The ongoing digital structural change taking place in industry will have a major impact on industrial development in the coming years. It is important that companies, in the context of the company's business page and its business model, look at how the company can strengthen its competitiveness. An important sub area is the ability to increase the degree of automation in the company's production system.
The rapid development that takes place through increased digitalization, automation and robotization creates great opportunities for industry. While efficiency enhancing the competitiveness of many companies there are challenges, not least for SMEs. The smaller companies usually have less resources and are not always aware of how automation and robotization could help to strengthen their development and how a development could be realized. Making use of opportunities for robotization and automation of production flow is today necessary for companies in industry to be internationally competitive. According to Eurostat statistics, only a few tenths of Swedish manufacturing companies have an advanced level of digitization and automation, which is lower than other northern European countries. Lower prices and advanced technology means that robots today become more accessible, more capable and easier to use. Through technological achievements, new automation solutions have also evolved, such as collaborative robots that can work safely side by side with people. Potential has, thus increased, significantly also for companies where it has previously been challenging to introduce automation solutions.
Focusing on automation and robotization
As a result of our work of developing the region's industry, IUC Norr AB has in collaboration with IUC Sweden, taken the initiative to focus on automation and robotization to reach the small and medium-sized enterprise with knowledge, analysis, demonstrations and contact networks.
The project will begin in the autumn of 2018 and will be carried out in collaboration with IUC Sweden's network of industrial development partners in Sweden and the Robot Valley, Swerea IVF, Automation Region. IUC Sweden is a network focused on industrial and industrial SME operations across the country and has the task of participating in development efforts aimed at SMEs with the aim of increasing their competitiveness.
The objective in quantitative and qualitative terms means that:
- 84 SMEs should be given the opportunity for an initial analysis
- 56 SME undergoes in-depth preliminary studies for automation
- 120 people from SME should participate in lectures and mini fairs
- 50 people from SME will have the opportunity for in-depth training in automation
IUC Norr sees the importance of regional initiatives being initiated in cooperation between parties in Finland, Norway and Sweden. The cooperation established under the Interreg project Business Model is a collaboration platform that can initiate these initiatives in our region. IUC Norr is looking for cooperation in Automation and Robotization with universities and industrial partners in northern Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Anders Högström
070-65 112 65, anders.hogstrom@iucnorr.se
Storgatan 11C, 3 tr, 972 38 Luleå
