Sales of robots for the first two
quarters of 2012 have exceeded all
previous full year sales. In the first
quarter, sales of 923 units were
recorded which is larger than the
annual total for many previous years.

The second quarter brought this
figure to 2000 for the half year end.

Automotive and automotive
component orders contributed 85%
of this figure in the first quarter and
89% in the second. While in most
other sectors robot sales are growing,
growth is sluggish and, in some
sectors, is in sporadic decline.

The government’s drive to
automate UK manufacturing is going
extremely well according to Grant
Collier, head of marketing for the
PPMA Group of Associations
managing the programme: “Over
220 manufacturers have taken up the
Government funded Automating
Manufacturing Programme which
shows manufacturers how they can
benefit from automation.”
Application for an automation
review is easy and takes just a couple
of minutes. The form and further
details can be found at:
www.automatingmanufacturing.co.uk.