AUTOMATING APPLE’S FUTURE Apple has reportedly told its suppliers around the world that they will need to increase their investments in robotics and automated systems or risk losing their contracts. This will apply to companies involved in the manufacturing of Apple products such as iPhones, iPads, Apple watches and Mac computers. In the past, Apple has helped its suppliers financially and technically to automate their production lines; now, they will have to bear the costs themselves. Several reasons have been suggested for this change in policy. One is that it would make Apple less vulnerable to major disruptions such as pandemics. Covid had a serious effect on Apple’s operations because of problems staffing production facilities, especially in China. Automation also makes it easier to standardise production, and to implement similar manufacturing facilities in different countries. This has become an important requirement with President Donald Trump wanting American companies to carry out more of their manufacturing activities in the US. It will be easier to replicate highly automated production plants in America if they have been established elsewhere first. What is unlikely is a future as envisaged by the US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick earlier this year, when he talked about an “army of millions and millions of human beings screwing in little screws to make iPhones” in America. The only way that it would make sense for Apple to produce more in the US is if the manufacturing operations are highly automated. With labour costs in the US being much higher than in Asia, where Apple has traditionally done much of its manufacturing, higher levels of automation are obviously attractive. It also means that Apple will be less vulnerable to skills shortages in North America. In addition, President Trump’s wholesale expulsion of undocumented US residents means that there will be fewer of the immigrants who have traditionally been a key element of the workforce in many American factories. Where Apple leads, others are likely to follow, which is good news for the robotics and automation industry, especially in the US. Rockwell Automation has already announced that it is planning to invest $2bn over the coming five years in its plants, staff and digital infrastructure – mainly in North America. One factor behind this decision is no doubt that it is anticipating an increase in automation spending as manufacturers ramp up their US investments in response to pressure from the Trump administration. And as manufacturers – especially in the US – invest more in automation, their rivals will be forced to follow suit to remain competitive. The effects could reverberate around the industrialised world. The UK will not be immune from these pressures. Manufacturers here are probably going to have to invest more in automation than they have done in the past. All of this points to a rosier future for robotics and automation suppliers globally. Tony Sacks, Editor n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ÐÕÍÖÓÖÎÐÊ ËÌÚÐÎÕ ÐÕÊÌ ¯´²³ XN
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