thyssenkrupp Bilstein Addresses Labor Shortage, Expands Production with Fleet of Universal Robots
Nine UR10 collaborative robots deployed at the manufacturer’s plant in Hamilton, Ohio, have opened new avenues of growth for the company manufacturing high-tech suspension solutions for the automotive industry. By automating hard-to-staff tasks such as machine tending, assembly, and product inspection, the cobots optimize production and provide a better work environment. This has enabled thyssenkrupp Bilstein’s to expand its business without relying on hiring additional workers in an area with low unemployment. Future rollout plans include an additional 40 UR cobots.
thyssenkrupp Bilstein was facing an increase in customer demands combined with fast-changing product requirements. The company needed to keep its manufacturing processes lean and flexible and could not grow at the desired rate by simply hiring more people. The manufacturer had also made a commitment to its existing workforce to decrease ergonomically unfavorable tasks.