It’s a bit sobering to see how far NZ is getting behind other countries regarding the level of automation being deployed in manufacturing.

As noted recently in NZ Manufacturer, in NZ we use 55 robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers compared to Denmark, an economy similar in size NZ, who use 246 robots. South Korea leads the way with 946 robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers.

While our DIY approach to business served us well in the past its not cutting it now as we are competing with companies with far more advanced and productive technology.

To compete internationally we need to apply our kiwi ingenuity and innovation DNA to designing great products but manufactured using the best tech available.

At the same time we need to shift our thinking away from how much manufacturing tech costs, to what benefits it delivers – increased productivity, more interesting jobs, reduced labour costs and improved health & safety.

At Design Energy – the Robotic Automation Company – we design and build automation systems that help our customers become more productive and competitive (www.designenergy.co.nz)