Mexico has a significant opportunity for “greater adoption of automation” in its industries, especially the reshoring of supply chains, said Jeff Burnstein, President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).
“Automated solutions are often overlooked. We believe there will be more manufacturing moving to Mexico near the coast because, in recent years, supply chain issues that affected so many companies put them in a difficult situation,” commented Burnstein.
The most recent Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards 2023, the world’s most prestigious robotics award, stated that regional supply chains are becoming increasingly important after the disruption of global supply chains due to the Covid pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the trade conflict between the United States and China.
“We believe that having more manufacturing in Mexico will help alleviate that situation in the future. That’s why we believe this market will grow tremendously in terms of automation and manufacturing,” he said during his participation in the fifth edition of Industrial Transformation Mexico (ITM), an entity with which EFE has a content distribution agreement.
“Mexico should invest in these technological solutions”
Burnstein, who represents over 1,000 global companies involved in robotics, artificial vision, motion control, motors, and related technologies, emphasized that higher levels of automation in industries lead to greater success.
The President of A3 pointed out that Mexico should invest in these technological solutions, as China did in its time, before becoming the manufacturing powerhouse it is today.
“Companies that have adopted robotics around the world have helped them gain a much stronger position to become manufacturing leaders,” he said.
Burnstein considered that there is still a historical gap in the adoption of automation in production chains in Mexico.
In this regard, Burnstein stressed that skilled labor is needed “capable of implementing, maintaining, and operating machinery.”
“We have to work on it, and there has to be an understanding that this is a good thing and that it will ultimately lead to better, better paying, and safer jobs,” he said.
Regarding workers’ fear of being replaced by machines or robots, Burnstein stated that “workers’ greatest fear should be that their company is no longer competitive.”
Furthermore, he mentioned that when a company is competitive and adopts the latest technology of the moment and updates all its processes, it leads to better jobs and better returns.
“Companies can use automation to be more successful. They create more jobs, and the types of jobs are better, safer, and higher paying, for example,” he explained.
Burnstein detailed that the automotive industry is the one that uses artificial intelligence and robotics the most in its processes, being the leading industry exporter to North America. However, he contrasted that it is also useful in agriculture and the general food industry as important players in the country.
Finally, he assured that access to technology driven by artificial intelligence and robotics is becoming more affordable and accessible as an industrial solution.
“Models have changed, so companies may not have to buy a large number of robots. They can rent them or use what is called robots as a service. And there are new financing methods,” he concluded.
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