allow manufacturers to continue to innovate and grow their businesses.
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Geraldine Gambale, Editor, Area Development Magazine
Geraldine Gambale has overseen the editorial operations at Area Development magazine for 25 years. Under her direction, the publication has provided valuable site selection and facility planning information to its corporate readers through insightful articles and advice from industry experts, as well as from those who work in the economic development field. Her meetings with high-level government and industry officials in the United States and abroad have provided a prospective of what’s behind companies’ location and expansion decisions. She is also responsible for conducting and analyzing the results of Area Development’s highly regarded Annual Corporate and Consultants surveys. Prior to joining Area Development, Ms. Gambale worked in the banking industry. She holds a BA in English from Queens College, New York.
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