Robots on the rise
Sales of robots to UK food manufacturers beat those to every other sector in 2009 for the first time, according to British Automation and Robotics Association (BARA) records.
In what was the worst year for investment in the sector since BARA’s records began in 1997, food manufacturing accounted for 20% all commercial robot sales – 15% up on 2008 data. A total of 94 unit sales were logged – the highest ever figure from BARA, although it admitted a small amount of sales might not have been recorded.
“Food becoming the biggest single sector for robot sales in 2009 supports the general view that there is growing interest in robots and automation in the food industry, says BARA president Mike Wilson, who is also chairman of the Yorkshire-based Centre for Food, Robotics and Automation’s (CenFRA’s) technical advisory group.
