More robot production shifting to U.S.

Thanks to better U.S. sales, supplier globalization and the strong yen, domestic robot production is rebounding. Kawasaki Robotics Inc. has been building robots in Lincoln, NE, for the past 12 months and has shipped almost a thousand mechanical workers to the U.S. auto industry. Motoman Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan-based Yaskawa Electric Corp., and Stillwater Technologies are building a $20 million facility in Troy, OH, where they'll produce robots and related components. Kawasaki Robotics also has doubled the size of its North American headquarters in Wixom, MI. Nevertheless, shifting production to the U.S. to cut costs may not be a major trend quite yet. The robot industry's U.S. trade association was not even aware of Motoman's plans until a reporter called.