The energy sector plays a key role in Norway's robotics and automation industry. Investments in renewable sources could boost demand for automation, according to a recent market report from HowToRobot.com and the Norwegian Society of Electric and Automatic Control, or NFEA.
“The Norway findings underscore a global shift: Robots and automation aren't limited to manufacturing anymore,” stated Søren Peters, CEO of HowToRobot. “Often, they align with sectors that hold significant economic weight in their respective markets, like energy in Norway.”
Founded in 2020, HowToRobot.com is a global marketplace to connect buyers with automation suppliers. The Copenhagen, Denmark-based company, which has a U.S. office in Chicago, said its market guides and digital tools can help businesses understand their specific needs and connect them with its growing network.
NFEA: Manual labor not enough for green energy shift
As the Norwegian energy sector diversifies from oil and gas, demand for automation could increase, said HowToRobot and NFEA. Their market overview covered 171 robotics businesses across 298 locations in Norway.
It found that 17% of robotics and automation suppliers in the country serve the energy sector, making it the sixth most popular industry by number of suppliers—ahead of the automotive industry.
“The big shift towards green energy can’t be achieved with manual labor alone and will require further investments into robots and automation,” said Karin Sundsvik, general manager of NFEA.
The NFEA is a politically independent association that focuses on electricity and automation. Its members include more than 300 companies and educational or research institutions.
The organization said it provides networking, competence development, and increased competitiveness for Norwegian industry. NFEA is a national member organization in the International Federation of Automatic Control (Ifac) and an industry association member of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Robot applications grow in energy sector
Inspection for quality control is a common application for automation in Norway's energy sector, said the market overview. The report also observed that 23% of the robotics companies in Norway supply systems for inspection and quality control, making it the second most-popular application by the number of suppliers.
Some key growth areas for renewable energy in Norway include offshore wind, solar power, and the large-scale production of batteries for industrial use. The country's labor costs are among the highest in the world, so automation is needed to increase the profitability of renewable energy investments, said Sundsvik.
“Renewable energy projects are creating more demand for robots and automation,” she said. “They will require more businesses from the automation industry to specialize in this area.”
Highlights from HowToRobot and NFEA's report
The company and the association shared some of the report's key findings.
Of the 171 robotics and automation companies in Norway, integrators make up 46% of businesses, robot manufacturers 21%, and sub-component suppliers 22%. Distributors make up 8%, and advisors 4%, said NFEA and HowToRobot.
The industries served by most robot and automation companies in Norway include logistics at 56 companies, metal and machinery with 50, and robotics at 43. Those figures have increased since last year's report.
Thirty six robotics suppliers served food and beverage, 32 supported “other,” and 29 served the energy industry. In Norway, 61 robotics providers specialize in handling and picking, 40 in inspection and quality control, and 35 in packing and palletizing, said the report.
While many automation companies in Norway date back to the 1980s, 66% more of them were established between 2003 and 2022 than from 1980 to 1999. The market overview also includes company statistics and a complete data sheet with information on each business.
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