November 7, 2019
MiR and Universal Robots have opened a 1,500-m2 center that will promote collaborative automation in Southern Europe.
Mobile Industrial Robotics (MIR) and Universal Robotics (UR) announce new Collaborative Automation center in Barcelona Spain. This new venture promises to bring cutting edge collaborative automation to Southern Europe.
The new facility is 1,500 m2 and includes offices for both companies. In addition, there is a joint showroom where the latest technology and applications for cobots will be demonstrated. According to the press report, about 30 people will work at the facility in the [email protected] district or Districte de la Innovació of Barcelona Spain.
A Natural Fit
MiR and UR are both subsidiaries of Teradyne, so a joint venture focused on promoting collaborative automation is a natural evolution for the siblings. They’ll likely share sales opportunities and coordinate on promoting their solutions and they expand their presence in Southern Europe. The demo facility with also feature joint solutions which illustrate how autonomous mobile robots can work hand in hand with collaborative robot arms.
Here’s an example of the types of demos to expect at the new joint demo facility:
Spain Gains Credibility with this new Collaborative Robotics Hub
Matilde Villarroya, General Director of Industry of the Government of Catalonia, who attended the opening, said that “Catalonia has the qualities that foreign companies value to invest in: a dynamic, diversified and internationalized economy with excellent infrastructure and an innovative business environment”. “The project of Universal Robots and MiR is very relevant for the Catalan economy: industrial robotics is a key factor in the transition to Industry 4.0 and plays a very important role for the society development”, added Villarroya.
According to Jürgen von Hollen, President of Universal Robots, the election of the [email protected] district of Barcelona as the place for the new hub responds to a strategic decision. “We have chosen Barcelona because it gives us access to qualified resources, ability to attract talent from around the world, a vibrant business activity and good infrastructure.”
Thomas Visti, CEO of MiR, agrees and continues: “This collaborative robot hub will bring us even closer to the Southern European market and to letting us share the latest technologies. This is a great opportunity for us, as this is a market of high potential, where we see continuously more companies in all types of industries that are interested in optimizing processes with collaborative robots to stay competitive”.
Finally, Jens Kisling, Danish Ambassador for Spain and Andorra, underlined that “the alliance between companies, academic institutions and the public sector developed a high level technological center in Odense, Denmark. Universal Robots and MiR are two excellent representatives of that. Now the model has been exported to Barcelona, creating a collaborative robotics center for Southern Europe”.
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