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Universal Robots, the Danish manufacturer of industrial robots, has celebrated the opening of its new company headquarters in Odense, Denmark. Moving into new facilities will extend production capacity considerably, underlining the growth plans of the company.
Totaling 12,000 square meters, the new headquarters will be seven times larger than the former Universal Robot headquarters. The move underscores Universal Robot's goal to keep expanding at a rapid pace in the years to come. Ever since the first UR robot hit the market in December 2008, the production has doubled annually, reaching the limits of the company's old production facilities.
"Our new premises allow us to increase daily production to more than 150 robots. This expansion of production capacity is urgently needed, as we plan to sell 2,000 robots in 2014. Furthermore, we plan to keep doubling our sales every year from 2014 to 2017," said Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of Universal Robots.
The Danish manufacturer of lightweight robots began in 2008 as a university research project starting out with five employees, a number which has now grown to a staff of more than 110. Along with additional production facilities and sales offices, the new headquarters also includes the Universal Robots Advanced Training Center.
"Denmark is and always will be our robot-stronghold. With the planned increase in production, we will be able to create approximately 200 new jobs at Universal Robots. This will lead to further growth for the suppliers and dealers we collaborate with, so that our expansion might lead to indirectly creating another 300 new jobs in the Odense region," said Iversen.
Universal Robots is a result of many years of intensive research in robotics. The product portfolio includes the UR5 and UR10 models that handle payloads of up to 11.3 lbs. and 22.6 lbs. respectively. The six-axis robot arms weigh as little as 40 lbs. with reach capabilities of up to 51 inches. Repeatability of +/- .004" allows quick precision handling of even microscopically small parts.
If the robots come into contact with an employee, the built-in force control limits the forces at contact and does not cause bodily harm, adhering to the current safety requirements on force and torque limitations. With Universal Robots it is possible to develop applications that can run without shielding. A thorough risk assessment must however always be made.
The collaborative robots can quickly be moved around the production sites and are easily integrated in all industries, from the small machine shop to the large auto assembly line. According to Universal Robots, payback period is typically 3-8 months.
Watch the robot in action at: http://bit.ly/UlaUgw and at IMTS in Chicago September 8-13.
For more information contact:
Universal Robots USA
Wading River, NY
631-610-9664
emullen@universal-robots.com
www.universal-robots.com