Mr. Povlsen, this is your first time back at Automatica in a long time: What is your impression so far?

We made a conscious decision to participate again with a large stand - incidentally also next door at the Analytica trade fair. Our partner network will be there, and we will also use the event to present our new UR20 heavy-duty cobot. The response from the public has been very, very good so far.

Where do you currently see a particularly high demand for the use of cobots and lightweight robots in production?

There are many areas, but I would like to highlight one: welding. There is a real shortage of experienced welders who can deliver reliable quality. This doesn't just affect Germany, but also Latin America and other continents. Lightweight welding robots can really help small companies here.

Have you developed the necessary expertise for this at Universal Robots?

Our strategy is to concentrate on our core competence, the robots, and leave special applications to our network of UR partners, who are then top specialists in their field. Our partners can always rely on our expertise and support when it comes to robotics itself. Welding is a good example: Our partner knows which movements the welding arm performs, which welding process is used for a task, but we advise on the selection and configuration of the robot, for example.

Is this also reflected in new customer groups?

Safe. We see a new type of customer who is looking for complete turnkey solutions that can be used immediately in production. These can be smaller companies, but also larger ones that rely on our partner network and us for configuration. We then also take responsibility for ensuring that the components of the complete solution work together without any problems.

What does the ecosystem of Universal Robots and its partners look like?

Universal Robots has a well-developed sales network worldwide and, as mentioned at the beginning, we also work closely with system integrators who incorporate our technologies into their own solutions. We then act as the OEM. We have a keen interest in seeing this environment grow and that there is good, trusting cooperation for our mutual benefit.

What growth potential do you see?

We assume that, across all sectors, only two percent of the tasks that could be solved by cobots are actually carried out by robots. We are still at the very beginning with cobots and the potential is enormous.

What technological trends will you be focusing on in the coming years?

Vision technology is very exciting right now. This is very relevant for us. Our developers have always been heavily involved in the area of security, but the topic remains as relevant as ever. Finally, I also see the area of machine learning and artificial intelligence. These three topics in combination will make cobots more accessible and easier to use in the coming years and help to expand the market.