Adoption of robotics and automation is becoming a top priority for many industrial companies, with 25 percent of capital spending expected to be allocated to automated systems over the next five years. Retail and consumer goods, logistics and fulfillment, and food and beverage are among the sectors that are expected to invest heavily in automation. The benefits of automation include improved output quality, efficiency, and uptime, increased productivity and capacity, reduced costs and improved operational uptime, and automated activities like picking, packing, sorting, and quality assurance.
Challenges of Adopting Robotics and Automation
Despite these benefits, there are several challenges associated with the adoption of robotics and automation. These include the capital cost of robots, lack of experience with automation, integration with existing systems, fitting into existing spaces, safety and cyberattack concerns, and challenges related to knowledge and return on investment. According to the 2022 McKinsey Global Industrial Robotics Survey, the primary challenges to adoption include the capital cost of robots and a company’s general lack of experience with automation, which were cited by 71 percent and 61 percent of respondents, respectively.
Opportunity for Technology Providers and Barriers to Progress
The challenges presented by the adoption of robotics and automation offer a significant opportunity for technology providers. They can differentiate themselves by offering full-service models for implementation and maintenance, as well as by helping companies overcome adoption challenges and moving towards robotics as a service. In order to succeed, these technology providers need to provide convincing answers to the questions raised by their customers and work to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
In retail and consumer goods, 60 percent of respondents cited knowledge and return on investment as the biggest barriers to progress. Other challenges include a lack of technological readiness from a capability lens and system reliability. To overcome these challenges, companies are turning to partnerships with legacy-system integrators and robotics start-ups and disruptors that offer cutting-edge innovations.
In conclusion, while adoption of robotics and automation offers many benefits, companies are facing several challenges, including cost, lack of experience, and integration with existing systems. This presents an opportunity for technology providers to help build the necessary capabilities for successful automation at scale, by offering full-service models for implementation and maintenance and overcoming adoption challenges
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