ABB strengthened its commitment to one of its largest customer markets—the US—with construction starting on the expansion of its existing North American robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The project is expected to be completed in November 2023 and represents an investment of $20 million. The expansion will create 72 highly skilled new jobs in the area and is supported by a $450,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.
ABB Robotics moved into the 538,000 square foot building in 1993 and opened the manufacturing plant in 2015, becoming the first global industrial robotics company to fully commit to a North American robotics production footprint. The expansion and increased use of automation in the factory will create new jobs, supporting the ABB Robotics Packaging & Logistics Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia and the Robotics Lifesciences and Healthcare Hub located at the Texas Medical Center in Houston Texas. ABB already has a workforce of approximately 350 employees at Auburn HillsThis investment will see the latest digital and automation technologies implemented to manufacture next generation robots in the US, for the Americas, streamlining the delivery process and reducing lead times. Close to 90 percent of robots delivered to customers in the US, Canada, Mexico and South America will soon be made in Auburn Hills. The plant will utilize flexible, modular production cells that are digitally connected and networked, and served by intelligent autonomous mobile robots. AI-powered robotic systems will take on tasks such as screw driving, assembling and material handling, relieving people from these tasks and enabling more rewarding work.