Menu
Robot27
  • Products
  • Services
    • Automation Design and Engineering
      • Material Handling
      • CNC Tending
      • Welding
    • Cobot Software Programming
  • About Us
  • Learn About Cobots
    • What is a Cobot?
    • Why Automate?
    • Why Universal Robots?
  • News
    • Robot 27 & Universal Robots News
    • Robotics Industry News
    • Learning
    • Waypoint Newsletter
      • Issue Five
      • Issue Four
      • Issue Three
      • Issue Two
      • Issue One
  • Contact
  • Financing
Close Menu
Jürgen von Hollen President Universal Robots

Universal Robots Leverages Former Competitor Rethink Robotics

Since its inception in 2005, Universal Robots has continually pioneered advances in collaborative robotics.  As the global leader in a market expected to reach $600 million in 2019 and $7.9 billion by 2027 according to Interact Analysis, UR is always looking for a way to keep its nearly 50 percent market share in new and innovative ways.

Read More

 

Earlier this month, the Boston Globe reported that UR hired nearly two dozen employees from its former competitor Rethink Robotics of Boston, Mass. which is currently reorganizing under Germany’s Hahn Group after shutting its doors suddenly last year.  UR President and CEO Jürgen von Hollen had “nothing but nice things to say” about his former competitor Rethink, stating that they were “One of the best competitors [UR] ever had”  which pushed UR to continually improve its products. Robotics.org notes that the acquisition of some of Rethink’s top minds “will help expedite UR’s strategic ambitions and actions” over the coming years – especially with their knowledge of the cobot market and the needs of its customers. Rethink’s two collaborative robot systems, released in 2012 and 2015 respectively, were somewhat doomed to fail due to the cobots’ reliance on an imprecise spring-actuated motion control method.  Despite this limitation, Rethink’s cobots sporting multiple-axis control, embedded and external vision, and built-in force sensing made a sizable dent in the cobot market. 

While the Globe reports that the cobot market had “plenty of room for UR and Rethink to coexist”, it is hard to say for sure what the future may bring.  More and more companies are entering the cobot market – from lower-cost UR copies from Asia to many of the traditional robotics companies like Kuka, Fanuc and ABB.  The traditional robotics companies certainly have the pedigree and the talent to saturate the cobot market with new products.  However, only time will tell how well these new market entrants will stack up against UR’s well-established cobot brand.  It is obvious that cobots will be the automation segment to watch over the next decade.

Despite the increase in competition, UR continues to innovate to keep its edge in the global market.  UR’s new e-Series cobots feature a redesigned programming interface and a host of new features and upgrades making them easier to program, redeploy, and operate than ever.  You can read more about the e-Series in a previous blog post.  Robot27 deploys UR cobots – which boast some of the fastest returns on investment in the robotics world – in most of its automation solutions.

Show Less

Related Posts

Automate 2019

Robot 27 News, Universal Robots News

Robot27 Visits Automate in Chicago

Universal Robots News

UR Cobots Featured in Retooled Google Robotics Program

UR AT ATX West 2019

Universal Robots News

Universal Robots at ATX West 2019

Robot 27 News

  • Robot 27 Grand Opening
  • Robot27 Visits Automate in Chicago

Universal Robots News

  • Robot27 Visits Automate in Chicago
  • UR Cobots Featured in Retooled Google Robotics Program
  • Universal Robots at ATX West 2019

Robotics Industry News

  • Aluminum Extrusion Made Quick and Easy With Vention
  • ARC Specialties Introduces SnapCut
  • Studies Find Labor Demands Increase In Tandem With Automation
  • ARC Specialties Introduces SnapWeld – an Integrated Welding Solution
  • Techman and OMRON Partner to Produce Co-branded Cobot

Learning

  • How to Pick the Right Gripper for Your Cobot
  • Getting Started With Cobots
Back To Top
Robot27
  • Products
  • Services
    • Automation Design and Engineering
      • Material Handling
      • CNC Tending
      • Welding
    • Cobot Software Programming
  • About Us
  • Learn About Cobots
    • What is a Cobot?
    • Why Automate?
    • Why Universal Robots?
  • News
    • Robot 27 & Universal Robots News
    • Robotics Industry News
    • Learning
    • Waypoint Newsletter
      • Issue Five
      • Issue Four
      • Issue Three
      • Issue Two
      • Issue One
  • Contact
  • Financing
© Robot27 2021
By accessing and using this page you agree to the Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy